The Slave Chronicles

Episode 3

Layla

I get up and open My door to find Kenzie at my door frowning. “What’s wrong?” she asked. My frown echoed confusion. She told me how I stay cooped up in my room all the time now. I nod in understanding. “I’ve been mainly playing video games. The games you got me are awesome.” She nodded in anticipation. There was a lot of nodding. I noticed it started to get awkward. This is the first time she came to visit me since I moved here. The silence that followed was tangible. “Are you sure you’re ok?” finally asks Kenzie. I nodded and smiled. Kenzie smiled too, noticing how happy I am.

The next morning, I wake up to sirens and slowly get dressed. Still being half asleep I drag myself downstairs. I see a bunch of cops running around outside. A cop sees me and immediately runs inside. I notice a stranger talking to the cops and pointing at me. I start to run back up to my room. One police officer walked my way and I tried to explain but I couldn’t. running was futile, Talking was futile. All I could do was wait for him to catch up and arrest me.

“Layla Moore, you’re under arrest for the murder of Samuel Smith. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law.” As I was handcuffed and taken to a prison vehicle. In the corner of my eye I see Kenzie talking to a police officer Frantic. But it won’t help. The stranger whispered something in my ear and my face went white with horror. The police roughly pushed me in the police cruiser and I just took it. I was numb. Replaying his words in my head. “Confess. Confess and then hang yourself when you arrive at your new home.” I see Kenzie running toward the cruiser, but we were moving before she could make it.

At the police station they took me to an interrogation room. I feel the pull to Confess but I keep my mouth shut. But only Just. “So what happened?” the cop asked. I knew if I opened my mouth Id confess. So I shook my head no. “we need a verbal answer, Layla. Either you tell us willingly or we will have to torture you.” I shiver at what that meant. “I…I… Con-” I was interrupted with a door opening “don’t say anything.” I kept my mouth shut. I look behind me and saw a short woman in high heels that I saw vaguely at the club. “Tell them what really happened. Don’t confess.” Glad to be able to tell someone, anyone, I launched into the explanation of what I didn’t do. By the end I was crying. “Then he told me to confess and kill myself” I’m not sure how much they believed. “It seems that we have the wrong person. I’m sorry” a cop said sincerely. They worked the papers to release me.

When I got home Kenzie was waiting for me. “Thank you so much Matilda. I don’t know what I would have done if it wasn’t for you.” She said. I couldn’t talk, I walked down the hallway and found a rope. The command still repeating in my head. “Kill yourself when you get to your new home.” I walk up to the balcony as I hear someone behind me running. I tie and end of the rope to the railing. Someone grabs my shoulders and yells at me to stop which I do. Obviously, the order came from a demon. I look at the hand-made noose in my hand and drops it. I was seriously about to hang myself. I turn around to face my saviour and it’s the person who told me to kill myself. “I apologise. Samuel was my brother. I honestly though you were the murderer. I am so sorry.

Kenzie

After calling my lawyer friend I decided to wait to buy the kitten. I told the receptionist to save one for me until I could pay for her. I ran back home only to find the place was empty. No customers, no staff, no one. But it was getting closer to night-time by the time I got back. Seeming as there was no one here I decided to close up shop early and head to bed.

The next day I awoke with a police officer banging at my door. “Are you the manager of this establishment?” The cop asked. “Yes Ma’am. How may I help you?” I asked politely. “yes we are looking for a young girl the age of 18 named Layla Moore. We got word that she now lives here.” The warning from that woman yesterday was true. “Yes she lives here. May I ask what she is suspected of doing?” The cop looks flustered. “that is confidential business ma’am. I am unable to debrief you or any other members of the community.” Just as he finished that sentence a loud yell sounded. “WE GOT HER!” it said. Obviously another cop. Both the police officer and I run out of the cramped space only to find Layla was being taken. A Regular customer, a Demon, whispered something in her ear making her already white skin more pale. I could tell it was another order from a demon.

I text my lawyer friend “its go time. Remember you owe me.” As I frantically try to help my new person. Its in this moment I realised I actually cared about her. More than just a slave. As a partner. I snap myself out of it. “Shes not a demon, get that thought out of your head!” my thoughts scream. The hours that went by felt like years before I saw a car pull up and Layla get out of the car. “OMG im so relieved. Are you ok?” I ask. But it seems that Layla is in a trance. I see her finding a rope and I scream for someone to stop her.

She walks up the stair as all demons follow her to the balcony, suddenly most of them tripped, causing a human avalanche down the stairs. I cant get to her. I cant help her. I want to but there are too many people down on the ground. After about five minutes everyone has left and Layla comes downstairs, no rope in hand. My face and body sag with relief seeing her safe and herself again. This is the last straw. I have to find a solution. Too many demons can control Layla. She almost hung herself because she was told to. She almost lost her life. I almost lost her. I give her a strong hug and then let her get re settled after her ordeal while her lawyer tells me what happened. I cant believe she was going to confess to something she didn’t do.