“Untie him.” The order was barked.
I only had the energy to try to catch my breath, tears burning my eyes as my wrist fell against the floor once the rope was released.
If, for once in my life, the floor would open and swallow me whole, I’d forever be thankful. There was no way I’d be able to stand, let alone crawl. My eyes fought to stay open, staring blankly at nothing in particular as voices bounced off the walls around me.
“Get dressed.” I blinked at the order. When I didn’t move, the man pulled me to sit. My body went willing as black dots danced behind my eyes.
There was an impatient sigh before a shirt was roughly forced over my head, then my arms through the holes. There was only a moment after all light ceased before it reappeared.
“Up.”
On unsteady legs, I forced my body to do as it was commanded. Keeping my head down, I gaze at the ground, and locked my knees to hold my weight.
My body leaned against the man’s front while he reached around me, pulling the plug out in one smooth motion. It clattered against the ground as he dropped it.
“You ain’t gonna pass out on me just yet, boy.”
With way too much effort, I somehow pushed myself away from his warmth as he knelt in front of me. One foot at a time, pants slipped up my legs, then over my waist.
“It’ll have to do.” The mumbled words floated over me as the man stood to his full height.
As I swayed, my legs threatening to give out, he cursed before planting a hand on my upper arm. The same arm that had the rope still attached.
A moment later, the man escorted me from the room to outside. The texture against the bottom of my feet went from smooth to rough in a matter of steps. I didn’t fight against the hold on my arm, even though it seemed like the man expected it. The rope pulled justenough that I knew he had wrapped it in his other hand while the hand on my arm held me tighter than needed.
Didn’t he know I had no will to fight him? He could have led me to a fire pit, and I’d have gone, walking through the embers.
“In you go.” The hand pushed more than steered me into a vehicle. Once I sat on the cool leather seat, legs maneuvered in front of me; the door was closed.
Trying to swallow against the dryness of my throat, I let my head drop to my chest before using all the energy I had in me to lift it back up. All it did was cause my head to flop against the back of the seat instead.
A whoosh of air came through the car as the man that now owned me got in on the driver’s side.
I turned my head, blurry gaze and all, towards where I assumed the window was as he started the car, not speaking a word. Seconds later, the motor's vibrations rumbled through me, luring me farther into the blackness.
***
The lights dimmed as the man drove farther from the town and out past the city limits. My eyes may not have stayed open, but my mind was well aware of what was happening around me. Mostly.
The car ran smoothly over the grooves of the streets. The thrum alone should have put me to sleep, especially after the night I’d had. Yet, my mind ran with thoughts that should never be there in the first place.
I breathed, keeping my head against the cool temperature of the glass. The man didn’t speak, and if it weren’t for the warm touch of fingers of his hand against my throat, I’d have thought he wasn’t even there.
Was he making sure I was alive and breathing? Or checking to see if I was too cold?
It didn’t matter. My well-being was just a thing I dealt with. I was to serve whoever held my leash, just like a dog.
I did, in fact, have a leash. The rough rope was still around my wrist, holding me as much of a hostage in this life as my body already was.
It didn’t matter that my owner was someone new. I was to be the well-trained slave I had been taught to be. Be quiet, do what was told, and be the toy they purchased.
A single tear trekked from my eye to my chin in the darkness of the car, unseen by the man who held my life in his hands.
Would he be the one to kill me? Would he use me until I took my last breath? Or would he tire of me and sell me to the next man who wanted the perfect pet to play with?
Only time would tell for any of my questions.
I only hoped that he wouldn’t want to use my body tonight. Even as the perfect slave, I could only handle so much pain.
