Out of the Darkness

Chapter12

When I woke again, I found myself sleeping on a rickety old cot in the servant's quarters. My back ached all over, and I could still feel the whip marks that had been left by Martha. I was scared to move, as my wounds felt like they were on fire. I could hear the other servants snoring away, and I decided to try and get some sleep myself. I tried to relax, and eventually fell asleep once again, as my dreams became filled with images of me being whipped again and again.

I woke up with a start, the sounds of screams in my ears. I realized it was my own screams. I calmed myself, wanting to go back to sleep, but It was too late; the other servants were already waking up and getting ready for their duties. I saw Gertrude and Martha talking amongst themselves before Gertrude walked over to me.

"Rise and shine," Gertrude said tiredly. "The Master wants you to bring him breakfast this morning. Can you do that for me?"

I nodded in response, not sure if I was capable of doing anything at that point. I didn't feel well, and the thought of bringing another meal to him made my stomach churn with dread. But I knew I had to do it or risk punishment once again.

Gertrude and I headed out of the servant's quarters together to the kitchen. She showed me where to get the ingredients for his breakfast, and even gave me some pointers on how to make it just right. She was surprisingly kind, which made me question who exactly she was working for. She seemed caring and protective, trying to shelter me from the master's wrath, unlike Martha, who seemed to revel in it.

Once breakfast was prepared, we made our way out of the kitchen, to the master's chambers once again. As we approached, I could hear two voices arguing on the other side of the door. We stood silently, not wanting to interrupt the conversation taking place within.

"You will do as I say," the master's voice raged, the sound of shattering glass was heard against the closed door.

"Why her?" A second unfamiliar voice questioned angrily.

"Because," the master's voice replied. "We need to ensure you have an heir. You know how unlikely it is to conceive but with her..."

"No!" the second voice shot back angrily.

A few seconds later, the door flew open and the second man came barreling out. His eyes were filled with rage and he looked as if he was about to attack the master. He was a tall man with long black hair, dressed in a tailored suit, his youthful skin tanned from the sun. I was terrified that he would unload his anger on Gertrude and me, but he only spared us a brief glance before storming off.

"Come in," I heard the master's voice a few seconds later. "And clean up the mess," the master ordered as I entered his room and set down his breakfast.

"Yes, Master," I said quietly, as I tried to avoid eye contact with him.

I went about picking up the broken pieces of glass, careful not to cut myself. The last thing I needed was another reason for the Master to be angry with me. I worked quickly, and before long, I was finished with my task.

"Go," the Master commanded, and I turned to leave without a word.

As I turned from him, his eyes darkened with anger when he saw the blood stains on the back of my dress. He grabbed me firmly around the wrist, halting my exit.

"Show me your back," he demanded.

"Yes, Master," I replied quietly, as I turned away from him. I lowered my dress slightly so he could see the open welts across my back. I could feel his hand touch the tender flesh where the whip had marked me, and I felt a shiver of fear run through my body.

"Hmm," he mused. "Looks like your Martha has been getting carried away with the whip again."

"Yes, Master," I replied in a shaky voice, not knowing how else to answer.

"Don't worry," he said as he gently caressed my back. "You should take the rest of the day off, to let your wound start to heal. I'll have Martha cover your duties."

"What?" I whispered under my breath, unsure if I heard correctly.

"You're relieved from your duties for the day," the master repeated, his voice now tense. He didn't like repeating himself but forced himself to control his anger.

"I understand, Master," I replied, as I turned back toward him relieved.

"You may leave now," he said with an air of authority, before taking his seat to begin eating breakfast.

I quickly left his room and almost ran back to the kitchen where Gertrude was waiting for me. She looked at me in shock as I approached her, my dress hanging precariously from my shoulders.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice laced with concern, taking in the sight of my clothing.

"He looked at my back, and said that Martha had been too severe with the whip," I recounted the events to her. "Then he gave me the day off to heal."

"This isn't good," Gertrude replied, shaking her head. "Not good at all."

I could sense the concern in her voice, but I couldn't figure out why. Hadn't the master just done me a favor by letting me rest? It made no sense.

"Why? Why is this bad?" I asked, confused.

"Master is not known for his mercy," Gertrude replied grimly.

"Do you know what he's planning?" I asked, afraid to hear the answer.

"I know he has an ulterior motive for you," she answered. "And I'm not sure that it's anything you want."

"It doesn't matter," Gertrude spoke again. "All that matters is that you need to be careful. Stay out of trouble and you should be fine."

I shook my head in understanding. I needed to keep my wits about me more than ever. I didn't want to get caught up in the master's games.

"Thank you, Gertrude," I replied. "You've been a great help to me."

She nodded in understanding.

Gertrude prepped me a meal before escorting me back to the servant's quarters. When we arrived, I set down my meal and thanked Gertrude before going to take my first day of rest. The bowl of stew that Gertrude had prepared for me warmed my belly and soul. It was the first real meal I had eaten in such a long time. I savored the rich meaty flavor on my tongue. Once my belly was full, I quickly fell into a deep sleep on one of the old cots.

When I awoke, it was dark outside and the other servants had all gone to sleep. I took a moment to reflect on my day. Had it all been a dream? It certainly felt like one, and yet the pain in my back reminded me that it was all too real. I still didn't understand what the master wanted from me. What could a wealthy otherworldy being need from a lowly human slave? And why did Gertrude seem so concerned about his motives for me?

I sat there on my cot, pondering these questions and more. The more I thought about them, the more they consumed me, until I couldn't stand it any longer. I had to do something to keep my mind occupied or else it might drive me mad. So I quietly got up from the cot, picked up the bowl from the floor where I had left it, and snuck out of the room to the kitchen. When I entered, I found Gertrude was still there, cleaning up after the last of the meals for the night.

"What are you doing?" Gertrude asked, surprised. "You should be resting."

"I couldn't sleep," I answered honestly, as I set the bowl back down on the counter.

"Here," Gertrude said, handing me a steaming cup of tea with warm cream. "This may help."

"Thank you," I replied gratefully.

As I sipped the warm liquid, I realized that Gertrude was right; the tea was making me feel sleepy again. I yawned and felt myself getting drowsy. I set down my cup and looked at her. She looked tired but also relieved.

"I think I'll go back to bed," I said, as I started to walk toward the exit. "Good night."

"Good night," she said as I left.

When I returned to the servants' quarters, the other servants were still asleep. It was dark and quiet outside. I crept into my cot, still feeling the warmth of the tea in my body. I soon fell asleep and dreamed of being in a forest. A wolf was howling in the distance. I felt safe though and continued to dream. The howls kept getting closer, but still, I wasn't frightened, and, if anything, felt more at peace with my surroundings. Then suddenly, a large wolf appeared before me, with glowing blue eyes. I couldn't help but notice how handsome he was. His black fur shimmered in the moonlight, and his gaze pierced through me. He had a deep voice, "Are you afraid?"

I didn't reply but felt that, somehow, he already knew the answer to his question.

"I thought so," he responded as he stared at me intently. I could feel his eyes roaming over my body. I was unsure of what to do, but a strange warmth was filling my body, and I wasn't sure why. The wolf stepped closer to me, his eyes shining in the moonlight, as he looked deep into my soul.

He said, "Don't be afraid."

He kept repeating his words until they started to fade away and my vision turned black.