Chapter 4 You the oddman out

The room that l was dragged in just had a bed and a tiny square window with metal bars. Another empty bed was on top of mine. Weak and exhausted, l just collapsed down on the bed.

The door soon creaked open . l quickly turned my eyes towards it with my heart pounding in my chest. I didn't want to be dragged anywhere else. Just as l was waiting , a girl quickly entered and closed the door behind her rapidly as if she didn't want to get caught . She was hiding something under her apron.

She breathed out when her eyes met mine. " You the new slave , right ?", She asked while ruffling under her apron. Not interested, l just ignored her. "Huh! It's fine if you don't want to talk", She shrugged her shoulders then got a crumble piece of bread and a slice of cheese. "We not allowed to bring food in here but I managed to sneak this in , figured you will be hungry", She murmured a bit faster then handed it to me.

"Am not hungry", l croaked. "Oh .... ", she looked disappointed for a second but then she boldly plopped down on the bed l was laying on. " More for me then", She took a big bite before she looked up at me. "The name is Rhea", She said those words muffled by the food. " Are you a human ?", I simply inquired and she snorted instantly spitting some pieces of food on the bed.

"If l was a she wolf, l wouldn't be living down here", She kicked an imaginary bucket with her foot in disgust at the room. " Shifters stay in the upper floors in big beautiful rooms", she looked displeased by her current situation but she smiled nonetheless. " Rumors are everywhere that a slave who had a miscarriage has been brought , most of us were kidnapped while still virgins",Her words made tears to brim in my red swollen eyes.

Right l had miscarriage but I wasn't that old. I was forcefully married to Jack at a very young age. I didn't love him at first but Amanda my best friend kept telling me that the baby is he alk wanted. "Why am I here then?", I asked in a croaky voice. I wasn't a virgin , then why l was brought by their boss.

"Other slaves are asking themselves that too", She murmured then stood up. "It's so strange and you the only one", She continued. My lower lip tingled at that. I just wanted to cry again. I was the odd man out. " That's all for now, we are up early , nothing is easy here , if you do want to be fed , you do have to do everything they instruct you", she sneered out. I still didn't respond her at that.

"Have a good night", She started climbing upstairs to her bed. " Wait", l called out lastly. She stopped and looked over her shoulder. " Where.. can l wash myself ... I stink", l stuttered with tears brimming again in my eyes. "Huh! That can't happen right now", She shrugged her shoulders then climbed the tiny ladder leading to her bed. "Okay , am Zoey anyway", I said understanding the situation.

" Okay good night Zoey, l wanna sleep early", I heard her jump into her mattress and the bed shook from the wall. I stayed still as rock before l felt my vision blur as the tears dribbled down. I just didn't know how my fate changed so quickly. Living in a situation like this was something I had never imagined. I now had no one in my life. I was a slave now. I glanced towards the door and wanted to bolt out but l knew it that it was a waste of time to even think about it.

I had no where to run to. Helpless and puzzled , I turned towards the pillow then laid back down on the hard mattress. Through out the next minutes, l cried and cried while recalling every moment l had with Amanda. At the end she decided to betray me.

***

The bed sheet was snatched from my body making me shudder. " Wake up , wake up Zoey ", She screamed way to loud for my liking. My eyes took so long to open and notice it was already morning. I didn't even remember falling asleep. With no word said ,I sat up on the bed . I was feeling dizzy and my stomach pain was lingering.

"Am warning you Zoey", She started when l failed to sit up. "If you don't get up before else does , nothing will go well for you , you the one who said that you want to shower ,we can only use the bathroom when other slaves are asleep",she said and at that l forced myself up. "Unfortunately I currently have no cloth",She went on.

"It's fine", l said in a low voice as l stood up. I didn't only have stomach pain but also every muscle in my body twitched in pain . The bones in my back cracked and a faint pang hammered inside of me. I was so hungry.

" Why did you end up here?", I asked curious. " Ask less questions if you want to bathe", She responded before opening up the door. I walked behind her quickly trying to keep up. " Let me explain quickly so that you don't get into trouble", She said as we walked in the stone hallway. "Am listening", l said in a soft voice.

"We do works that maids can't do , it's all unexplainable but just know that if you want peace do whatever anyone instructs you",She mumbled. "What is the work that maids can't do?", I asked in curiosity. "We sweep , scrub , clean trenches and mop in every room...", She explained then paused.

Before l could say anything, fear covered up her face. "Beta Henry is coming , he is here for you", She said in a frightened voice. "Zoey Martinez", l heard a deep voice behind me. "I haven't bathed", l said almost on verge of tears. "Sorry", That's all she said before she walked away from me.