captivated in the rain

{*~chapter 8~*}

"Imagine having all of your freedoms taken away, being forced to work against your will, and constantly living under the threat of violence - in short, being forced to live as a slave. Sadly, this situation is a reality for millions of children, women, and men each year as part of the global human trafficking industry."-Bill Flores

Just because your family is a part of you does not make you, them. Define yourself by what you do not the threats and accusations your family has made in the past.

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{*~chapter 8~*}

"Oh come on Maximum, we could discuss this somewhere else but I should remind you. They owe me." The man gave them a toothy grin.

"My family have been very clear that I am not their's at the moment so please take your filthy being somewhere else. Or do I need to call the witch to deal with this?" She tugged Erika behind her.

"Ah, but would you really waste time to get a 'farmer' down here over such a minuscule issue?" He glanced at the smaller girl.

"Leave. If you try to threaten me once more you will have another strike on your record. That will be your... 2? am I right?" She walked away to take another seat.

The man stood still. He growled as he watched them walk off.

Erika was sure his eyes changed to a shade of red, almost crimson. She felt Max let out a shallow breath she had been holding in.

"Fucking bottle vamps." She swore under her breath.

"Bottle?" She glanced at the man.

He stared right back but made no move to get any closer and make a scene. Maybe he would once she left or were her words enough to keep him off until the next time they meet?She had been terrified off him as soon as she had seen him. He had smelled terribly of rotting meat and lavender. They didn't go very well together in her opinion.

"They.... I'll tell you later." Max was hesitant as she sighed.

She slouched over covering her eyes with her hands. Erika watched the girl swear in a language she hadn't heard in years since the old lady passed. Latin had been the language of the dead but it helped her learn the others that thrived. She understood what the women were saying.

"Bene habet." She whispered.

Max turned towards her. She was surprised that she knew Latin at all. It was the language of the dead for a reason.

"You're full of surprising Erika, tell me, who are you?" Max peered up at her.

"I'm an orphan... I have never had any memories of my family. Schulyar was the woman who first opened the orphanage. A placeholder name I guess....." Erika shrugged as she turned to the window.

"Oh, well it doesn't matter where you come from, it's who you are that's most important," Max spoke up.

"Tell that to the rest of the world then." She huffed.

There was silence between them for a while. Erika was reluctant to speak while Max was still on edge from their encounter with that man. Neither wanted to talk anyhow.

Erika glanced out from the bus window as she watched people pass by. She could see mothers and daughter, friends and lovers hurrying to their destination. Some seemed to rush around not paying attention to anyone and others took their time chatting idly away. She found it strange at how lively the city was even at such a time in the morning.

back at her village, there was a set time for everything that everyone followed down to the seconds.

She hadn't seen so many people before.