Servitude

Chapter Eleven

When I awoke, I found myself on a cold stone floor. I sat up and saw around 12 crossbows pointed straight at me.

"Hi." I don't know why I said it.

They didn't move their weapons even when the doors opened, and more guards scampered in.

Well, I guess it's a positive that I am still alive. I am kind of surprised they haven't already killed me.

Once the extra guards surrounded me, I was pushed to the ground with the butt of a cane, making me lie on the floor with my eyes focused on the ceiling. I don't know what I expected, but I was disappointed when all I saw was a plane grey ceiling with one singular crack forming on it.

I lay there staring at the crack, still having the crossbows trained on me, when the two parents from the nursery room looked down at me. I was surprised by the look on their faces. I expected to see some kind of angry emotion, but there was nothing there. They looked emotionless.

"Why didn't you kill him? Why did you give him back?"

My responses took longer to form on my tongue. I guess we were going straight into questioning. It was also odd hearing his voice so calm and clear after the events of yesterday.

I looked around, trying to gauge if I would be pushed back down again if I attempted to move. Once I felt safe enough; I made myself sit up; I could have stood, but I didn't want them to see it as a sign of aggression.

"I didn't want to kill him. I only just held enough strength to take him off them!" I was going to expand, but the lady spoke up.

"You looked very willing when you walked in. Why the change of heart?"

"Well, I wasn't really me when I first walked into that room. I doubt you would have seen with all the commotion, but I'm chained up." To this, I lifted my arms up, showing my cuffs off.

"These past few weeks have been the only time I've been let out of my room since I was born." I was starting to get angry, but I looked down at the blood on my hands and lowered my voice again.

"I honestly didn't want any part of this, but I had no choice. I don't know what they wanted to do with your baby, but I had no involvement in that. I didn't let them have him. After all, I gave him back to you!" You could tell they still didn't trust me, but what could I do? The only thing probably keeping me alive right now was the fact they didn't understand my motives.

"Say we believe you and you really were chained up. How in hell did you manage to take on all your allies upstairs by yourself if you struggled so much to give us our child. Why shouldn't we kill you too." I guess that confirms it. I did have something to do with their deaths.

"Do it! Honestly, I have nothing to live for. I don't want to go back to where I came from, and I have nobody to call a friend or family. Over the last few weeks, I may have been let out of my makeshift cage, but I'm still a prisoner. Maybe death is the only kind of freedom I'll ever have." I didn't know why I said what I did, but it was true. The minute those words came out of my mouth, I knew I had no will to live. I had no purpose.

So, I swivelled myself around and got to my knees, ready for whatever they would do to me. Then the father spoke.

"If you are so used to being locked up, then you won't mind it for a few more days while we decide what to do with you."

I again opened my mouth stupidly. I don't know why I said what I did. "Before I go, I just want to say something. While we were making our way here, my group talked about an object in their control that was very vicious. They seem to think it was important that it was put in that room." I knew I was the object, but I didn't elaborate. I had a feeling they already knew that.