Someone stabbed at my ribs with a metal prod, jerking me awake too soon.
I felt my neck again, but Linus was still gone.
No, none of it was a dream. I was not in my bunk bed with Tonya. I would never see her again. There was no college, there was no family, and there was no Jens. Just a rough jab to my side that forced me to sit up to get away from it.
I looked up through my head-pained haze and saw pure malice looking down at me. Malice with money – not a good combination, given my current situation.
“She’s not old enough to be useful on the fields or in the kitchen,” the newcomer argued with the warden.
The warden was filthy, probably from spending his days abducting women off the streets in broad daylight. Thanks, citizens who saw that happen and did nothing. The warden was missing three front teeth. I was hoping it was from a woman fighting back and trying to knock some sense into him. His black hair was dry, brittle and torn clean out in parts.
The man considering my purchase looked at me with mild disdain and appraising interest. I slammed my will to be invisible over and over throughout my body, trying to make it the only thing in the air around me.
When that did not deter his gaze, it dawned on me that invisible might not be possible, but crazy sure was. I flipped a switch and became what I hoped looked like the most repulsive version of myself imaginable. I crossed one eye and started drooling big gobs of spit down my chin onto the floor. I reached out with my left arm, pretending my left hand was stuck in a shriveled, useless shape. I began singing the Partridge Family like it was my life’s anthem, only I sang it in Spanish, which I assumed they didn’t have here.
Thank you, David Cassidy. You saved my life. And thank you, Señora Brown, my sophomore Spanish teacher who translated one of my favorite songs for me. And let’s face it, anyone who walks around singing the Partridge Family with such gusto for no reason is, well, probably crazy.
I slurred my words, so he would think something was wrong with my face or my mouth or my brain or whatever he needed to cross me off his list.
This only confused him. I wanted him gone. I grabbed the metal bars and slammed my forehead into them, smiling and laughing in my best insane villain voice. I cackled through the agony that knocking my already pounding head shuddered through me. The pain was so bad, it was only a matter of time until I finally bought a one-way ticket to Loonyland.
Stop, Lucy! You’re going to knock us both out! I’m on a horse trying to find you! I can’t fall down now.
I gusted out relief. “Jamie? Jamie?” I called aloud before realizing that would do him little good. I ignored the men before me and tried to communicate to him.
Where the smack have you been? I’m in Aladdin’s ghetto over here, and you’re gallivanting around on a horse! Get over here!
“Show me what else you’ve got. This one’s been hit in the head too often. Shame. Golden hair like that…”
That’s right, keep on walking.
Gallivanting? You only just woke up. I’ve been calling for you all night. Where are you?
I’m in a freaking dungeon, is where I am! I’m ten minutes away from being sold to some idiot with a nickel and a smile. Get over here and bring some money!
Where? Do you have any idea where they took you?
My heart sank. No clue. Just follow your headache. If it gets worse, that’s the wrong direction. Ride until your head doesn’t hurt anymore. And hurry! I’m serious, Jamie. Don’t let anyone buy me! My heart broke afresh. They took my necklace! I need it! Please, help me!
There was a few minutes of silence, and then Jamie came back with, Foss wants to know if there are men for sale, too, or if it’s just women.
Just women. A couple dozen of us. I’m in a freaking birdcage, Jamie! Ah!
I wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings and found myself jerked out of the cage by rough hands. Beady black eyes examined me, poring over my face and form to inspect for injuries. “Is her hair real? Not jinxed by some elf magic?”
“Real, sir. Just picked her up yesterday. Ripe for a bedslave.”
That’s what you think. I drooled on his hand and let my left eye go wonky. The man launched me back into the cage, where I smacked so hard against the bars, the only thing I heard was Jamie calling my name before we both went out like a light.