"Karma!" My mother called out. I turned and ran to her voice, I then found her standing outside our little home. "Mommy!" I ran into her arms, she held me up and held me close. We smiled warmly.
We entered our poor house. She set me down gently. "Karma! What happened? You are covered in dirt!"
I chuckled "I got into a fight! They wanted my money but I gave them no mercy!" As I said this my mother gave a concerned look as her eyes widened with worry and despair. I frowned. "Mommy? Was that bad?"
She sighed and rubbed my head. "Don't hurt other kids. If any are harming you, call me. I don't want you ending up like your father. You'll get hurt." She smiled at me yet I found small tears in her eyes. "Then mommy will be all alone. Please be careful."
I nodded. She wiped away her tears. "Thank you, Karma...."
Mom wanted us to stay safe. So she did as people told her to. Even to muggers she gave money so I wouldn't get hurt, even if we were poor. She did everything she could to keep us alive.
My father was a robber and got into fights, until he was arrested. He loved us and tried everything to get us the things we needed to survive. It drove my mother to tears every night.
"Mommy! Look a snake was under my bed!" I announced as I held the venomous creature by the neck. She gasped. "Karma! Be careful!"
I dropped it but I didn't do anything to us. As if it felt bad for us.
She sighed then knelt down to me and gave me a kiss on the forehead. Then she went to our money basket.
She shrieked. "Mommy?" I walked towards her. She quickly turned around and lead me away from the basket.
"Your okay! Don't worry!" She assured me with a smile.
I didn't know how life worked at that age. I was only 5.
The next two days mom was acting strange. She worked more than usual.
We jumped a spine-chilling knock at the door. My mom lead me in the closet and closed the door, but I cracked it open and watched.
She slowly opened the door to find a bunch of rich looking men, with a child.
They barged inside, spicing my mom aside. "Ma'm, you haven't paid your taxes. You better give us our money now, or pay the late fee!" He demanded. She didn't answer, she froze scared.
"Hey! Speak up or pay up!" He shouted. The child peeked behind one of the men curious. Seemed to be a little girl.
"Fine!" The man yelled and pushed down my mother. I panicked as they held back my mom as the leader opened our money basket up. I glanced at the girl, who seemed to be watching the snake. The girl's hands and legs seemed to be shaking uncontrollably. She didn't seem afraid of the snake. She was pale and seemed sick. She was my age.
My attention went back to the man as I jumped from his loud angry voice. He threw the basket at my mother. "Where's the money!"
She was shaking from fear. "I-I don't have any money...." She said as she choked back tears. He then took a whip and hit her. Her cry made my heart sink.
I couldn't control myself.
"Mommy!" I screamed as I ran to her. She looked at me in pain. I was terrified, sad, and mostly angry. I wanted to kill that man. But mom wouldn't want that.
I just stared at the man helpless. He glares at me then shoved me away. "Damn brat..." He mumbled. Then he whipped my mother again. I lost my temper. I ran to the man and punched him. Unexpectedly, it actually hurt him. He then looked at me in fury.
Then I found myself lying on the floor weak. He whipped me in the face. He then knelt by my mother then got up. "Give her the late fee." They tied up my mother and lead her out of the house as she sobbed.
"What about the kid?" Another man asked. He watched me slowly sit up and back away. I sat there speechless and terrified. W-What are they doing? Where is mommy? What's going on? W-What's a slave? I asked myself as they spoke. I had tears rolling down my face.
They grabbed my arm and dragged me towards the man. They put a rope around my neck as a leash and put chains on my ankles. They lead me out of the house, but they paused and turned when they heard a cry.
The little girl was lying in the middle of the floor crying. The other men ran towards her. "Nagisa!"
There were bit marks on her ankle. The snake bit Nagisa. The man holding the rope on my neck, yanked at it. I coughed and wheezed. "Damn Akabane family!"
I heard the men talk to her.
What happened?
A snake?
How?
Where is it?
What do you want us to do?
Nagisa! Say something!
Then I heard her mutter something in a weak voice. K-Kill....-
Then they treated Nagisa's ankle and helped Nagisa walk.
We stopped at a crowd. Standing on a huge wooden stage was my mother and one of the men. They dragged me up there. My mother was looking at her feet. She was softly crying. People were cheering and some were angry. I was confused.
"Mommy? Why is she-" then I choked at the tug of my rope.
"She's a criminal. She was supposed to go to prison but-"
"Nagisa! No talking to that brat!" A man called out. Nagisa limped back towards him.
We stood still at the side of the stage, as everything became silent. Then I heard a whisper. "We thought you might wanna closer look. This is what happens when you mess with us.."
Then my father appeared beside her.
Two men shoved them down on their knees.
They held up guns from behind them.
My heart sank as I heard the gunshots. Tears poured out of my eyes. I was crying so hard I couldn't breathe. Then the men dragged me to the middle of the stage. I stood by my mother and father. They were cold and still. They were lifeless.
"This couple committed many crimes, they interfered with our taxes, hurt others, robbed, and tried to kill us with a snake. This child is being punished! This is what happens when-"
I wasn't listening, I was crying too much to listen. I just watched the crowd scream in fury, cheer, cry, or just watch. Then they yanked my rope and took me away.
We arrived at a wealthy house. "You are living here, Nagisa shall be your master, do everything he tells you to!"
I looked at Nagisa, who looked different from when I first saw him. He looked more deadly.
I was only 5 when I lost everything. My master is Nagisa. I am a slave as punishment for getting the blame for a snake. Nagisa ordered to kill them. If only that snake weren't there, they would just be alive in prison, I wouldn't be suffering here, and Nagisa wouldn't be like this.
