After Humanity

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Here is your Wednesday bonus chapter! It's on the shorter side. Just a quick check in with Rachel ;-) Hope you enjoy!

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Rachel

Fall went by even faster than summer had. With the loss of three more of their ranks, the slave hall felt a bit more empty than it had when Rachel first arrived, but Cynthia and Karen's disappearance also meant that the last of the most hostile women had been removed. The remaining girls were all kinda and had been so almost since her very first days. It was of course sad that the older girls were gone, but Rachel guiltily had to admit she didn't really miss their presence. Besides, Karen, Cynthia and Pearl had all been on the estate for nearly three years. No one had even been surprised.

In fact, despite the drunken rage Rachel had witnessed, Cynthia and the other two had all handled the news with total calm and been happy for their friends that the list of condemned was not longer. Still, Rachel had avoided bothering any of the older girls as they said their goodbyes. It was clear she wasn't a welcome presence among them and they'd deserved to spend their remaining time as they wished.

As it had after Judith and Sarah's disappearance, once the older girls were gone, life quickly returned to normal as everyone began preparing for winter, outwardly wiping way the memory of loss as if it never existed. Rachel continued to help with the care of Magnus's animals, only going to the kitchen for meals, or to be with Kathryn when she had time to spare.

Though she worried he might, Magnus had not asked for her aid in the fall harvest of his sheep and for that Rachel had been grateful. Alice explained that for larger processing operations Magnus hired a small crew of other sibla. In fact, no hard work was ever forced upon his human slaves, something that Rachel already knew well from observing the tasks she and the others were assigned in the barns. Their chores were never very laborsome.

Rachel did mourn the loss of so many sheep and pigs at first after the dark day of slaughter came and went, but took comfort in her work visiting the barns where the pregnant ewes lay in the hay, making sure they had enough food and water. Petting their soft fleece and feeling their rounded bellies, she looked forward to seeing the spring lambs.

Once the temperature dipped lower Alice suggested that Rachel leave the farm work to their Master's sibla workers. After all, even bringing water to the outdoor animals required the extra task of breaking through the layer of ice that would often appear on their troughs now and Alice was insistent that none of her flock to spend too much time in cold. Rachel once again began to help in the kitchen but was, in general, simply given more free time. A similar release was granted to the others who worked outside of the main house as well. It was wonderful to take advantage.

In the coldest months, Alice allowed all to sleep just a bit later and seemed less concerned with how fast they might complete their daily chores. In fact, after meal prep was complete, and the main house cleaned, most were allowed to relax in the slave hall to their hearts content, sitting by the roaring fireplace, telling stories, roasting marshmallows, drinking tea and even hot chocolate.

These new luxuries were entirely foreign to Rachel, but she soon learned how wonderful it was to be warm in the winter with enough good food in her belly to keep away the chill. Alice had even procured her a warm winter coat and waterproof boots so she might be able to enjoy the outdoors as well.

When snow blanketed the fields in white, the effect was nothing less than magical. In the light of the sun, the crystalline frost twinkled like diamonds, the chill in the air nipping playfully at her nose as she went between the slave hall and the main house, well protected from the elements. She and Kathryn even bundled up on occasion to venture to their beloved lake together, breath clouding in white puffs as they held each other close for warmth staring at its frozen beauty before hurrying home for mugs of hot cocoa to bring feeling fully back to their fingers and toes.

Surrounded by warmth and comfort Rachel began to realize how much she had gained in coming under Magnus and Alice's care. She missed Mamma and Papa of course, but she could not quite miss the horrible chill she remembered from her old home. Being shut inside wrapped in as many layers as they could manage but still never feeling warm when the elements slithered through the cracks in their drafty home.

She certainly did not miss the illness that used to plague Demin in the winter. The children that would die, the fussing Mamma would make every time she sniffled. She did not miss the aching pains of hunger she suffered when food was scarce and the snow so high that Papa could not go hunting. It made her guilty to think such thoughts but she couldn't help how she felt. Besides, they would want her to be happy, wouldn't they? She tried to imagine that Mama and Papa were with her still, watching over from above and smiling to see Rachel some comfortable in her new home.

They did not see much of Magnus throughout the coldest months. Alice explained that he liked to spend the winter in seclusion, a trait that Alice seemed to share with him. There were days when Rachel would barley see any sign of Alice either, the old woman choosing to hole up in her own cabin and keep to herself after having ensured that all meal prep and household chores were organized and would run smoothly in her absence. Though Rachel had grown used to Alice's gruff affect, she could not help but enjoy the comfortable camaraderie that she was able to share with the other girls without the watchful eyes of their overseers.

Kathryn taught her to knit, Carol taught her to draw, and Olivia would serenade them with her beautiful singing. The others even began to encourage Rachel to share stories of her old life and the tales Mamma and Papa and whispered at bedtime.

It seemed that all of them had learned similar stories of "Earth That Was" from their families growing up. Tales of grand human civilizations, of a time when all were free and their own kind ruled the world. Of the plague that had wiped out so many of the human race. Of the sibla's rise to power amidst the devastation that followed.

But these were just stories now, no more real than the picture book fairytales Rachel loved. In the shelter of their cozy home, the struggles of humans attempting to run the world seemed almost too arduous to imagine. On Magnus's estate, their lives were simple and Rachel liked that. It was as Kathryn and Alice had said from the beginning, under their Master's care they were well provided for in return for minimal service and that was comforting. Besides, Earth That Was had disappeared long long ago and there was no getting it back even if they wanted to. The world on Magnus's farm was pleasant and surrounded by her new family Rachel realized that, perhaps for the first time in her life, she truly felt safe and protected.

So thoughts on the chapter? Rachel seems to finally be happy and content in her new home. Personally I'm happy for her ( even if she is kinda shutting out the darker aspects of her life on the estate) What did you think of the allusion to what happened that brought the sibla to power? I know its a question people have asked. I may eventually work on a prequel to explore that story, but did you like hearing an inkling of what might have happened? Would you have wanted a bit more?

Anyhoo, the past two chapters have been pretty darn calm, but the story isnt over yet. Rachel has now been on the estate for months, and its not clear that Magnus has changed his mind about her eventual fate. Does that sit in the back of your mind at all as you read this chapter? Because these past few chapters have been short and not very action filled (and im super impatient to keep the story moving too...hehe), You will get another chapter on Friday! Everything seems so happy right now...can't have that for too long can we? ;-)