Lost

Chapter 29

Belle’s POV

I wake up to the blinding of a bright white light. My first thought is:

Is this what it’s like to be dead? But how did I die overnight? Did someone kill me in my sleep?!?

Then I hear the voice:

“Rise and shine ‘rug-rats’.”

Now I know I’m not dead.

Bethany taps my shoulder and I know I have no choice but to get up. My eyes are having a little bit of difficulty adjusting to the light, but my hearing is spot on.

“Breakfast.”

I hear the slam of a tray on a wooden table.

Yay! Food!

“Now I want 10 from each of you. No exceptions! Yesterday I saw only one of you made 9. 9 is not acceptable! So today I’ll be counting what each of you make. Got it?”

Then I hear the door slam shut and the sound of 3 different kind of locks being locked.

“Come on. You still need to change.” I rub my eyes again to see Bethany and some really ugly clothes.

“Okay.” I nod as I quietly take the clothes. I can only assume that there really is nowhere to change. The only thing I can do is pray no one is watching as I strip from behind the wooden table, next to the wall. Bethany acts as a shield, feeling my discomfort. I couldn’t ask for a better sister. When I finish, I look at myself in my new garments and all I have to think is:

They’re just rags. They don’t even fit me. They’re too baggy.

My ‘shirt’ is just an old stained white shirt and I think I’m wearing boy slacks. Bethany’s clothes aren’t any better, well they sorta are because hers fit, but her pants are filled with holes and her collared shirt is missing a sleeve. Though I suppose I should be grateful for getting any clothes at all.

“Good. They fit you pretty well. I brought your food-It’s on the table. Your jug’s there too, so is mine. Watch them, okay? I’m going to…” She stops and just stares at me awkwardly, trying to find the right words to say.

“What?” I ask her cluelessly as I sit on my stool and stuff my face with bread.

“The bucket.”  She states plainly and before I can comment, she  quickly runs off to join the line of people wanting to use ‘the bucket.’

The bucket?

I look at the far end of the room to see-

I wish I didn’t have eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That is about the most interesting part of my day. After breakfast, everyone starts working again and when the man comes back to take the tray he has to take the bucket too. All I heard him say before he left were words that I’m pretty sure a girl like me should never hear.  Bethany doesn’t speak to me and I don’t speak to her-we just work. We work all the day, taking as many water breaks as needed. Only until dinner, is when we finally stop.  That’s how the day goes. Pretty boring isn’t it? Oh no, I forgot something. After making  10 3-foot rugs, my fingers bleed from many cuts and burns. But remember, there are no band-aids.

Now that’s it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks.

Vote.

Comment.

P.S. How was the ending for this chapter? :3