My eyes shoot open. I'm blinded by the bright light. Where am I? Did they get me?
The room comes into focus. I'm on a bed... in a hospital. I can't move my arm. Am I handcuffed? My eyes shoot to my wrist. No, Pip's just sleeping on it. What happened?
I reach for the service button with my free hand.
A nurse slides through the white curtains. "Oh," she looks at her clipboard. "Mr um... Robert. Sorry, we don't have your last name. All your pet could tell us was 'Robert'."
"Robert Tims." I make up a fake surname.
"Mr Tims. I suppose you're wondering what's going on. You arrived here unconscious with a knife lodged in your abdomen. Your blood pressure was extremely low, and you would have died without immediate treatment. We stabilized you, removed the knife, sealed your wound and bandaged you up. You're on route to a full recovery."
I pull up my shirt to peek at the bandage. "How long have I been here?"
"Two days. We kept you under to accelerate the microstructure healing process."
I don't remember being in an ambulance. "How did I... get here?"
"A man found an unconscious stranger near his house. He called emergency services, and the EMT's brought you here."
"And my pet?"
"She stuck to you like glue. It was a hassle getting her out of the room for the operation."
She's still fast asleep on my arm.
"I'll give you some time to adjust," the nurse says before leaving my curtained room.
We were on an empty road in a hidden alley. There's no way some guy would have just stumbled across us. I know what happened. Pip went to find help. She found that man and brought him to me. She saved me – twice in one night.
I ruffle her hair with my free hand. And to think that I was upset over paying four hundred Rens for her. That seems ridiculous now. I had no idea how precious she was.
My gaze drifts to her little hand. There's a red ring where the handcuffs bit into her skin. Why did I ever make her wear those things? Being handcuffed in that church was the worst experience of my life. It brought a feeling of fear and helplessness that I didn't know was possible. Just thinking about it makes me sick. I wouldn't wish that feeling upon my worst enemy, yet I did it to my own slave? I put the person which I was supposed to look after in handcuffs the moment I met her. No wonder she was so scared. The poor thing must've been terrified of me.
She begins to stir. She lifts her head and stares straight at me.
"Good morning," I greet.
She lunges forward and wraps her arms around me. "Master."
"Whoa, whoa. Easy now."
I put my arms around her, and she presses her head against my chest. "Don't ever leave me again. Promise. Promise that you won't leave."
"Okay, okay, I promise."
She shows no sign of letting go.
"Would you like to lie on the bed?"
She climbs up and lies right against me. I'm still not fond of having someone so close, but if it's what she wants, I won't push her away. I wrap my arm around her, and she digs in under it. She can stay as long as she wants.
"Master..."
"Yes?"
"I... I killed two people."
YOU ARE READING
From Chains
FantasyI'm working every waking hour. You'd think that smuggling would pay better, but nothing has been easy since the war. I can't go on like this. I need someone to take the load off my shoulders. I need a slave. --- Robert has had nothing handed to him...
