Voices of Humanity

Chapter Six

    With Dulane following close behind, the nasty overseer did not taunt as he walked me outside into the chilly spring air, but I could feel the aura of his smug satisfaction. I knew well he had been waiting to get his revenge since I was a child.

    As we passed by other slaves and sibla employees I could hear them whispering. It was clear they'd already been informed of my impending discipline. My cheeks burned red with embarrassment and frustration even as my heart pounded with dread.

    By the time we rounded the corner to the area of punishment, there was already a small gathering awaiting our arrival.

    "Tie her up," Everett commanded, handing me off to two other sibla men.

    I didn't resist as I was lead to a tree trunk that had been placed in the ground, just thin enough to wrap one's arms around. I'd seen other's face punishment at the whipping post before but I never imagined I might be among them. It was too surreal for me to fully grasp the horror or protest in any way. Just twenty-four hours ago I had been one of Dulane's most prized humans...

     My dress was soon stripped from the top half of my body to expose my bare back and breasts and a blush of shame warmed my cheeks even as the cold air nipped at my naked flesh. One of the men pushed me roughly against the bark, his hand on my back to keep me in place as his partner took hold of my arms, wrapping them around the trunk in an uncomfortable hug before tying my wrists together tightly.

    "You wait here, girl," one of them said, as if I had a choice. "Your old friend Everett will be back soon enough. He's just makin' sure he has the right tools for a special treat. He smacked my rear hard and laughed when I let out a small cry in response. "That was nothing," he commented. "You'd better save your screams, human. Your audience will be eager to hear them."

    Tears dripped down my cheeks at my helplessness. As the crowd grew my legs felt weak beneath me, true fear and panic building, a cold sweat to breaking out across my brow. This couldn't be happening. I was Mariana's daughter, I was Lexia's favorite, I had never done anything but serve!

    "She's ready, Sir."

    Everett's voice cut through my silent denial, followed by the sharp crack of a whip. I watched it move through the air from the corner of my eye as the overseer advanced, arching like a poisonous leather snake, waiting to bite. My whole body tensed.

    "Excellent," came the answer. I watched my Master take his place in the crowd, positioned so that I could see him clearly. As his eyes met mine there was not an ounce of warmth or compassion in his gaze. He was fully prepared to see me suffer.

    "All of you are gathered here to witness the reform of this animal," Dulane said, his voice strong and sure. "Let it be known that none on this estate might overstep their bounds without punishment."

    His words filled me with humiliation. My wrists itched from the tight ropes wrapped around them and my arms already ached, the bark of the tree trunk digging into my skin.

    "This human has forgotten her place and will now be made to understand her mistakes. May she, and all those present, learn from her example and find themselves all the more dedicated to their service on my lands."

    I watched as my Master nodded his head once and only a moment later heard the whistle of Everett's whip followed by the sharp sting on my skin. My body shivered at the shock of sensation but had no time to recover before the second lash fell. I sucked in a sharp breath through gritted teeth, tears dripping silently down my face, my eyes fixed on Dulane and those around him, trying to distract from the agony that was growing with each passing stroke of the leather against my skin.

    To the right of my Master, his wife stood, just as indifferent to my pain, and to his left, I saw my new kitchen overseer. Madam Rin's lips were fixed in a covert smile. She was enjoying this.

    "Ah!!!!"

    I heard the echo of my own cry ringing out, bursting from my lips as the whip came down again, harder this time. Pain radiated through my body and my nostrils filled with the coppered hint of blood as it mixed with the earthy scent of the stump I clung to.

    I'd already lost count of the blows. My back was on fire, the screams now flowing freely. Still the punishment continued stroke after agonizing stroke. It was not long before my feet slipped out from under me and only my sore arms held me off the ground. I could feel my consciousness slipping as well, the pain unbearable. And then, all at once, the assault ceased.

    "Cut her down, Mr. Everett."

    I heard Dulane's voice through the haze of pain and I blinked my eyes open to bring his figure blurrily into focus.

    "Ms. Rin," he said, addressing my new kitchen overseer. "See to it that the creature's wounds are tended to properly. She is to be allowed the rest of the day to recover after which she is meant to return to work."

    I had no time to register his words before I felt a rough hand on my arm. My body tensed as I looked to see Everett looming, a knife in his hand.

    "You enjoy that, Alice?" he whispered as he crouched down beside me. "I'm not through with you yet, girl. Cedrick has given me full authority to handle your training. This was just a taste."

    I didn't dare answer, though his words brought a mix of anger and despair washing over me, just as horrific as the burning sensation on my back. Apparently, Everett wasn't satisfied by my silence. His mouth morphed into a frown. A searing pain shot through my body as the man pressed his hand against the bloodied wounds he'd inflicted and I cried out in fresh agony.

    "Filth," he cursed as his knife cut through the ropes and I fell in a heap on the ground, tears streaming down my cheeks.

    "I only gave her twenty lashes, Sir," Everett called out. "If she isn't fit to return to work tomorrow morning, I'd say the animal ain't half as hearty as you thought." I winced as he spit on the ground beside me.

    A moment later I felt hands take hold of my wrists, helping me up from the ground. Two of the male field hands holding me erect. Another dragged over a hose turning the water on me.

    I cried out again and again until my voice grew hoarse as the freezing liquid attacked my fresh wounds, the shock refusing to let me slip into unconsciousness.

    By the time they had finished, my whole body was numb with pain. The crowd had long since dispersed but Madam Rin remained. She had me escorted to the barracks and saw my miserable form laid out, stomach down on my bed. One of the kitchen slaves slathered my back in some white paste that burned my skin all the more and wrapped the wounds to prevent infection. I was offered a glass of water and then abandoned.

    I could do nothing but lay there with my agony for the hours that passed alone, praying for sleep to take me. Praying that this might all be some sort of horrible mistake. A dream from which I could awake. But I knew the truth. My nightmare was just beginning.