Chapter 10

Micro... Micro means something very very small. Chip? I can't think of anything that makes sense so I tell her, 'No'.

She digs in her case and pulls out a plastic tube with a needle at the end. It's sealed in a plastic wrapping of some sort. Walking over to me, she lays it on the bed and I sit up, pulling the blanket tightly around me. I scan the packaging with my eyes for a moment before looking at the words.

"Micro-Claim" I read aloud. "Legally Acquired Slave Identification Device".

"This is a micro chip. We call them LASIDs, for short. Until recently, we used to brand slaves with a tattoo.", she begins. "But in the cases where they escaped, it was difficult to track them down. Zio- I mean your master's company came up with a way to both mark and track slaves in one device. It's more humane, less painful, and a lot faster than tattooing."

I turn it around in my hand, trying to figure out how it works. What a strange little piece of equipment. It looks like a much smaller version of something I've seen my father use on livestock but I can't put my finger on what he used it for. Recognizing my confusion, she takes it from me and she points to the tip.

"This here is the needle. It goes into your skin on the back of your neck.", she says as her hand gently pushes my hair all to one side and touches a spot just a few inches below my hair line. "Right about here."

I Instinctively put my hand over it, my eyes wide, as I shout, "How is that humane?"

"Hey, hey.", she says in an attempt to calm me. "I said more humane, not painless. Look here. The chip is rolled up teeny tiny enough to fit through the tip of the needle and get deposited under the skin. Once implanted, it expands to lay flat and emits a light that can be seen through the skin. It also sends out a signal to a device connected and controlled by the owner."

I nod my understanding as she continues her thorough explanation, but I'm screaming on the inside. Never did I think that people could be so cruel. The story books say nothing of this type of greed. What right does one person have to own another? In all my short years, I've never pictured this situation.

"You can never attempt to remove this by yourself, Euroah. This is very important, okay? If this gets tampered with, it's programmed to send out an electric shock that's meant to temporarily incapacitate, but will most likely kill someone as tiny as you are. Do you understand?"

"I don't want it! Take it away!", I wail and push her hand away.

"You don't have a choice and I'm so sorry for that!", she tells me, once again holding my shoulders. "If I were the king, I would abolish slavery altogether but I can only help you so much. I've been involved with the Velucia family my entire life. I'll pull as many strings as I can to keep you safe. But I can do little to help you."

I look away for a moment to gather my thoughts. So I don't have a choice. This is going to happen, wether I like it or not. I'm on the same level as a pig to this family. I look back at her, not even attempting to hold in my tears. No matter how vile and unfair, I have no say in this matter at all.

"Okay.", I whisper as my eyes close and my head drops down in defeat.

"I'll use a numbing medication on the area before I insert it. You'll probably only feel a pinch.", she says pulling my head to her chest again in an embrace.

I sob as she rubs my shoulder in a feeble attempt to comfort me and I curse the world once again, in a final rebellion against the injustice of everything thats been forced on me in these horrible past few days. After a few minutes, a knock at the door startles us both.

"Do you need help, Akida?", a voice speaks through the door.

"Nope! All good here! Just about to start the procedure. I'll be done soon!", she shouts back.

Looking me in the eye, she nods and gives me a sympathetic, half smile before getting up to prepare her tools. She pulls out a blue sheet, some cotton pads, a bottle of clear liquid, some red stuff, a white pouch, and then she puts a new pair of gloves on.

"Face away from me and tie your hair up with this.", she instructs, handing me a stretchy band.

I do as she says and she wipes my back with something cold. Then, she drapes the blue sheet over my neck and shoulders. I hold onto the blanket tightly as I shiver in fear. Next, I feel like something is scrubbing and scratching my skin and then a cool sensation tingles across my neck.

"Do you feel that?", Akida asks me.

"No, what is it?"

I'm just touching you. If you can't feel it, then you shouldn't feel pain when I inject the chip. I just need you to hold nice and still for me. Okay, sweety?"

"Okay."

I feel pressure at the back of my neck but nothing else. Then I hear a "click" and a jolt of pain shoots down the entire length of my spine and I scream.

"It's okay, it's ok! You did good, kiddo! You did so good!", she tells me while patting me on the shoulder.

I suddenly feel sick and begin to gag but nothing comes out. Akida holds a citrus scented vial of something in front of my nose for a moment and I instantly feel better. She removes the blue sheet and tapes something onto my back.

"I have to go report to your master now. I'm going to tell everyone that you need rest and to leave you alone for the next few hours. What do you want to eat?"

"Eat?", I ask, having been without food for so long that eating is almost a foreign concept to me at this point. "I'd like to eat something big."

"Something big... Like a hamburger?"

What's a hamburger? I know what ham is. I like ham quite a lot. If it's made out of ham, then it must be tasty. Assuming that it will fill my belly and give me a fighting chance at surviving all of this, I take her hand and with wide eyes, I answer her enthusiastically.

"Yes! I'll take that! I want a hambirdjer!"

Another knock at the door forces her up. This time, the door opens to reveal a black suit whom I recognize as the man who carried me to this room last night, when I fainted in the hallway.

"Yes, Benny?", Akida asks, annoyed.

"Mr. Velucia is asking for a progress report and he doesn't sound happy about being made to wait.", says this black suit called Benny.

"Zion's never happy, wether he's being made to wait or being waited on. I've just got to take this IV out real quick and I'll head up to his office."

"I'll report it to Mr. Velucia", says Benny as he backs out and closes the door behind him.

"Give me your arm real quick. You'll be more comfortable once this is gone.", she instructs and I comply.

She pulls out the plastic tube and tapes a piece of cotton to my arm. Finally, I can move my arm without feeling like I'm going to break something. The sensation of something sticking through my skin disgusts me and I shudder at the thought of it.

"There ya go. You be strong, Euroah. I'll see you again soon.", she says as she gathers her things and heads out the door, flashing me one more reassuring smile before exiting and closing the door softly behind her.

And just like that, I'm alone again.