The Slave Chronicles

Layla “What the hell Jamie? Why did you change my wallpaper?” I squealed. My now gothic-themed wallpaper staring back at me “your wallpaper was too bright. Couldn’t see a thing. I mean there can only be a few shades of pink allowed on a wallpaper at a time right. I swear you had, like, 300.” Jamie retorted. “Besides. I did you a favour. Now you can see 50 shades of Black. One of my favourite colours!” I sigh as I change the wallpaper back to my cheery pink original wallpaper. “Black is a shade. Not a colour. And I get that, but I asked what you wanted from the menu. The wallpaper wasn’t even visible.” We start walking towards the all-purpose store. “This place is awesome you’ll see. It’s got arcades, a bar, a kids’ area, a boxing ring and last but not least… Magic!” Jamie boasts. I roll my eyes. “Magic doesn’t exist Jamie. You really need to stop reading all those books. Your confusing reality for fantasy” as we enter the club, we both get bracelets to say we are customers, and we head to the bar. “you’ll see. This place has magic”. After ordering our drinks we sit at the nearest available table to wait. “Unless you are talking about magicians’ sleight of hand, magic doesn’t exist. It is physically impossible. It’s like a human who was born with wings. They don’t exist.” A waitress comes by our table with our drinks. “Can I scan your bracelets please?” we hold out our hand as she scans our bracelets and hands us our drinks. “enjoy” she walks away with the tray. I stare at my drink. I ordered the most beautiful one I could find on their menu. It’s a mocktail with colour morphing abilities. Used to destress the mind and body. A real physical method. NOT magic. Science. I take a sip and taste the most delicious flavours I have ever tasted. I see rainbows in my mouth and can feel the coolness of the beverage sliding down my throat. I sigh after I swallow and take another sip. It felt more powerful the second time. I see colours burst I see the stress literally walking away. I hear things I never heard before I feel colours. It is the most euphoric thing I have ever experienced. I can’t stop drinking “You were right Jamie. This is the best beverage of my life. We have to come here more often.” I down the rest of my beverage and go and order a new one. I order one that heals the spirit. After what feels like several hours, we get tired so we start to head out. But we can’t leave. There’s an invisible barrier at the doorway. I see people moving in and out with and without the bracelets and see Jamie step outside but I can’t join her. I’m trapped. The waitress walks over to us and asks what’s wrong. “I can’t leave there’s a barrier of some sort blocking my way that I can’t see.” The waitress tries to hide a smug smile. “Never take off your bracelet.” What a weird thing to say. I reach for my bracelet, but my fingers won’t reach it. I can’t touch the bracelet and so I can’t take it off. ‘I knew it. You’ve had the formula for Obedience. And your bracelet has been activated. Someone here must really like you.” I look at her like she grew three heads. “Don’t worry” she said. I feel calm suddenly. My body is obeying her every word. I see her looking around trying to find someone. “Ah of course. Kenzie. She’s the only one without someone. She must have thought you interesting.” I look even more confused as a tall blonde woman with legs for days walks toward us. “Please leave us Brook. I want to talk to her.” The waitress leaves and bows her head. “Aww poor thing you look so confused. Ok I’ll explain. Your friend outside can come too.” The tall stranger said as we walk to the table we were just at. “Ok so I chose you as my slave. You will do whatever I ask when I ask no matter what. One of the drinks you had today will deal with that. Your only obedient to us Demons. To any other slave or human, you can have free will. I chose you because I’m interested. And I’m the only demon without a human slave. Some slaves have chains, and some don’t. eventually you will be able to tell which people are demons and which are human. All slaves are human. If you resist, you’ll get chains. But if you behave you will get rewards. A new laptop, a phone, sometimes even days with loved ones. And trust me we can tell if you resist. I prefer to call the slaves assistants instead because “slaves” sounds so barbaric but everyone else calls you slaves.” I blink a few times before finally taking a breath, not realising I was holding it in. Demons? A Magic bracelet? An obedience drink? My world of science and facts was falling apart. And Jamie, Jamie was just starstruck. She always knew things like this existed, but I shrugged it off, thinking she read too many fantasy novels. But its real “Do I have a choice in the rewards I get if I behave?” it was the only question that came to mind. The only one that seemed to matter. “Yes. You will also sometimes do errands for me during the day when I can’t go out.” So, I had a mistress. I was now a slave. Sorry, Assistant. And I had no choice in the matter. Because I was Obedient. “You also get your own room” she gave me a key. It was pink. “I can take you there if you want. Your friend can come too” I nodded, still processing everything. We walk through a door and walk up 5 flights of stairs. We come to a room with a Bright pink door. “We prepared this room for you while you were downstairs having fun. We only just finished when you were trying to leave.” Kenzie explained. “In 2 hours, you got the info of what I like and got an entire room ready just for me?” Kenzie nodded I walk into my new room. The walls painted pink and my bed covered in white sheets. I had a balcony and a king-sized bed. A massive trunk full of games and toys. A closet full of clothing and a desk with a chair. Obviously pink but still. “This is mine?” I ask, gently running my fingers across my new bed. “You will find you will have everything you desire at your fingertips. Just because you’re forced to do our bidding doesn’t mean that you have to be treated badly.” I open another door beside my bed, and it opens to another full room. And another door to a bathroom. I leave the apartment and look at the difference between doors. “That shouldn’t be physically possible” the doors are only a few metres apart, how can my apartment be so large?” I say. Kenzie laughs. “Seriously? I tell you demons exist, that you’re now a slave, and that your world is only half of it and you are asking about your room size?” she laughs again. “I must really have broken you” Jamie buts in “it’s too pink. Sorry Layla. I got to bail but Ill visit.” Jamie says as she literally runs away. “I’ll leave you to get settled. There’s a bell that rings in your room when I need you. Please come downstairs when you hear it. Because it’s probably going to be important.” And with that she swept out of the room, leaving me alone in a strange apartment feeling trapped. I don’t know how long I stood there, in the doorway. Minutes or hours could have gone by. When I snapped out of it, it was dusk, orange light filtering through the windows of my new bedroom. I explore my new home wandering aimlessly taking all the beauty in. how did they know so much about me? How could they get all this done in 2 hours? In total there were 2 bedrooms, a living room, a study, a kitchen, a Dining room, 3 Bathrooms and a Massive, and I mean MASSIVE Electronic Room. A laptop, phone, Tv, Gaming console and so much more I had everything I ever dreamed. Kenzie was right. I have everything I ever wanted. The sound of the bell startled me. It sounded more like chimes than a bell but it’s definitely there. I run downstairs in a hurry to get Kenzie what she wanted. Kenzie didn’t want much but just a massage. “My Masseuse went on Holiday suddenly and I have knots on top of knots. Can you please massage my back?” I nodded and went to kneading. I want to behave. I don’t want to be punished so I do everything she says. Even though she doesn’t use the Obedience trick. She asked me if I would. She didn’t tell me to do anything. It was nice. I massaged her back for a whole hour before she felt like she was done. I hung around downstairs though. Wanting to explore my new home. Well. Not actually my home seeing I had a mandatory move only today but that doesn’t matter. I woke up startled. I woke up to the sound of the chimes. Kenzie needed me. I quickly got dressed and headed downstairs to start my first official day on the job. “Layla. This is a very important job. I need you to listen and listen well. I can’t go outside without getting some seriously burned skin, so I need you to go shopping for me.” I nodded, getting ready to write down the order “I need milk, Eggs, Bread, LOTS of candy of any type, I need meat any kind, and I need vegetables. Of your choice. Oh, and you can have whatever you feel like while your there. Here’s my credit card there’s over $1 Trillion on it. And can you please return it to me when you’re done? Thank you.” I look at the gold card, hope soaring through my chest. “Oh, I almost forgot. Once you’re done with everything come straight here. Straight back no detours no dawdling No talking to anyone.” She said. It stung a little. That she didn’t trust me enough to come back of my own free will but still. It’s been less than a day. “You can leave whenever you want.” My eyes pricked with tears threatening to fall and Kenzie looks away, ashamed. “Ok but can you please remove this bracelet? I can’t get it off myself.” She nodded and I rub my wrist where the silver used to be. I left for the outing a little after breakfast and bought only the best. I got myself a very large bear made from chocolate. Small enough to fit in my MASSIVE fridge but large enough that it is the largest chocolate bear I’ve ever seen. I buy the rest of the items and I feel the pull to go home. I get back not even 10 minutes later. I hand Kenzie her groceries and bow. “You did good Layla. You didn’t resist even a little bit. I am rewarding you with not having the bracelet put back on your wrist and time with your loved ones. You can spend time with them for up to Wednesday. You will have time enough to catch up explain everything and tell them you’re moving out. I’ll make do here. You can leave whenever you’re ready. I let these tears fall. “Thank you” I sob. This is the best reward anyone could ask for. I leave immediately. I breathe in the fresh air of my home. I stand outside getting ready to face the family. I’m not able to tell them everything. They wouldn’t believe me anyway, so I had to come up with a clever lie. I decided I’ll tell them I’m moving into a new friend’s place. That’s not exactly a lie but it is bending the truth. The lie comes in if they ask me why. I can’t exactly say I have no choice in the matter, but I have to say something. So, I came up with I want to be independent. Live on my own manage my own life. It’s not true. But it must be done. I ring the doorbell. As I get ready to spin my web of lies the door opens to find a police officer in the blue uniform. “May I help you child?” he says in a southern accent. Child? I’m 18 years old. Child. “My name is Layla Moore. My parents live here.” The cop nodded once and motioned for me to come in. “your parents are in the living room worried sick. They say you just left yesterday morning and haven’t come home since.” He explained. “Yeah, I went out with a friend for a few hours and then we went shopping and by then it was dusk, and my phone went flat so we went to her house instead. I would have told my mom the first opportunity I got except that I didn’t bring my charger.” Lie, Lie, Lie. All lies. “Well anyway they’ve been worried sick about you. You should go see them.” And the police officer walked away. I walked into the living room and saw my parents. They looked like death. Their face was pale the only colour coming from how red their eyes were and the noses. They obviously have been crying. “Mom, Dad?” I slowly walk towards them as their puffy eyes met mine. They ran towards me even though a couch was in the way. “We were so worried. Where have you been. What happened? were you safe? What happened to your clothes? Why aren’t you answering our questions?” they both asked in unison. I told them what I told the police officer abandoning the lie I practised. It was a better one. “I didn’t mean to be gone for so long. I’m sorry.” I pause. “I am moving out. I found a job that’s hiring but it’s on the other end of the city meaning I must move. I’m sorry.” Another shameful lie. My parents nodded and said they would help me pack. A few hours later my stuff was in Bags and boxes. “I’ll come pick them up on Wednesday. There are some friends I want to spend time with. And I don’t have a lot of time before I must leave. Sorry Mum and Dad.” I sadly move to get my essentials as I slowly and surely get through my small list of friends. Jamie being last as she saw me just Yesterday. I went through all my friends within the day. So, I headed to Jamie’s. “Hey.” I say. “Hey” she says back. My parents never understood the value of monosyllabic words like that. The truth is you can say a lot with just one word. Like when I said “hey” it really meant. “Hello. How are you today. I’m back from being a demon’s slave but I only have until Wednesday so I think it’s a good idea to have a sleepover what do you think?” and she returned with “Sup I’m good what about yourself? It is so great you are able to come and go but it sucks you only have a couple days of freedom. Sure, you can sleepover I’ll just tell my mom. Why don’t you come inside? You look exhausted” so now you know. We spend the next few hours catching up and talking about magic and demons. And then we went to the sleep portion of the sleepover. “So how are you settling in? I heard that your apartment is MASSIVE. I’m sorry I missed it.” Jamie said the following morning. Its Tuesday and I leave tomorrow to go back to the Club. Back to Kenzie. I decide to spend the rest of my time with my parents while I can. Answer any questions about me moving “To another city”. My stuff was still there and so was everything else like my family, food. A bed. Etc. I say goodbye to Jamie and walk over to my parents’ house. I was the only adult in town around my age to not have a car. Or a licence. Or a job. Or money. So being a slave and getting rewards like this is the best thing to ever happen to me. That’s how I knew to say I got a job. I told my family that I now worked at a desk and was making money. I couldn’t actually say that my new job was being a slave to a demon. They were just glad I finally had a job and was getting paid. I open the door to the house without knocking first simply out of habit. I found all my stuff gone, my bedroom stripped bare and my parents nowhere to be seen. Instead. I go into the kitchen to find a middle-aged dude that was so not my dad. He was helping himself to our food and was obviously not in an important job. His clothes were dirty and stained orange and he stunk of BO and garbage. He had a beard the colour of snow and was bald otherwise. I ask who he was and what he’s doing here and he says “I live here” I was so confused. I was here just yesterday. Everything was fine. The only thing packed was my stuff. And then it clicked. My family wanted to live with me. In the City I had my “Job” in the apartment I “rent”. They moved out to a city that I made up. I was so screwed. Well without my parents to hang out with and me already done seeing my friends I decided to call my family. They answered on the first ring “yes honey?” My mum said. Obviously, my dad was driving. They always obeyed the law. “We just couldn’t wait to move so we packed and left a day early. Are you on your way? You don’t want to be late for your first day.” I felt my face get hot with rage. “I am not because I don’t have a car. And you took my stuff? How did you sell the house so quickly? Why didn’t you tell me this was your plan?” I screamed. “I wanted to spend my last night with you. I just found out that a middle-aged man now lives in My house. And what kind of information do you know? Is it safe? It is Family Friendly? You know nothing of this place you are moving to. And the fact you did it to move in with me because I was moving for a job it the crazy part. I am an adult! I can look after myself. Also, the town name I gave you was a lie. The entire thing was a lie. I can’t tell you the real Job I had because I knew you wouldn’t understand. And your too overprotective for me to simply just move out so I couldn’t tell you where I was really going so good luck. You screwed us all! I want you to get back here right now and give me my stuff back. Or better yet, drop it off at my new place. I’m sure you’ll know it. It’s at the all-purpose place in Surfers.” after my rant I literally ended the call, turned my phone off and bolted crying back to Kenzie. To Home. After explaining what happened in all details, Kenzie was the one that comforted me. SHE was the one that held me while I cried. And it was her that got my stuff when I couldn’t face my parents. Besides when Kenzie rang the bell, I practically locked myself in my room for a few days. Mad at my parents and the world for lying to me my whole life. When my body couldn’t produce any more tears. I crawled out of bed and ate my teddy bear made of chocolate. The next morning, I hung around downstairs. There was supposed to be a boxing match starting soon that I wanted to watch. I sat on the Mottled Grey carpet and Kenzie Joined me. “Are you feeling better?” she asked. I nodded and took another sip from the drink in my hand. Now knowing it was real magic kind of lessened the explosion of taste that I had but it was still quite powerful. Something I needed. I look up as the crowd starts cheering. An older demon stepped into the ring. I knew it was a demon because humans weren’t allowed to fight. Safety reasons, I guess. I wince as another wave of loud cheering fill the arena. Another demon younger than his opponent stepped into the ring the ring master or referee or whoever he’s called calls out the rules. “No magic, c**k shots, shots to the face or kicking are allowed. Fair game only or your disqualified. Am I clear?” The two opponents say clear and nod at the same time. Obviously, Demon boxing goes by different rules here. The old me would rationalise that the magic part of the referee’s rules was a joke. A coy for the guests but Demons do have magic. So, it’s a fair rule. I watch as the boys groped and grabbed and punched each other. Kind of reminded me how angry I was. How weak I was. Blood sprayed the crowd as the younger opponent punched him in the gut hard enough, he spewed blood and his mouth guard came out. The younger guy ducked and weaved as he was much smoother and faster than the older and Much larger opponent who was relying on strength alone. The older dude kept trying to punch his attacker but the younger one kept bobbing, ducking, and weaving all while throwing punches avoiding his man parts and his face. He does a sweeping motion with his arm while crouching that knocks the large man over. The smaller man climbs on top of him and punched his gut unconscious. The younger boy wins. The referee hold up the winner’s hand declaring he was, indeed, the winner. The prize: $50 worth of free anything from the entire threshold. His smile said everything. He was going to have fun. “The larger opponent was royalty. How could a commoner beat him?” Kenzie wondered aloud. “What do you mean?” she sighed. Heavily. “There are two types of demons, Royalty and Commoners. I’m Royalty. I get to pick what or who I want whether they be slave or partner. The commoners don’t get to choose. They are given what they are given. And they have no choice in the matter. I’m trying to change that. The main difference is the size. Commoners are smaller than us. Not by much but still. Also, Royalty are stronger and faster. That commoner boy shouldn’t have beaten him. Something was wrong with the fight. The Royal was much too slow. Almost like…” she abruptly stood up and walked away. I spent the rest of the day in my room finally unpacking my boxes when a different kind of alarm sounded. I rushed downstairs and there were people Human and Demon alike panicking and running around. I found Kenzie in the mess. She was talking to the Waitress. Brook, I think her name was. I went to Join them to see if Kenzie needed me. “Good you’re here. Can you please direct everyone to a wall to line up? Thank you. It’s too crowded in here to do any searching.” I nodded and kept yelling for people to remain calm and go stand in a line against the wall. Some people listened but most didn’t. they were too high strung. A loud whistle filled the area. It came from Brook. “Everyone line up now!” I followed the crowed to line up. “Someone drugged a royal. They wanted someone to lose. Or was it for someone to win? We have no idea. I’ve brought David out of the Infirmary to Identify the perpetrator.” Just then the loser of the fight came out of the shadows bandaged and broken. “Who gave the poison to you?” he then pointed at me. I stepped forward and Kenzie’s eyes were wide with shock. “I didn’t-” Kenzie interrupted me with “Stop. Just stop. Why Layla. I trusted you.” I couldn’t move and I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t explain. I couldn’t preach my innocence. Just then David spoke “Not her. HIM” he pointed to the guy next to me in line. He came forth and it looked like he was going to surrender but then he bolted. Good thing Brook stopped him. She dragged the older guy by the neck and pushed him to his knees. Me, still not being able to do nothing and say nothing, tried to resist the potion but I couldn’t. “Oh, I almost forgot. Layla I’m sorry. You can go back in line now.” Kenzie said. Released from the order I run back to my spot in the line. “Gerald, you are under arrest for treason and drugging a royal.” Kenzie made a shooing motion with her hand and the guards took him away to prison. We were all quite shocked to learn that David was drugged but apparently Gerald was a commoner who wanted another commoner to win. Apparently, he just wanted to even the playing field. “Layla. What are you thinking?” Kenzie asked. “I can see your brain working. I know more about you than even you realise. The information of your life is in our database. So, when I say I know you I KNOW you.” I shrugged. “Truth was. I’m confused on How someone so powerful like David can get drugged enough that he was that slow and weak. It must have been enough to knock out someone the size of a commoner. How could they think it was as simple as a protein shake?” Kenzie shrug her perfect shoulders. With all the excitement of the day I went to my room and used the brand-new gaming console in the electronics room. I stared at Kenzie all day today. I don’t know why. It’s been a little over a week now and I can’t stop thinking about her. And not as a mistress. As a partner. I saw how effortlessly she looked managing the entire facility. Like she’s been doing this all her life. Her perfect lips moving as she talked to customers and staff alike. My lips burned with intensity at the thought of kissing her and I felt blood reach to my cheeks. Knowing it could never be, my heart sank into my stomach. She’s a demon. So, she has to have a demon partner. I learned that from Brook. Saddened I spend the rest of the afternoon in my room. I lie on my bed playing games when there was a soft knock on my bedroom door. In the week and a half I’ve been here, no one has knocked on my door.