"Run Ama, just run!" Mum had pushed me out the house through the back door. I was to run into the forest and hide, the villagers had gathered with torches and pitchforks yelling. I ran, tears burning in my eyes. I had been betrayed by the people I'd once called my friends. For all my life I had trusted them to stand by me, and this is how they repayed my trust.
We were not new to the village, mum and I. We weren't exactly welcomed though but they had treated us well. And by "treated us well" I mean they totally avoided us. Only some, I had friends. Friends with whom we had shared dreams and things.
They said trouble began after we had moved into the village, the same year mum was pregnant for me. She was a witch they said, who practiced the art of dark magic but they had no evidence, until now.
I had picked the mushroom, I had made the soup, I had packed and shared them to the homeless people on the streets. I had cause this because apparently, the mushrooms were not good.
The brambles caught my ankles and legs as I ran. Behind, I could hear the voices of the villagers and could see the glow of their torches. My breath came in gasps, but I couldn't turn back. The villagers would do whatever it took to see me burn. They were blinded by hatred, and seemed to think sacrificing me would make everything fine again. They believed me and mum responsible for the bad things that had befallen them over the years. The drought. I heard footsteps in front and skidded to a stop petrified.
I sighed a breath of relief as Keith stepped out of the bushes. He ran and pulled me forward, then wrapped his arms around me, filling my body with warmth and comfort. I could feel the wetness of his tears on his face and he whispered my name gently. For a moment I forgot about the angry mob and dissolved in our little world of happiness.
The screams made us both jump, and grabbing my hand, Keith began to run, pulling me with him. We entered the meadow, but we were too late. Across the vast space, more of the crowd were appearing with blazing flames in their hands. Keith's hand tightened around mine as we were surrounded with no escape. I felt beaten and I silently surrendered. Tears leaked out of my eyes as I thought about my fate.
Arms roughly pulled me away from Keith, and I clutched at his hand, my only comfort. It slipped and we were pulled away from each other. I saw him try to fight his captors, but it was no use. We were outnumbered. I stopped struggling and stood limply. I was pulled towards a tree and tied there tightly. I looked up and saw the magistrate come forward with a lit torch. He looked hesitant and I could see the regret in his eyes. But he had no other choice but to do this. His people were more important than my life was.
"We won't burn her." He announced.
"But she's a witch!" The crowd cried out in anger.
"Her mother is, but we don't know if she is, I do not want innocent blood to be shed, it would poison the land more. We will leave her here, tired to the tree." He looked at me. "If she survives and returns to the village, then we will burn her."
I was hit in the head with a spade. Keith's voice was the last I heard before I blacked out.
"You pompous thing!" The shop owner yelled. "How many times have I told you never to come in here in this form? You're scaring the hell out of my precious commodity." He took a glance at me.
I shrunk back in the small cage. Scared was an understatement. The last thing I remembered was being tired up in the forest and left for dead. How did I end up here? In a pet shop, locked in a cage labeled: "Adorable Pet Human"
I had seen, as one by one, 'things' trooped in. Weird looking creatures we had all believed to be lost in the history of time. A made up folk tale only good enough for bed time stories.
"It doesn't bite, does it?" A Minotaur had asked when he came in to the the newest collection. Me.
"Trust me, she is as tamed as the morning Lily." He replied and put a hand between the iron bars to stroke my face, obviously showing off how 'tamed' I was. I retreated back. The cage was too small for me to fit in properly, much less move.
"How much?"
How much? I was on sale?!
My heart broke and a tear escaped my eye. The villagers should have killed me instead. It was they who had branded me a witch because seven people had been poisoned by the soup I made, two of which died unfortunately. I was sure I had picked the right mushrooms, they weren't supposed to be poisonous. Nobody listened. Nobody cared. Except....
I watched the shop owner, the cunning and greedy elf rub his palms together and smiled. "Just a fair price sire."
"Which is...?" The Minotaur was not a patient one. His eyes remained on me.
"Feel her soft skin sire, that long hair and wide eyes, feel..."
"You will definitely feel something Mister Gale," he turned to the elf, "if you delay answering."
The elf smiled. "A fair price of one thousand gold coins sire."
"For a human?" The Minotaur scoffed and threw a glance at me. "For a fragile thing?"
"I assure you sire, it is worth it. As you know the market is scarce of human pets."
"Hmmm..." He lifted his chin na turned round, "I will consider your price Mister Gale." And with that be left.
With each creature that came, the price on my head doubled, depending on the status of who was buying, but still they didn't. I didn't know if I should be relieved or not, but I was very glad the banshee rejected the price of two thousand gold coins for "...the frail human girl."
All the customers he had treated with a smile and patience, all but this one. It was a wolf. A warewolf.
"... you're scaring the hell out of my precious commodity!"
The warewolf, which was much taller than Mister Gale and much to large to fit properly into the shop, turned to face me. His yellow eyes sent shivers down my spine. I would much rather be sold to the over sized blubber of a dwarf who came in earlier.
"How much?" He inquired
"For you my dear friend," Mister Gale laughed, "only five thousand coins." He was going to extort this rich aristocrat.
My eyes widened at the exaggerated price. It was much higher than what he had told the last customer, but deep inside I was glad, I wouldn't be sold to this....
"I'll take her."
What??!
"Five thousand coins, Master Aiden. Not a bit too low for you is it....?"
"I said I'll take her!" The wolf bared his fangs at the tiny man who didn't seem one bit scared. Gale had always hated his guts. Sighing, he took a look at me before returning back round the counter to bringing out some papers
"I'll finish the paper work and have her delivered to your castle sire?" His tone was sarcastic.
"Mister Gale," the wolf seemed to sigh, "too much work has really made you dumb, hasn't it? Finish the paperwork and have that delivered to me. I will take the girl." And as if to clarify his point, he added in a stern voice. "Now."
Gale walked up to my cage and opened it, taking a step back for me to step out. "You've been sold, go say hi to your master." He walked back to the counter to finish up the paperwork.
I remained inside not ready to be wolf lunch. I couldn't possibly look away from him, adrenaline was pumping and I was on high alert.
"Mister Gale? Could you give me and my....." He trailed off, "...pet, some time alone? Some things she needs to know."
"Are you...!"
"I'll pay extra for the time." That shut him up immediately. He narrowed his eyes at the wolf before stepping out, still grumbling.
"Would you come out? Or should I make you?" He said, slowly making his way towards my cage like a predator stalking his prey. I closed my eyes and began to cry. If it was going to end like this then let it.
"Come out." I felt soft hands on my arm, I opened my eyes, human hands. I looked up at the warewolf but he was gone, it was just I and....
"Keith?"
@Ozzyy and @Hanzell what do you think??
I could decide on a suitable title; Sold. Human Pet. Caged or Betrayed.
Good article