Is There No Escape?

Untitled Part 1

Ciera had always wished for more. She always thought that she deserved more than she got. Her parents would just have to work harder to make her feel appreciated. No matter how hard they tried, Ciera always demanded more. Eventually, they reached the point where they couldn't take it anymore. Ciera's mother worked sixteen hours a day, and her father worked two different jobs just so that he and Ciera's mother could survive themselves. Together, the parents decided that they had only one choice. They had to let her go. Of course, they would need some money in return, but at least the couple could relax a little and live more themselves than for their daughter. So it was decided. Ciera was to be sold to the farmlands.

Ciera's parents told her they were going to take her on a trip to a farm. She had refused until they promised to buy her a new pair of shoes, the pair she had always wanted with the pretty lilac bow. The trio got in the car and drove for at least two hours, with Ciera constantly asking, 'Are we there yet?' from the back seat.

When they finally arrived, they were greeted by a grimy looking girl, with grease smeared on her arms and hands, and her hair in a wild mess, slightly singed towards the ends.

'Welcome to Lady Madeleine's Farm. I'm Tanzi, come with me. I'll take you to the house,' she greeted the family. They followed Tanzi through the many crops of cotton. They passed a large barn, where the clucking of chickens and snorting of pigs could be heard through the wall. Finally, they reached the large mansion at the far end of the property. It was a towering building, with intricate ornaments dangling from the balcony ledges. Extravagant cream walls stretched for metres along the ground. An ornate knocker decorated the front door as Tanzi wiped her grimy hands on the small black apron around her waist before carefully knocking three times.

The door swung open faster than anyone would have expected, two beady eyes on a wrinkled face popping out from behind the door. The woman squinted at the family, her eyes lingering over Ciera for a longer period of time. 'You may show the parents out, Tanzi,' the woman's scratchy voice spat. Tanzi smiled politely and turned away, ushering Ciera's parents back towards the front gates. Ciera wondered what was happening.

'You there. Girl,' the woman spoke again, 'You're Ciera, no?'

'Yes,' Ciera eyed the woman carefully, 'I'm Ciera.'

'Come with me, I'll show you to your room.'

Ciera was about to question the woman, when she looked sharply behind her back. Ciera bit her tongue and followed behind the woman.

'You will address me as either Madame or Lady Madeleine,' the woman said as she walked. Once they passed the mansion and barn, she took a right, heading behind the barn to a three storey building. Lady Madeleine opened the door.

'Sophronia!' She called sharply. A flustered girl with short blonde hair rushed down the stairs. She wore a black t-shirt and denim shorts, with an apron wrapped around her waist. The apron was cream and dusty, with cleaning utensils stored in pockets around the apron.

'Yes, Madame,' the girl said obediently.

'Show Ciera to her room. She can share with Iridiana and Vivian,' Lady Madeleine said before walking back out the door, and supposedly back to her mansion.

'Ciera, was it?' Sophronia asked.

'Yes. Ciera,' Ciera replied.

'Follow me, please.'

Ciera followed Sophronia up one flight of stairs, before they walked down a hallway and reached a door with the number thirteen on it. Sophronia knocked three times on the door and waited for a reply.