My head was throbbing like crazy, and I couldn't see anything. Noticing there was a bag over my head. I seemed to be in a carriage, I could tell because of the noise of horses outside, and the back and forth movement of the vehicle. Feeling something tightly wrapped where the branch had stabbed my hand.
Moving my feet I heard sobbing beside me. Oh please no. I thought hoping it wasn't Kara and she'd managed to get away. When I tried to move my hands I noticed they were binded and tied to the point I could barely get them a hair apart.
I tried to move the bag off my head, but ended up speaking in a whisper, "Kara...?"
The sobbing stopped and instantly that person had leaned against me, "Hana, I'm so scarred... You weren't waking up..."
Seems to me like I'd been out for hours and just came too. There was no time to lose as I moved and found Kara's hands whispering to her, "Stay still, I'm going to try and get you lose."
Kara stayed quiet as I tried my best to undo the chains, I didn't know how to pick a lock, however, and proved futile. Letting out a deep breath, "what have you heard?"
She was quiet a second, "They've talked about an establishment... And soldiers causing them trouble.... But that was a while ago, they haven't talked for a long time."
I nodded, "I want you to lean towards my hands."
She quickly did as I said and I grabbed the bag on her head, pulling it off with a little difficulty, "What do you see?"
Kara took a second I could hear her moving, "The carriage is dark, but there's a boy here too... I think he's asleep."
Then I could feel her getting on her feet and leaning against me to grab the bag in my head. I could see what she meant. And before us was a badly bruised boy with cuts and blood all over him.
We were lucky no one was back here with us, taking the chance to cross my hands from my back to the front so I could try and pry the chains off at least slightly. Taking a look at Kara's I noticed they couldn't get her's as tight as mine because she was a child.
Grabbing them and pulling till one of her hands was out, the chains noise alerting the men outside, the carriage coming to a halt. Well, one had was better than nothing. I looked at the boy trying to shake him awake.
He was passed out and hearing the men get down I instantly put the bag right back over my head, telling Kara to lean over my hands and hope they didn't notice I had tried undoing them.
I felt a chill run down my spine when those doors opened up, the man hopped in and inspected us. They seemed in a hurry because he hoped right back off and closed the doors.
Lifting the bag over my head again I saw the boy had moved, he sat upright and couldn't see. I reached over but saw how he inched back scared.
I whispered, "I'm just taking the bag off. Don't make noise or they'll know we're awake."
I don't know if he believed me or hearing a female voice changed his attitude but he stayed still and I could pull the bag off his face.
I smiled and slowly moved to sit beside him. Seeing the chains I managed to pull one of his hands out as I did with Kara this time being quieter. He didn't look much older than her, maybe he was around ten or twelve.
He'd probably been taken from the town trying to escape as well. Having undone their chains a little, I moved to look at the door. They didn't seem locked, so they were probably trying to look like a normal carriage.
I looked back at the two and whispered, "We're going to jump out, and we're going to run." I told the two.
Kara nodded scared, "but you're coming right?"
"I don't know." I shook my head, "you two need to get out, when you do I'll try my best to buy you time."
The boy had been silent all this time and only nodded, I mouthed, "Get ready."
Pushing the doors open quietly I peeked out to see if anyone walked behind the carriage, but the closest men were a bit far, we could manage to get past.
I took a deep breath and looked at them, "Go left." I said just as I pushed the doors completely open and those two quickly dropped after me.
All of us getting on our feet I made sure they went ahead while keeping an eye on the men getting near us. I managed to get a quick look around, I didn't even recognize the place.
"They're trying to escape." one of them said, the carriage stopping and the two men that had been driving getting off and running towards us.
I ran faster with my hands still tied, the two were quite a way away. Kara and that kid sure could run, I was falling behind quick and the men were catching up... if this is how things go... Then at least I hope they make it out.
Running as fast I could, racing through the grass, my hair was pulled back, and I was sent tumbling down feeling like my head would be pulled off my body.
I coughed feeling out of breath as the men stood over me stepped on my back, "you fucking bitch stay put."
They were still running, they could catch up two the two. So I'm sure as hell not staying put. I moved around as I could, searching around me with my hands and finding a stick. The man over me moved and stepped on my hands as I let out a scream hearing my fingers crack.
Taking the chance I moved my legs but soon another man came to hold me down, punching me square in the face. I fumbled to continue trying to get on my feet, but the more they beat me down, all I could do was sit and take it.
I was still conscious when they started to drag me back to the carriage. I was just glad when I didn't see or hear they brought anyone else. Relief just washed over me... Kara was safe... Kara was alright...
Then everything just went back to black, the bag no longer over me and my hands and legs untied.
When I woke up I was in a cell, and all I heard was crying around me. Squinting my eyes to get a clear look I'd beenat in a dark place. I saw girls around me, some were younger than Kara while others looked as old as mom... Maybe they had kids of their own in here.
I turned on my back feeling my fingers were all broken... I'd only broken a finger once before... And I could for sure tell that more than one was broken. My legs felt bruised all over and when looking closely they had cuts all over. They were probably from all the branches I had been caught upon. My dress was torn and broken, and I had cut just about everywhere.
I looked around the younger girl, just wanting to make sure they weren't Kara, "he... Hello?" I said hesitantly as some eyes fell on me.
Before I could utter another word an older woman sighed, "who are you looking for?"
"My sister Kara. She's six and not too tall." I said quickly and she seemed to make a mental note.
"No one matches what you're looking for... Either you're lucky... Or very unlucky." she said.
I frowned, what could she mean by that. Getting on my feet I paced around the cell and looked out, there were guards on every corner I thought I could have a chance of escaping.
Getting away from the cell bars I sat on the floor, there were more than ten girls in this little cell, some where sitting together while others sat apart like me.
A guard walked up to our door and opened it, everyone instinctively tried to hide, curling themselves up defensively. While the older woman I talked to sat still and unfazed.
The man looked around as another walked up to the cell, he pointed around landing on me, "Take those three to get branded."
I sucked in a deep breath, branded?! They wanted to brand us as slaves... This is crazy, no I need to get out of here!
Before I could think anything else I was pulled out along with two other girls, they were sobbing like crazy but I was too scared to even react.
When I finally got to my senses I started to squirm and opened my mouth to protest. But I was muted... I couldn't get my voice out from the fear.
They soon pushed us into a room where metal was being heated up, I felt like I was suffocating and squirmed even harder, getting hit on the back and falling to the floor.
"She's first." the man said.