I had to remind myself that being here was better than the basement where a cage was. It was better than being at the hands of monsters.
Whatever type of punishment this was, I could get through it. I’d take it by the hour, and go from there.
Breathing in, I wrapped the blanket tighter around my body. It was thin, well worn, and was anything but new. I’d say it did its job, but that’d be a lie.
I missed Sir’s bed and the soft blankets.
I had grown attached to things I shouldn’t have ever had to begin with. Sir had given me things I had taken for granted, and now it was all wiped away again.
Maybe that’s what this was about. I wasn’t to get attached to things that I should know better than to have.
I was a slave. Slaves weren’t meant to have nice things.
I had to relearn my place. I wasn’t anything important. Sir had to have seen something in me that wasn’t supposed to be there.
Letting that settle in my mind, I closed my eyes and listened to the howling wind and the noises of the old house.
Somewhere on the same floor, I could hear low voices. It sounds like two of the other people here were arguing over something, but it was hard to tell through the walls and closed doors.
As I began to finally doze off, a loud crash carried through the house. Instantly, I bolted upright, heart pounding in my chest.
“Fuck you!”
I didn’t know who spoke, but I was frozen in fear. Footsteps ran up the stairs, each thump in turn with my racing heart as panic filled me.
A part of me knew it wasn’t me that was in trouble. But that didn’t stop my shaking hands as I clutched the blanket to my chest.
Whoever it was that ran up the stairs stopped right in the hallway outside my door. It took a moment for the words to reach my brain.
“You two can’t keep doing this.” That was Mr. Meyer. “You’ve had warnings. You shouldn’t even be in this room, Heath.”
“Go be with Steve? No fucking thanks. He hates me.”
“You know the rules.”
“Then make that new kid move. I want my room back.” Heath, again.
“It was requested for him to have his own space. We’ve gone over this,” Mr. Meyer sighed. “Just for a few weeks. Then he’ll be moved. Or Nathen will be leaving and you can take his room.”
“I want my room back. If not, then I’m staying here.”
“Gunner-“
“I fucking know!” Heath again, before he stomped away. Shortly after, a door slamming echoed through the house.
“He can bunk with me.” I assumed that was Gunner. His voice was softer.
“No. If you told him no, he needs to respect it. Everyone deserves to have their voice heard here.”
“Then I’ll switch rooms. It’s whatever.”
“Come on, let’s get this mess cleaned up. We’ll talk it over tomorrow after everyone has calmed down.”
“Steve isn’t that bad,” Gunner sighed. “I don’t know why Heath has such an issue.”
The voices faded, being replaced by glass being picked up and thrown away. Whispers again. Then nothing.
I kept sitting on the bed, blanket wrapped around my shaking body as everything quieted down.
