Helpful Cellmate

Theresa glanced back and forth between the woman and the bread she held. It was a decent size, enough for her to share without going hungry. Cutting off a generous amount, almost half of what she had, she passed it to her.

The woman took a bite, her eyes closing for a moment as she chewed, before it opened to met Theresa's. "It's nice to share, isn't it?" She smiled. "Water?"

The redhead took the leather flask filled with water, taking some sips to quench her thirst. Water was the last thing she had expected to have today.

"How is it like being a slave?" The woman asked. "I heard you were sold off today"

Slowly lowering the flask from her lips, Theresa felt her stomach twist at the thought of being a slave. No matter how many times she heard it, she still couldn't bring herself to believe. Slave were the lowest of all class, they're barely acknowledged by society. The lower class were acknowledged and regarded to some extent, but slaves were no less than animals... especially in the eyes of the rich.

"It's alright, everyone gets their firsts" the women sighed, remembering when she first got here. "You'll get used to it too, with time"

Theresa's brows furrowed and she looked over to the brunette, who sat beside her. "Get used to it?" She repeated. "Have you gotten used to it yourself?"

The brunette's laughter resounded in the four-cornered walls. "Of course." She replied. "Being a slave isn't so bad, especially when you have the right connections." With a mouthful of bread, she continued. "Look around, I have everything I need right here. What more could I ask for?"

"Your freedom." Theresa countered. In just a day, had seen slaves with different mindsets. One wanted to escape so bad, even if it would lead to her death while another one enjoyed the life she lived behind the bars. "Don't you want your life back? To be treated like a person and not an animal.

"And who says I'm being treated like an animal?" The brunette smiled at her naive cell mate. "Only the stubborn ones are treated that way."

"So you don't plan on escaping?" Theresa didn't know why the woman felt so confident and content with being a slave. She couldn't help but wonder if she had been brainwashed into thinking that way.

The woman burst into laughter, unable to contain herself. She laughed, loud enough that it echoed outside their cell. Her cellmate eyed her warily, as if she had lost her mind.

"Did Thompson bring you here to entertain me?" She chuckled. "I can't remember when last I laughed that hard"

Theresa sighed, deciding to give up on the woman, who undoubtedly seemed brainwashed.

"What's your name, Reddy?"

"It's Theresa," she glared at her cellmate for the uninformed nickname, clearly displeased by it. "What about you?"

"Janette," came her simple response. "You finishing that?" She nodded towards the bread on Theresa's lap.

"Of course." The redhead replied, quickly picking up the bread and taking a bite, while Janette's eyes narrowed.

"Thompson must be treating you well, getting you freshly baked bread." The brunette commented. "You can use anything in here, just as long as you promise to share a part of whatever Thompson gives you."

"I doubt he'd do that, he just gave me this because I haven't eaten since we left my town."

The brunette reached out for the water, drinking until she was satisfied. "You don't know Thompson, Reddy. He is known to treat his things with care, so it won't lose its value. Unlike the other fools here, he knows how to do his job."

"You speak as if you've experienced it yourself."

"I have." The brunette sighed. "Just like you, I was sold to him sometime ago. The only difference was back then, he didn't have any power, as he had just joined the house. I was the third slave he managed after recruitment and the first taken away from him unfairly," she chuckled. "Not just slaves are bullied, you know."

"How long have you been here?"

"Probably a year or two," she shrugged. "I stopped counting after six months, Thompson would know."

"That means you've been branded already, right?"

"Yes." Janette answered nonchalantly. "No slave leaves this place without being branded. It's like a signature of the house, not on paper but on one's body"

Theresa's hands, now resting on her lap turned into fists. "When do new slaves get branded?" She asked her cellmate, who at the moment, was the only one she could rely on for answers.

Janette turned to her, offering a charming smile, before replying. "On their second day."

Theresa's heart skipped a beat. "What! Why so… why so soon?" She stuttered.

"It's the rules, Reddy. Just for safety precautions" Janette replied her. "Don't worry, I'm sure Thompson would make it less painful and ugly." She chuckled at her last words.

"I would worry about that if I planned to get branded." The redhead said, her voice laced with defiance. She hadn't accepted her fate yet, she would look for ways out of this mess, no matter what. She didn't want that ugly scar anywhere on her. Even if she succeeded in escaping, the mark would only bring her back here.

"What do we have here, someone who still thinks of escaping?" Janette laughed. "It's been a while since I last had a talk with a new slave. I have almost forgotten how desperate they are to escape."

"Who wouldn't want to escape, Janette? Especially when they're sold off wrongly." She refuses to let Janette crush her hope. If she were to accept her fate, she needed a convincing reason. It had been years since people were sold into slavery solely for money and greed. Now, there were principles and rules in place, aimed at eradicating slavery once and for all.

Janette waved her hand at Theresa, seeming uninterested in her sad story. "I've heard that countless times, everyone here is sold wrongly, Reddy. Probably why some people are trying hard to get rid of slavery for good"

"It's Theresa," she corrected. "And I'm different_"

"Everyone is, Reddy. I too once, was desperate like you, but I learned in time. I'm sure you saw that scene earlier, I advise you learn from others misfortunes and not yours. Helen wasn't too bad for a cellmate, but what a shame."

Theresa stared at Janette for a while, before finally asking. "You knew the woman who died?" She wasn't sure if they were referring to the same person.

"Yes, she was brought to my cell a month ago. I was surprised when I noticed she hadn't been branded, despite being in this place for over six months. But then, I figured that just like you," she turned to her cellmate. "..she wanted to escape. Two days ago, she was caught, and... well, you saw what happened."

Theresa stayed quiet, slowly getting lost in her thoughts. Would she end up like Helen? She asked herself. Yes, she wanted to escape but not at the cost of her life. She wished to leave this place without having to die but just the way she came in. Her gaze moved to the small opening located on the wall, which allowed them to see the sky above. It had turned dark and the moon was out. Her eyes counted the twinkling lights that filled the evening sky, as there was nothing else to do.

"But I can help only to some extent," she heard her cellmate say. "Just say the word."

She moved her gaze to Janette, who stood up and walked over to a spot near the fireplace, where a thick cotton cloth lay. She settled down on it, then patted the empty space beside her, inviting Theresa to join her.

"Don't you want to sleep?" she asked.

"Will you help me, Janette?"

Theresa's words hung in the air, replaced by the crackling sound of the wood. She sighed, receiving no response, and returned her gaze to the only part of the sky, she was allowed to see.

"Why help someone who barely listens to me? I'll take back my offer if you prefer the ground_"

Theresa stood up abruptly, cutting Janette off mid-sentence. She made her way to where Janette lay, sitting beside her on the soft, warmed cloth near the fireplace. "What about now?" She asked again.

"Sure," Janette replied, her voice tinged with amusement. "With a face like that, you won't last a month here."

"What do you mean by that?" She asked.

"You're like gold among stones, sweetheart. You won't be able to stay unnoticed, especially with that hair." She pointed. "Some would want to poke you just because you're easy on the eyes, and also to get on Thompson's nerve. But don't worry, I'm willing to take you under my wings. For now, just sleep and let tomorrow sort itself out." Janette yawned.

"Thanks Janette, it really means a lot to me." Theresa stared at her cellmate, who now had her eyes closed. "I'll repay you for your kindness one day."

The brunette hummed a response. "We'll see about that, Reddy."

She sighed. "It's Theresa."