Slave Side Effects (On Hiatus)

Chapter 1

   As Michael layed in his makeshift straw bed, he couldn't help but wonder... is this what it is like to have friends? The only time that he had friends was the short amount of time he wasn't working. Those few times he had been hurt so badly that he had to spend days in the hospital. The nurses were the nicest people he had met during those years he was a slave. And that was saying a lot because they didn't really care how you felt, just wanted to get you healthy enough to work again. But now he has these three people that... helped him! For the first time in... 10 years, some people had helped him, gave him food, and generally cared for Michael. Sure, they did threaten to kill him from time to time, but they didn't really seem like true threats that would be carried out. All Michael had ever known of the outside world(s) was the memories of his 7 year old self, and the stories of other slaves that they would speak of on those nights that the gunfire was too loud for the guards to hear, or care for that matter.

Just as Michael was about to sit up, he heard knocking on the door to the bathroom. It was soon followed by Austin bursting into the room. He had this gleam to his eyes that Michael got an uneasy feeling about.

"Are you ready? Time to train! Wear this!" Austin said excitedly with a hint of humor to his voice. As he spoke, he also chucked a helmet at Michael. Not yet realizing what Austin meant, all Michael saw was a black blob flying at his head. This just took him back to all the times that his owners would beat him, throwing anything they could at Michael to try and teach him to be loyal. Out of reflex, Michael ducked and curled into a ball, holding his hands on his head and just trying to protect himself from any injuries. The helmet hit the wall that was right behind Michael's head, and left a small dent, falling onto the straw bed and rolling into Michael's right foot. Austin stared wide-eyed at the dent in the wall, down at the cowering Michael, and back at the dent. His face was that of guilt and awkwardness, but he just let out a laugh. At the sound of it, Michael opened one eye, for he was still wary of this man who seemed to threaten him the most, and was the best fighter out of them. Austin stepped forward, and bent down to pick up the helmet. He just placed it in front of Michael and whispered with humor dripping from his tone, "Sorry. Didn't know I could throw it that hard... But hurry up! We're all waiting!" Austin stepped back, and at that Michael took it in his shaky hands and put it on. Austin didn't notice how scared he was, but just ran into the main part of the bedroom. Michael followed, but continued to watch the crazy, panda hatted, Austin, with uneasy eyes.

Once they got to the training room, Michael had recovered enough to stop shaking as badly, but when the others saw him, they took out their lightsabers to get ready for training, and this made him start shaking again. When they walked up, Austin stood between Mario and Ritchie, Mario on the left and Ritchie on the right. Michael glanced at the sabers, worried that one of them may get mad at him and slice straight through his body the same way he had seen his owners do time after time again to slaves that spoke back or failed to complete tasks.

Mario seemed to notice his shaking, but didn't say anything. Ritchie gave Michael a training saber, and Austin started the training session. They all had the lightsabers on stun, and this gave Michael a little bit of ease, but not much. The first round was Michael vs. Austin and Ritchie vs. Mario. Austin kept throwing insults at Michael, and all he wanted to do was curl into a ball like he did this morning in the bathroom, but it still shocked a little bit to get hit with the sabers on stun.

Austin soon overpowered Michael and had him laying on the ground with his saber at Michael's throat. Both were panting, but all Michael could think was 'this is the end.' Fear filled his gaze, and the other two walked over gasping for breath and their foreheads glistening with sweat. Panda(Austin for those who don't know) had a glint in his eyes, the adrenaline pushing him to fight more. Mario had to stop him from striking the defeated Michael any more, for he was starting to get some bad bruises. When Austin finally got back to his normal self and calmed down, he regarded Michael with a searching eye and then upon spotting the bruises, his glance held sympathy and guilt.

"I'm so sorry! Are you ok?" Austin asked while helping the past slave up from the floor.

Michael glanced at the three people that were now all looking at him. This made him super uneasy, because when you were a slave, the safest way to be was good yet never looked at. If people looked at you, then that meant they were giving you attention, and that could be bad. Very bad... But to try and calm the others, Michael spoke. "Y-yeah! I'm... I'm fine!" he laughed. "This is nothing! Just last time I was actually attacked with a lightsaber was so long ago that I guess I'm out of practice! Owner used to attack me all the time... ha... I...."Michael decided to stop talking before he started saying stuff that made him think too much of those times. But the damage had already been done. 

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