Wait… what?
I look at all of them in confusion as my grandfather and Mr. Clay release hands.
“Who is he collecting in seven days?”
Mr. Clay just looks at me and smiles.
My grandmother smacks me on the back of the head. “This is none of your concern.”
I have a bad feeling about this deal and what they’re talking about, but something inside of me won’t let me dive deeper. It’s like touching a hot stove every time my mind starts to put thepieces together, and I accept it, knowing I really don’t want to know. There’s no way I can accept that when I get back from the village, somehow, my life can actually get worse.
They head outside, and my grandmother’s eyes narrow as she motions for me to follow. Outside, Stephen waits beside Mr. Clay’s horse, small and unmoving. He’s a boy Mr. Clay took on as a helper when he was much younger and couldn’t be more than eight-years-old now. Every time I see his mop of dark hair and cautious face, my heart aches. He’s so young. Too young to be sold to a rich farmer and torn away from his family. I can’t even imagine what he’s been through.
“Stephen!” Mr. Clay snaps.
Stephen leaps to his feet… and straight into a pile of mud, scattering it all over Mr. Clay’s pants. Time seems to freeze. I see the look of pure horror and fear on Stephen's face, and I’m moving forward before I can stop myself. Mr. Clay lunges for him, fury in his expression, and I’m there in an instant, standing between them.
Mr. Clay looks surprised.
My grandparents look angry.
“Get out of the way,” Mr. Clay growls.
I stand up taller, even though I feel small and frightened inside. “No. It was an innocent mistake. Just let it go.”
“Idecide how I handle my farmhands.Me, and no one else,” Mr. Clay tells me, bringing his face inches from mine.
Nothing feels right. I’m breaking all my careful rules of survival. I’m drawing my grandparents’ attention. I’m doing something I know will make them angry. There will be consequences for this, and they will be brutal, but I still can’t move out of the way.
Mr. Clay stands up taller and glares at my grandparents. “Seems she needs more training than you let on. Two fucking chickens, not three.”
Then he climbs onto the horse. Reaching down, he yanks the kid up behind him, and they ride off, kicking mud at us as they go. And as they disappear into the trees, whatever possessed me to stand between Mr. Clay and the boy evaporates, and I’m trembling.
“Go into the barn and take off your shirt,” my grandfather says, anger in his voice.
Closing my eyes, I nod and reach for that quiet place inside me, where my body fades and my mind slips to somewhere else. Somewhere warm. Somewhere soft. Somewhere full of love.
2
Alette
Hours passas I get closer to town. I can tell my horse, Goose, is getting tired, so I climb off of her, grab my pack, give her a few minutes to graze, then continue ahead. My back aches with each movement, but I try to ignore it. I won’t let a little pain ruin my trip into town.
My back always heals, after all.
I’ve traveled this worn path more than enough times to know that we’re nearly there, and I’m already dying for the taste of the baker’s bread, or a bite of the tavern’s soup, and heck, I’d do anything for a sip of beer.The townsfolk are always good to me.Perhaps because they loved my parents so much.
The sun sets behind me, casting long shadows over the path as I walk. Goose moves beside me, her hooves thudding softly against the dirt road. My mind starts to wander. My thoughts tumble and tangle together. It’s been four months since I last made this journey.
I’ve missed town.
It’s been four months since I’ve seen the bustling square, the warm faces of the villagers, the smiles of children as they chase each other in the street. It’s the only place I’ve ever felt a true sense of belonging since my father passed. They’re my family now, the people here, the ones who showed up in whatever small ways they could when my father died, the ones who taught me how to laugh again. It’s been too long since I’ve shared a meal with them, traded news, or even just exchanged stories about the weather.
I can already feel my heart lifting as I spot the town ahead. I pull Goose’s reins forward, eager to see everyone I’ve missed so much.
But as I make my way through the town, I frown. No one is around. The streets are simply… empty.
“What in the world do you think this is about?” I ask Goose.
