Voices of Humanity

More Voices Part 4

A/N: Ok so Kathryn was in a rough spot when we last left her. Now its the next day. Alice is "shopping" with Magnus. Let's got back to Kathryn and the day her fate changed. Im releasing two chapters today. One is Kathryn the other is Alice. Same scene. This is the type of character work I sometimes like to do to get deeper into understanding everyone's mindset. Whether or not I use their pov, it def informs how I write them from an alternate pov. In knowing their thoughts I can better describe their actions from the outside (facial expressions, body gestures, tone etc) even if my narrator isnt reliable hehe. In this case? If i finish the book I might keep both povs here? Not sure. Anyway here goes!

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Chapter Four

Katheryn

    Waking from a fitful sleep I could feel the puffiness of my tired eyes and wondered how noticeable it might be. If the slavers would berate me for it. But looking at my fellow captives it didn't seem that they faired any better in attempting to get rest, We all looked exhausted and terrified.

    "Coffee!"

The shout rang out through the hall as the slavers began to appear, banging on the bars of our cages with metal batons to wake their captives. Shivers traveled along the length of my skin in anticipation of new suffering.  I did my best to keep my eyes lowered as the door to our cell was opened and an overseer entered, handing us each a new paper cup and pouring a thick black, brew.

I could only imagine they were hoping to wake their merchandise up enough that we might appear lively for potential buyers. The drink was so bitter I could barely manage to swallow it, my empty stomach looking to reject the concoction, but I didn't want to find out what they might do to any who refused to finish their portion.

I'd promised Mama I would be obedient. Do anything I could to prolong my life. I saw the knives and guns our captors carried. The batons already stained with blood. I forced the reminder of my cup down in one quick gulp, watching as all the other girls around me did the same with grimaces on their faces. At least the drink was warm. Once the liquid settled my stomach felt somewhat fuller with a heat that helped relieve the chill still running through the rest of my body.

    It was not long before the slavers came back again, taking our cups and checking to ensure that the trough they had given us as a privy was not yet full.

    "Look alive all of you," the slaver in charge of our group shouted. The doors will be open to buyers any minute now.  If you want to find yourself fetching a good price and leaving with a new master I'd suggest you make yourselves as attractive as possible. Those who are not sold here today after the auction will not like the future that awaits them I assure you of that."

I didn't doubt the truth to his words.

    An alarm screamed out moments later, pounding in our ears as the metal doors to the barn scratched open on all sides and sunlight flooded the previously darkened building. The buyers came streaming in droves, surveying the cages of terrified humans all around and I watched as my fellow captives retreated towards the back of the cage, crowding together in terror as if we could somehow hide from our fate. I couldn't bring myself to join them. Instead, I remained still, watching the commotion of the market and doing my best to observe what I could.

Hundreds of sibla men and women were now crowding the warehouse, their chatter quickly mixing with the shouts of the slavers as they advertised their wares. But with our cage set towards the back of the building, it seemed as if our overseers had intended to keep us separated from the others.