Unmarked

9. Not A Real Choice

The car barely makes a sound as we move, only a soft rumbling can be heard. The gentle rocking should send me to sleep but the pungent smell of the bag over my head keeps me awake.

My fingers are desperate to claw off the fabric, to rip away all the images resurfacing and flashing before me. It's an unwanted non-stop movie marathon replay of my kidnap and escape which occurred three months ago.

I thought I'd tightly packed those memories away in the recesses of my brain. I was wrong.

I've lost count of the turns the car has taken, of the time which has passed. Instead, I remain sitting patiently. It's all I can do, no rash decisions just wait for the correct moment, wait for an opportunity to escape.

"Is Cady your real name?" Lars asks.

"More often than not," I reply, my voice muffled by the bag.

I don't tell him I don't have a name, not a real given one like most anyway. Cady had been a character on a children's television show. A pink fluffy bear who would eat her way through the alphabet, colours, numbers and shapes. Her voice said the first words I remember hearing, the only words ever spoken in my house for years.

Cady the pink fluffy bear was my talking companion, my main educational influence. So on my second encounter with some children, after my mother had finally decided I'd learnt my lesson to never expose myself and allowed me outside, I'd been asked, what's your name? Their giggles at my delayed response made me blurt out Cady. It was the only name I knew. They laughed. Like the pink bear for babies on TV? We don't believe you.

I didn't like them laughing. I felt myself getting hot, my stomach knotting. I'd replied quickly, yes, like the bear but I don't eat letters and numbers I eat children. I started to chase them like I'd seen them do so many times from my window. The laughter changed, screams of joy drowned out the fact I shared a name with a pink fluffy bear for babies. I had a few months of fun with those children before we moved again.

Every so often I change my name, but I keep returning to Cady. It's the closest version of the true me. It's as close as I can get to being myself.

"You're lucky I was the one to have found you. My associates are not as generous as me. They believe more in the forceful allocation of new employees whereas I like to give all my workers a choice and a wage," Lars says.

"Brilliant, because I choose going home and us forgetting all about this," My voice is as light and sweet as I can muster.

"Unfortunately, that choice is no longer available." Lars chuckles. I imagine him shaking his head in amusement, his puffy cheeks jiggling slightly. I also imagine him keeling over, dying from liver failure and me escaping in the midst of the confusion whilst his bumbling sidekicks try to resuscitate him.

His sidekicks may not be as dense as they look but I doubt they're doctors. It would take their combined intelligence to figure out the best course of action in attempting to save their boss's life and I would be long gone. Goodbye and good riddance.

"And I had such high hopes," I respond flatly. I wait for him to get on with telling me my destination. This is a game of cat and mouse, a form of entertainment to prevent him getting bored on this trip.

"The choice I will give you is in regards to which of my establishments you want to be allocated to. I find the easiest way to find out where you will fit best depends on your answer to a very simple question. How much money do you want to make?"

"A sum which allows me to keep the most amount of clothes on."

Lars sighs. "Your answer narrows your options dramatically. I only have one establishment which would be suitable if that really is your criteria. Do you fight?"

"Anyone can fight if they have the right incentive."

"Very true." Lars pauses. "You're very calm considering the situation."

"My panic would be more evident if your seats were not so absorbent. You'll be able to smell it tomorrow though I'm sure," I say sarcastically.

He laughs at this, a deep throaty laugh. "You are a strange one, Cady. Your life would be much easier and more comfortable if you were willing to be a bit more free and giving with your body. Also, you'd earn a significantly larger wage which would mean you could save up."

"That offer may entice the others you trap and make them more compliant and willing but I know as well as you, I won't be needing any money for a long time. I'm your property until you decide to either discard me or have me transferred to someone else. And that's only if the Officials don't get to me first. Don't waste your breath on me, Lars, I know how this world works and I've told you my choice."

I turn towards the window even though I can't see out. The bag obstructs any view but the gesture shows I'm ending this conversation.

Lars knows what I want, now I'll just have to wait and see if he honours it. I won't hold my breath.