Off to the Branding Room!

"Get up!!! It's time to work!!" 

Hellaine jolted up from the loud voice, and she frantically took a look at her surroundings. Her heart dropped when she saw she was in a room with a group of people.

Her memories rushed back to her and she sighed, realizing landing in Bermuda Triangle wasn't a nightmare. 

"Let's go." Hanriette said softly besides her and the slaves all moved out of the cell.

Hellaine used her hands to rub her arms. The sun hadn't even risen yet they had been woken up by the same woman who handed her the rag to put on.

The piece of clothing looked like a dirty and worn out pillowcase. It stopped just a few inches above her knees and it had no sleeves, making the slight chill emit goosebumps in her skin.

"Where are we going?" Hellaine whispered to Hanriette.

Hanriette was the only person she could trust to some extent here. Others were unapproachable with the glares they sent her way as though she asked to be here.

"To the mines. That's our first job of the day. When the sun is out, we then head to the farm to work there. Some are moved to the blacksmith, while others are sent to the milling factory." Hanriette recited as if this wasn't her first time with a new and oblivious slave.

"B-But I am not a slave. Why do I have to go with you?" Hellaine said, wanting to burst out in tears again.

The look Hanriette gave her was almost comical. "It seems you still haven't gotten a grip on what is going on here, Hellaine. You don't get to choose who you want to be in Bermuda ArchTri. His Majesty, Overlord Cladymor dictates your worth." 

Hellaine's hands balled up into fists at the injustice. The slave trade was abolished ages ago so why were there still slaves being maltreated here?

Was this really another world? Or even another planet? What has she landed herself into?

"Go in now! Move it!" the woman who seemed to be the head of the slaves yelled as she stood in front of the entrance of a bleak cave.

Hellaine looked up at the tall cave and her heart nearly sunk into her chest. How on earth were they going to work here?? What if the cave gave in and collapsed?

"Move it, new girl!" someone pushed her out of the way as he grabbed his tool from the box and headed into the cave.

"Just take your shovel and start working. The sooner you accept your reality, the better for you." Hanriette told her before reaching down to take her tool.

Hellaine hesitantly reached for the shovel, tears glimmering in her eyes. She had no idea how she became a slave under twenty-four hours but she knew she couldn't remain like this.

Especially if she wanted to find the person she was looking for, there was no way she could get such information while being a slave. She would find a way to climb up the ladder and find him at all costs.

"Hey, you!" the woman pointed at her. "You can't start working when you're unbranded. Take her to the blacksmith for branding." 

Hellaine took a few steps back in horror but she was grabbed roughly by one of the guards. "Come with me!" 

"W-Wait, I am not a slave! Please leave me alone! I want to go home." She tried to plead but her words fell on deaf ears as the man pulled her against the ground.

Hanriette turned her face away and headed into the cave, making no move to help Hellaine. It was then Hellaine knew that no one was coming to save her here. No one except herself!

Hellaine stopped struggling by the time she realized there was no escaping her predicament. She had seen the huge scar on Hanriette's forehead and just thinking that her face would be branded with something like that sent her chills.

"Take." 

She was thrown to the ground by the guard and she glanced up to see the branding room. A line of slaves stood, all dressed in identical rags. At the end of the line was an iron chair where a woman was being forced to sit now.

"Ahhh!!" 

Hellaine winced as the woman's screams reached her ears. The sound of sizzling flesh was tormenting, and just imagining the pain she would go through brought a fresh set of tears to her eyes.

"A new one? She looks tasty." She was dragged up by another guard who smiled down at her. "Hello there, what's ya name?" 

The look in his eyes made her sick to the stomach so she shut her eyes tightly, hoping to just disappear from here.

"A bit shy, eh? No worries, the ArchTri will carve that shyness out of you." he promised darkly before pushing her into the line.

Her legs were already weak by this point so she fell to the ground once again. Another round of screams were heard and Hellaine grimaced, tears flowing out of her eyes now.

"Hey, you good?" 

She blinked her eyes open, and a boy, around her age, bent forward as he stared at her with his bright eyes. 

"Here." His hand was dirty but genuine as he helped her up to her feet.

She looked away, wiping the tears off her face. There were guards stationed in every corner of this place, all wielding a sword.

It seemed the attempts to escape this place were so frequent that they had to increase security here. Still, Hellaine searched for an escape route.

Her head bristled with plans to escape this hell. Should she fake a stomach ache and collapse? Or should she cry out for help? Who would even help her out of this mess?

"T-There is no way out of it." the boy, who had helped her, muttered under his breath.

She turned to look at him. His eyes were downcast and from the gentle tone of his voice, she could tell he was bashful.

"This is inhumane. We are humans, just like them. Why are we being treated this way?" Hellaine gritted out but kept her voice low. The one thing she wanted was to be beaten up for speaking up for herself.

"We are slaves. And this is our punishment for being of low birth or committing a grievous crime." the boy uttered and Hellaine closed her eyes in pain.

It seemed everyone here had accepted their fate. No one wanted to fight for their rights or even abolish this heinous act. 

"Get back in the line!" One of the guards used the sheath of his sword to hit the boy in his stomach. 

He doubled over but didn't make a sound of being in pain. Hellaine tried to help him up but he shook his head before trudging towards the end of the line.

She glared at the guard who had hit the poor boy for nothing but he snarled at her.

"What are you glaring at, you brat?!" 

Hellaine felt the left side of her face redden as the slap the guard gave her resounded in her ears. Trembling, she held the side of her cheek with hot tears spilling out of her eyes. 

"Get moving, assholes!" he yelled, and Hellaine was pushed forward from behind as the line moved upwards.

With clenched fists and hot tears in her eyes, Hellaine decided right there and then. There was no freaking way she was going to be branded a slave!