ARAIA’S P.O.V
“Should we rest first?”
Orlando asked me, we are now walking through this forest but it hasn’t been a day and my feet’s already aching.
That’s why I really hate long distance walks.
“Yes, please…”
“I’ll look for a spot.”
Orlando told me to wait for where I am so he can look for a good spot to rest.
I did what he said and he started looking.
I looked around us, there’s just trees and rocks everywhere.
I wonder if there would be a wolf attack here…
No, let’s not think about it.
“Just what am I thinking?”
I play with the rocks that’s touching my feet, Orlando’s not here.
What’s taking him so long?
I took a glance at the direction that he went to, there’s a big tree that’s covering it up so I can’t see where he is.
Just how big is this tree? I can’t see its end, it’s too bright.
I waited for another minute but there’s still no Orlando coming.
Should I go and look for him?
But what if we didn’t see each other?
Nah, I’m just going to wait here. It’s better to wait here than to get lost in this dangerous place.
I look for a cleanest spot on this big tree’s roots. It’s so big that its root isn’t under the ground anymore.
I sat on one of them and stretched my feet. I place my bag beside me and fix the coat that I’m wearing.
The thought of trusting Orlando came to my mind, so far he’s still kind to me, but we just departed. Although we’re far from the village already, I still can’t trust him fully.
I just felt like there’s something on him that I shouldn’t trust.
Maybe because I just met him yesterday?
Hm…
That could be the reason, besides, we’re going on a dangerous trip and I still don’t know how we could handle situations like when monsters attack.
Now that I realized, I’m not carrying any weapon, Elder didn’t give me one, and I hadn’t thought of it when we departed.
Just why did I forget?
I roam around this place, beside me, I saw a log that’s a little thick and I think it would fit on my bag.
I picked it up and put it in my bag.
This is better.
“Ha…This is relaxing.”
The cold wind is relaxing me, how come the wind is cold when it’s almost noon?
I close my eyes as I am enjoying the feeling.
I will wait for Orlando here.
OW…
My head is hurting…
What did I do to make my head hurt this much? It’s throbbing…
I immediately opened my eyes when I realized that I am waiting for Orlando.
Then, I realize that I am not on the tree where I was resting just a while ago. What welcomes my eyes is darkness and this feeling that I was kept in a box.
Where am I?
“Ouch…” My head started to throb again.
Why am I here? What is this place?
“How much should we sell her?”
My eyes widened, someone’s talking!
Who’s that? It’s not Orlando’s voice!
“It depends on you.” Now it’s Orlando’s!
I heard a laugh outside this place.
What am I doing here and why is Orlando outside?
What in the world is this…
While I am here inside this box I don’t know if this is a box but it is so cramped inside and I can’t see anything because there’s no light coming from outside.
I searched for the things around me but all there was was my shoes.
I searched for my bag using my hands because I couldn’t see anything but I couldn’t find it.
Where did they put my bag?
I tried to look for it again but because of it, it created a sound that made the people outside notice that I was awake.
“Is she awake?”
“I don’t know, you should check.”.
I felt the moving stopped, because of fear, I moved to the corner of this place.
Were they going to kill me?
My hands trembled at the thought.
What did I do wrong? I thought we were going to Elders friends but why am I here?
Am I the one that they are talking about just a while ago?
But why are they going to sell me?
My trembling hands covered my mouth as I couldn’t take what was happening.
I heard footsteps coming from where I am.
Will they kill me?
Please don’t! Please, I want to live!
I still want to go home.
Just a few minutes later I heard something like metal outside.
Did they just lock me up?
I heard it like they were removing the metal thing.
I heard a door cracking.
I tried my best to hide myself in the corner.
Then, when the door was finally opened, Orlando’s face welcomed me.
I called for him.
“Why am I here?”
I was still hiding in the corner because I was so scared.
Orlando opens the door wildly.
“Surprises!” he said.
What is he haying?
“Are you happy with my surprise?”
He laughs loudly as if he is finally getting what he desires.
There’s something in Orlando’s voice that’s making me feel more about what’s wrong with him. It’s like he is a different person.
“Why did you do this to me? I didn’t do anything wrong to you!”
Just why did he have to do this when he can tell me what he wants in the first place?
“What are you talking about? Aren’t you the one who is insane?”
What insane? I don’t know what he is talking about.
Orlando started to get inside this box, I can feel his glare from there.
I felt my body shaking.
“Don’t come near me!”
I look for what I can use to stop Orlando but there is nothing inside this box.
“Shut up you crazy.”
He said.
Why is he saying that I’m crazy?
“Do you think we will believe you when you tell us that you are not a wolf? Then what are you, a leaf?”
What?
“You dare to fool our Elder! We will not forgive you!”
I didn’t fool them!
“I didn’t do that! I’m telling the Truth!”
I swear! Why would I even lie about it!?
“Stop with these lies! You’re really crazy! It’s better if we sell you so we’ll get money for the family!”
“What, no!”
I was horrified by what he said, why would he sell me!?
“No!”
I tried so hard to avoid his grip.
“Stop what you’re doing!” Orlando and I are shouting at each other.
“I’ll tell this to Elder!” How dare he try to sell me!?
Orlando laughed. Why is he laughing?
“Go and tell him, don’t you know that they’re the ones who helped me to do this?”
Huh?
They?
Does that mean…
“You can cry!” Orlando laughed at me again.
B-but…Why did they… I trusted them…
“Now, let’s tie you up, stop struggling and stay still!”
Orlando tried to reach me but I avoided him.
No! Don’t come near me!
I’m doing my best to avoid him so he’ll not catch me. I pushed, punched and kicked him but because he’s stronger than me, he subdued me after a few minutes of fighting.
“I told you to stay still!”
Orlando slapped me hard.
It hurts!
I can feel my cheek throbbing.
Orlando starts tying me up and covering my mouth, although I’m squirming around, it doesn’t stop him from tying me.
“Hoo! You’re quite a hard catch!”
Orlando said after he tied me.
What does he mean by hard catch!?
I’m not a thing!
“Hmp!”
I couldn’t talk as there’s cover in my mouth, my hands and feet are also tied so I couldn’t move freely.
Orlando closed the door and I heard him lock it before he went to the man he’s talking to a while ago.
Then, I felt like this box moved.
Ha…
I didn’t realize that my eyes were already watering.
Elder, Freya, Mui and Shoyo?
Did they really know that Orlando’s going to sell me?
But they’re so good to me, they even let me stay in their house and feed me!
What about Elder? He said that he wanted to help me, that he only wanted me to be with my family again, that’s why he’s helping me.
What about his friend that we’re going to meet?
Is it all a lie?
But, how? They’re treating me like their own family…
I felt it…
All the time that I’m staying there, I felt like they’re my family, that they treat me as one but why did Orlando say that?
Who’s lying?
Elder…
Freya…
Is this the reason why Freya didn’t talk to me? Did she know all these? Is she guilty, that’s why she’s like that?
Sob…
I can’t stop crying… I trusted them…
No, what if Orlando’s lying, and that Elder and his family don’t know about this?
But why would he lie?
I don’t know anymore…
I don’t want to be here… I want to go home… Please… Let me go home…
I slept while crying, when I woke up, I’m still inside this box and I could still feel that we’re moving.
How long did I sleep?
I move my body, it’s aching because I still can’t move it freely, not to mention that my body’s bumping with this box when it moves.
I’m just lying because I can’t sit.
Where are we?
I can’t see anything outside, is it morning already?
Where are they taking me?
Will they sell me to one of those monsters?
My body trembles at what I thought. It’s not impossible…
Heavens…
I cried silently, will this be the end of my life?
I don’t want to die yet, I still have a lot of dreams.
I still want to go back to my family and friends, I still want to see them and I still want to talk to them.
Why is this happening to me?
First, I was transported to this world where humans don’t exist, and now the one whom I trusted is going to sell me to someone whom I don’t know?
They even call me crazy for telling the truth!
I thought everything’s going well…
I thought I was finally going back home but why did I trust them in the first place?
I am so stupid, because of my desperation, I trusted a stranger and even sleep in their house without knowing who they really are.
I am so weak that I couldn’t even protect myself, but how could I protect myself in this world?
Should I really be thinking about it now that I am going to die?
Maybe it’s not right now but sooner or later, I will die because I will be sold off as a slave…
Do slaves live long? I am not sure…
I didn’t imagine that my life would end like this. I didn’t imagine that despite all the things that I’ve encountered so far I will end up dying.
I don’t want this but what can I do right now?
I am slowly losing hope wouldn’t there be someone who will save me, isn’t that what was supposed to be?
In this kind of situation there would be someone who will save someone like me.
Just what am I thinking?
This isn’t some kind of fairy tale, this is the reality that I am facing…
I tried to loosen the rope that’s tying me. It’s so tight that I can feel my wrist burning because of friction. I did it slowly, in hope that I’ll set myself free.
While doing it, I can hear Orlando talking to someone outside. I think we are near to where they are going to sell me because they are talking about the money.
“How much do you think we will get?”
It is Orlando’s voice.
“I am not sure but since she is pretty I think it would be higher than before.”
“That is right! I am kind of feeling bad right now…” Orlando said.
Is his conscience eating him right now?
“Why? We’ve been doing this for so long!”
“Well, since she is beautiful, it’s a waste to just send her off like that.”
There’s a deafening silence after that.
What is he saying?
“You’re right!”
The one he’s talking to said.
“Should we use her first?”
“Of course!”
Both of them laugh.
N-no!
Are they thinking of doing what I’m thinking?! Are they insane!?
Just a few seconds and I felt the box stopped moving.
No,no!
I move on the corner of the box, I tried my best to sit, even though it’s hurting my body.
My hand is getting faster than before, I am rubbing it on one another harder than before.
Why isn’t it working!
Come on! Cooperate with me!
When I’m almost sitting down, I heard the door opening.
I move my hand faster.
Faster, Faster! Move your hands faster! Araia!
Suddenly, the door opened.
“Hi, little slave!”
I almost jumped when I saw Orlando’s face.
Despite the darkness outside, I can still see his smiling face.
You monster!
“Hmp!”
I can’t shout because of the cover on my mouth.
“It’s okay, we’ll not hurt you…”
Another man appears behind him.
Don’t come near me!
I heard Orlando’s laughter, he’s still moving towards my direction.
I am on the corner of this box, but I couldn’t move my body that much because it’s so cramped inside.
Don’t you dare come near me Orlando!
Orlando sat in front of me.
Don’t…
He reaches for me, I close my eyes in fear.
Please, God, help me!
Please…