Amirra

by Coralyn Umber

  V

  I drowsed on and off for a long period. My head was swimming from lack of food, water, and fresh air. The air was stale from lack of circulation. A harsh bark of laughter and the jingling of keys snapped me awake.

  “Senorita Gato, your master is here to get you,” Cral swung the door open. This time I had prepared myself for the door’s opening and covered my eyes before the light came streaming in. My eyes adjusted quickly to the dim light from the auction house. “Dress,” he ordered shoving a pile of clothing into the cell with his foot.

  Cral’s hard face sneered at my nakedness and watched me fumble in my haste to cover myself decently. This time my clothing was far simpler fair. The skirt had once held a flower pattern but now the flowers were so faded they looked like dirty smudges on the grey fabric. The top was a simple tunic also made from some worn fabric of yet another faded floral pattern. Evidently Cral had dressed me so extraordinarily last night to enhance his product. Today I was given only enough clothing to satisfy modesty. The slaver turned away and barked to his guards, “Take her to my office and hold her there until I return for her.”

  I was again roughly held by each elbow and escorted by foul-smelling guards to the back of the auction house. This time I was led through a small aluminum door into a small room that contained only a desk with a chair on either side. There was barely enough room for me and the guards to stand along the wall behind what was apparently the visitor’s chair. A few moments after we were in position Cral entered with the tall thin man following him. Cral sat in his chair indolently and turned his sharp, cruel eyes to his guest.

  “You brought the payment?” Cral seemed to be a man of few words.

  “Of course,” the tall man placed a small bag filled with coin on the desk. The sound of the coins thudding and jingling seemed to satisfy Cral as to their quantity because he did not bother to open the bag to count the coins. Then again, Cral probably had enough secret information about his buyers that he didn’t need to worry about his payments; he seemed that type.

  “I warrant that the subject is in good condition and hasn’t been, let me say, inflicted by one of your men?”

  Cral’s face wasn’t so passive now, “My men don’t touch the merchandise. If they do, they are left to die beyond the city walls.”

  “Your reputation does precede you and I do not doubt your handling of your men but it was necessary that I ask. I cannot afford for her to become pregnant and unusable so soon after purchase. My bid was only as high as it was because your reputation for the care of your merchandise does precede you,” the tall man’s voice was calm and did not contain the hard, cruel tones of Cral’s gravelly voice.

  The stiffness in Cral’s shoulders once again relaxed, “You will see for yourself. My guards will escort her to your transport. She is your responsibility once she has entered your transport and there is no refund from that point.”

  “Understood,” the tall man said inclining his upper torso and left. I was shuffled just behind the man through the exit. The guards literally lifted me into the waiting coach. Before I was shoved inside, I saw that the coach was pulled by several slaves. All were dressed cleanly and had no chains or ropes to bind them in their place. There was only enough room in the small coach for two passengers, side-by-side. There was only one door; it was on the side of the tall man. My side had a small cloudy window, barely big enough for me to stick my head through. We were quickly under way with no signal from the man. I was beginning to contemplate how to get past the man to the door when he spoke.

  “My dear, you were quite a surprise. I had given up finding another like yourself,” he stated simply.

  My curiosity was piqued; he had said another like me. Could he mean another mutation like me or simply another pretty slave? I looked him directly in the eyes trying to determine which he meant.

  “What is your name dear?” His voice had changed. It now sounded kind and fatherly. I was growing more confused and alarmed by my situation. I was not sure I should give this man my name; my father had always said names held a special power. “I will not bite, quite the opposite dear. You are a very important addition to my household.”

  “The townspeople near where I grew up called me Ami,” I was not yet ready to let him have my real name.

  “Ami. That would be your casual name I suppose. Yes, I understand your reticence. I do hope you will eventually trust me enough to give me your real name. I know you have your doubts as to your situation but I must ask for your word that you will not leave my home. If you are seen on the streets, you will be killed. This town is cruel and only tolerates mutations that make their lives easier and pose no threat. They fear all others.”

  I sat quietly unwilling to lie and unable to agree.

  “You will understand more once we arrive. Until then, you should try to rest. It will take some time to reach my home as I live on the other side of the city. Once we arrive you will have to give your word or I will have to lock you in a room for your own protection,” he set his head back against the padded back and closed his eyes.

  I could tell by his breathing that he was not sleeping. Perhaps he was waiting on me to make a move. I knew I would not run just yet; I craved to know what he meant about finding another like me. I supposed he could have meant just another girl but my instincts told me that was not true. I did not put my head back; I merely turned focused to the streets beyond my window and soon became lost in thought.

  “Could he mean another that looked like me?” I had never wanted to be like other children growing up. My parents took me into town too infrequently for me to really care if I was different. It wasn’t until I had to leave my mother that I had begun to wonder. Perhaps it was being alone on the mountains that made me wonder if there were others in the Outerworld like me. Perhaps it was the way I had been treated at some of the ocean towns that made me crave being accepted, or at least not being alone.

  When the coach came to a halt he spoke once more, “Ami do I have your word that you will not try to escape?” I simply shook my head in response, still unwilling to lie though it would make my escape easier. “Very well. Havard, please take Ami to the attic room and lock her in. My dear I am sorry that room is dreadfully warm but it the only room in the house with no windows. You will find refreshment waiting for you, good day.”

  As soon as I stepped into the entranceway from the carriage, the driver, Havard, took me firmly by the arm, hard enough I felt bone grinding on bone, and pulled me up three flights of stairs. I was handed slightly more gently into the room at the very top of the stairs.

  “You will find refreshment on the table near the bed. There is a wash closet to the right,” with that Havard pulled the door closed and a key was turned in the lock until there was an audible snap when the locking mechanism turned.

  There was only a single covered light in the room. It was directly in the middle and lent a dull glow across the room. A table and small cot were on the left. To the right there was a wall with a door, leading to the wash closet I supposed. It was evident the tall man had told the truth; there were no windows in the room. I went into the wash closet and discovered a large tub, big enough to lay in, a small sink, and a toilet. I had never stayed any place that had a tub for washing. I generally bathed in the streams coming down from the mountains. When I was allowed to stay in the towns, I had never stayed in home that had a tub for such use. Of course, not many of those towns had indoor plumbing or electricity. I was too exhausted to do more than look; I quickly ate the simple fair and went to sleep.

  VI

  Many days passed confined into this small room. The only face I saw was that of Havard. Though he was taciturn and spoke little I began to look forward to the evenings when he would bring me food, so that I could see the face of another being. I was used to the freedom of the Great Mountains. I had never been so long in a confined space and I began to shake with the need to see the sky, to hear something other than my own breathing. A week after my arrival
Havard came in the morning carrying a bundle of clothes.

  “You must dress in decent attire before you are taken to see Mr. Emance. You also have not bathed since the second day, do so. I will return for you in an hour,” Havard placed the bundle on the bed and walked out of the room locking the door behind him as well as the door at the bottom of this flight of stairs.

  I was ashamed at how excited I was to be able to leave the small room. I bathed quickly and began to dress. The clothing was the most complicated I had ever seen. There were many layers. I was not sure how to put it on or in what order. I found the two pieces I understood, undergarments. Curiously this set was already modified to accommodate my tail. After that I was at a complete loss. I arranged the various pieces out on the bed but could not fathom where to start. That is how Havard found me, still dressed in only my undergarments. He took one look and left the room once more.

  When the door opened again a woman entered. She may have been a woman but not like any that I had seen before. Her features were feminine but her face was similar to that of a dog. She had a muzzle instead of a human nose and mouth. Her ears pointed up from the top of her head and twitched as she stared at me. She was wearing a garment simpler in make but similar to the one on the bed. She was also clearly pregnant. She walked quickly over to the bed and selected a few pieces. She indicated with her hands and body language how I was supposed to put them on. Piece by piece we went through the dressing process. The last piece was a decorated rectangular piece that had hard sticks sewn into it and holes along two of its parallel edges. She indicated that I was to raise my arms. She lifted the piece and pressed into my midriff using one of my hands to hold it in place she wrapped it around behind me. As she drew the ribbon through the holes, I felt the air being squeezed out of my lungs inch by inch. When she was done I could barely move or breathe.

  She then indicated I should follow her and led me out of the room and down the stairs. Havard dismissed the lady and led me down the first story of the building. By the time we arrived at a very large wooden door, I was out of breath. He waited a moment, until my breathing was less labored, then opened the door and ushered me inside. This time he did not enter himself but closed the door behind me. The room I had arrived in drew my attention away from the tall man, who was seated at the desk in its center. The walls were lined with shelves and on the shelves were hundreds of books. I had seen only one before. The one my father used to read to my mother and me before he disappeared.

  “Ami, I see that you admire my collection. I am glad that you know the value of books. Do you know how to read?” Mr. Emance asked drawing my attention back to him. When I looked at him but did not respond, he continued. “All the members of this house are encouraged to learn to read, write, and do simple math. Though not all take advantage of the offer, I always leave this room open so that anyone may borrow its contents. Having an educated staff has become invaluable to me. You will see, my dear, that none of the personnel here are bound or kept in substandard living conditions. It is true that they must share rooms but each is provided with food clothing and a place to rest.

  “There are far more binding things than mere chains,” I finally spoke. I was angry, angry that I had been purchased, angry that this man obviously had no qualms about what he did.

  “You are upset by your circumstances. Perhaps once you get to know the others on my staff you will realize that it is not so bad here. Now, you will have a position here as does each other member on the staff. That position will be determined more permanently when Vorn returns. Until that time Havard will take you to Sascha, who you will share quarters with and work alongside. Before you go, I remind you that if you try to travel beyond the walls of my estate, you will be killed. There are many who fear those who I keep inside my walls and they would not hesitate to kill you. Havard, come,” and so I was dismissed.

  Sascha, I found out, was the servant with the canine face. She was my constant companion, as much to keep a watchful eye on me as to show me my duties I suspected. I was assigned tasks that I was quite deficient in: sewing, gardening, and cleaning. I helped Sascha mend and sew clothes. Because I had never owned a needle or thread, I was taught first to mend work clothes while she pieced together and hand-stitched the most beautiful clothes. I found out that each member of the staff had one fine outfit and three working outfits. The outfit I had first dressed in upon leaving the attic room was my fine piece. That same day Sascha provided me with three sets of the generic work clothes for the women. Even though these clothes were quite worn, they were still far more beautiful than anything I had worn before.

  I could not help but become attached to Sascha in the passing weeks. Though I longed to be free, I would not leave while Sascha was with me; I could not put her in that danger. She needed my assistance because she was very far along in pregnancy, which is another reason, I am sure, of why I was assigned to her. I learned quickly that she could not talk but she was a kind and patient teacher.

  Havard, over time, began to be less surly. He watched me care for Sascha and finally started talking to me. There were not enough rooms in the house to do anything other than put female servants together and male servants together. Havard would come to the room we shared with six other members of the female staff nearly every evening to be with Sascha. I was fascinated by their relationship. I had been alone long enough that I could barely remember how my parents acted when together and what I did remember was through the eyes of a child. I was not entirely sure how women became pregnant but my pride refused me to ask any of the other women. Besides, the other women, though not unkind, were not open to me, so we conversed very little. I did notice that on occasion one of the women would sneak away with one of the men.

  There were none in our room that were entirely human. The other room had three women that were human in appearance but there was something different about them under the surface. A few of the men were full human but many of them were mutations as well. Mr. Emance did not, it seemed, purchase any of the most common mutations. Even through my travels I had not seen any that were like the ones in the staff; they were all unique or at least quite rare mutations.

  Sascha tired more and more quickly as her due date drew closer. She slept quickly after Havard arrived. Once she was asleep, Havard took me to the study and taught me my letters and numbers. I was able to do basic reading and math within days. The weeks passed quickly and I stopped thinking about escaping to anywhere that was not in a book. I had decided to at least stay until Sascha had given birth.

  VII

  The darkness was closing in on me. I was sweating, breathing heavy, trying desperately to run from the Shadow Walker. I had been sitting with my mother making dinner. I looked away and back again, in her place stood a Shadow Walker. It reached for me but I scrambled away and began running. The scene shifted and I was no longer in the Mountains. I was older, surrounded by buildings, standing in the middle of a paved littered street. The shadows from the alleys suddenly changed into a form. They were featureless but had a human cast. They emanated dread, fear, and death. There were so many. They were all reaching for me. Suddenly I was awake. I was panting. The other women in the room were all sitting up in their beds, looking at me. Sascha had lit a candle and was standing over me, eyes filled with concern.

  “Sascha you must lay back down. I will not be able to sleep now. You must rest,” I stood and urged Sascha back into bed. Her eyes were questioning me; I shook my head at her inquiry. “I will take the candle and go to the study. All of you should get some rest.”

  The hallway was dark and chill. I was wearing only my nightgown which was a simple shift that was tied near my throat and fell to my thighs. The study was down the back stairs. Once I was in the hallway that led to the study, I slowed my pace. My mind was filled with thoughts of fear, with questions, and for the first time in weeks, I felt the burning need to travel, to continue what my mother had sent me to do. My thoughts had me so entrenched within myself that I entered
the study, not realizing that there was already a candle burning and it was occupied.

  “Hola bonita, pardon me for interrupting your thoughts. Is there some way that I can help you?” I was so startled by his interruption I dropped my candle; thankfully the candle went out before it landed. “Excuse me, I did not mean to give you such a start.” I did not actually look at the stranger until he had bent over to pick up my dropped candle. When I saw his face I could do nothing but stare. His eyes were almond shaped and had a slight tilt towards his ears, which were high on his head and ended in points. They were the sleek, elegant ears of a cat. His nose was long and flat like mine. His face and what I could see of his arms was covered in short brown pelt. He stood slowly, his eyes never leaving my face, though his mouth formed an amused half-smile.

  “I suspect that Mr. Emance forgot to mention me, judging by your startled reaction. I am Vorn,” he said walking over to the desk, placing the candle on it, and sitting casually upon its edge. I could not respond; my powers of speech seemed to leave me. While I continued to stare, he did a quick scan of my attire and build, lingering on my face. How he judged what he saw, was not evident because there was no change to his expression. I realized then that I was clad only in a thin, worn, nightgown. Once again I was thankful for my pelt as it hid a deep blush that spread over my face as I turned quickly away and feigned interest in the books on the shelf to the left.

  “I am sorry I did not mean to interrupt you, I was just coming to get a book,” I quickly grabbed a random one off of the shelf and turned to leave.

  “Ahh, well if you are having trouble sleeping that is indeed one to read. It puts me to sleep in moments,” he laughed at my sour expression when I read the title Identifying and Classifying Minerals. “I would recommend one from this shelf,” he walked over to one of the cases behind the desk, looked at a few of the titles, and grabbed a thick hardback whose spine was well worn and the title almost illegible, The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe.