Blood & Cinders- Choose your Own Adventure Story

Chapter 2

"Too skinny," the woman sneered.

Isabelle stood naked and shivering on a soapbox, cupping Rosie close to her chest and hiding the little mouse from view. She managed to sneak her out of her pocket right before the strangers had stripped her bare, ripping the clothes from her body without warning.

Isabelle gazed sadly at her mother's beautiful blue petticoat, now a ruined mess on the floor. Fear gripped her heart with claws as she gasped out shaky breaths. She may have glimpsed a monster once, but nothing could prepare her for this.

A harsh yank on her elbow jerked her attention back to the old crow in front of her. Goosebumps covered her bare flesh as, from head to toe, the crow-woman examined her with dark eyes. Isabelle was too disturbed by the odd melange of feathers and flesh to even register the shame of her own nude appearance.

The woman, or what sounded like a woman, stalked the girl in a circle—a taloned hand lifting Isabelle's arms and pinching her flesh with scrutinizing eyes and muttered words. Silky black feathers ran from the top of the crow-like woman's head and disappeared down into her red gown. Large bulbous black eyes peered critically at her, looking entirely inhuman as they flicked quickly back and forth over every mark and scar on her body—badges of her grueling chores.

The woman stood on two legs, but the only human thing about her was that she knew cruelty. She knew how to be brutal, and it dripped from every word she spoke as she reported to the few half-hidden in the shadows of the room.

"Not pretty enough for the brothels, too many scars." The woman cupped Isabelle's chin, sneering at her. "Her skin is rough, hair matted." She tugged at a few strands of hair from out of her head, discarding them on the floor, like specks of dirt. "Nothing but skin and bones, this one. She won't be pleasant to touch. Her features, too dull for a man's eye. She might have been pretty once, but thanks to all of this-." The woman pushed Isabelle's face away and tugged at her hands. "These are quite calloused. Looks like this one is used to hard labor." The woman stepped back and looked over at Isabelle once more with a thoughtful eye. "Though she is too ugly for a brothel, she is pretty for a servant. She might make a good blood pet or a scullery maid."

Murmurs broke out from the people hidden in the shadows and Isabelle felt a fresh wave of humiliation wash over her, burning through her blood and making her ears pound.

She stared down at her bare feet, trying to control her body tremors.

A harsh nudge almost made Isabelle lose her balance.

"Get down, girl," the beastly woman hissed impatiently. "I'm done with you."

Isabell stepped off the pedestal of shame, trying to arrange her feet so that she didn't trip over the chains that now bound them.

"Next!" the crow-woman barked, shooing Isabelle away with a taloned hand.

Another naked girl passed by Isabelle to take her place, already shaking and whimpering. Isabelle huddled into herself as one of the slaver men that had brought her stepped forward. He grabbed her roughly by the arm, nearly causing her to lose her careful grip of Rosie.

Dragging her forward, he led her down a dark maze of halls, shoving her into a small cell on the far left. She stumbled but did not fall.

She took in the sight of her new prison.

There was a hole dug in the corner of the room, where the wretched smell pooled. Isabelle presumed it was where the prisoners relieved themselves. One small window sat high above the wall opposite the barred door, bringing in a cool breeze. Dirt-covered faces huddled together, peering out of rough fabric to stare at the new arrival. Their bodies, so squished together they seemed to merge into one ball of shaking flesh.