Tori's Misfits

Chapter Nine

Madam Kim’s POV

I enjoy the fear in her eyes as she stands between the warriors holding her in place. She knows from personal experience how cruel I can be. I glance around at all the faces watching me scared to be seen looking away but dreading what I will do.

In a loud clear voice, I demand while looking at the warriors in training, that two of them dump the boxes carried out earlier on the small wood pile in the middle of the yard.

“Turn her so she can watch, she needs to know failure is not an option,” I state, heading to the wood pile.

As the first box is dumped, I hear her scream as all her personal clothing is scattered over the wood, quickly followed by her family pictures and all her precious books.

Smiling at her, I pull a match from my pocket and strike it. The flame flickers to life dancing in the wind, her eyes never leave the match as I allow it to fall from my fingers onto the pile.

“Please, no” she yells, dropping to her knees, screaming with pain, as it pulls her arms up further behind her.

She drops her head down as the fire glows brighter, consuming all her worldly possessions. I walk over, yanking her head up by the hair, forcing her to watch. I feel her start shaking and trying to pull away and know she has seen Mister Toben approach the fire with the branding iron.

She tries to shake her head while watching as he heats it. They think I don’t know about them and their private get-togethers, which allowed the girls to leave unnoticed. I also know that she doesn’t believe he will be able to mark her as a slave, making her our property instead of an employee.

“Jayla didn’t follow instructions today, children, and as you know, if you disobey me, you must be punished. What you are witnessing is the beginning of ex-carer Jayla’s consequences for choosing to disobey those better than her.” I turn to the children to make sure they are watching and listening to me.

They stand with their hands behind them looking straight at me. Some flinch when they notice my attention on them. These are the ones who have suffered punishments themselves.

“Madam Kim, it is ready,” Mister Toben announces, and I turn back to Jayla.

“Madam Kim, please don’t, we can still find the girls” she begins, pleading still on her knees, watching the hot iron being turned in the flames of her destruction.

Watching her, I let out a loud chuckle then slapped her across the face, “You may not talk, unless addressed”.

“Finish the job, Mister Toben, she has chores to attend to when her punishment is complete.”

He grabs the handle of the iron and walks toward Jayla. I enjoy seeing the pain in his eyes and the desire he must refuse. I know he will complete the marking as he knows the consequence for her if not, is death. The warrior pulls her left arm forward, ripping the long sleeve, exposing the skin of her forearm.

Everyone watches as she thrashes around trying to pull loose, begging for mercy. The begging turns to screams of pain, assuring all know what is happening before the stench of burning flesh fills the air. Suddenly, the screams stop, and she falls forward having passed out from the pain. On her exposed arm you can see HOH in the red swollen flesh.

“Leave her for now, and get the children to bed, no one eats tonight.” I started to walk away and turn back, “Oh, and Mister Toben, report to my office first thing in the morning.”

Watching the flames die down as I finish my supper; I am pleased with the results of Jayla’s punishment. She has been acting like she was better than the other carers for some time, and becoming a bother to me. The fear installed within those watching as I reduced her from a privileged position to that of property thrilled me to my core. I will sleep well tonight and dream up a suitable punishment for Mister Toben.

Jace’s POV:

I stand there in shock at what has happened, waiting to be dismissed for the night. I knew Madam Kim was cruel but didn’t know she would or could treat the carers as if they had no choices.

Carers are women who chose to come work for the orphanage, not orphans, and we are taught they are above us. The fear in the littles' eyes watching someone they thought was almost god-like, being treated like us broke my heart and strengthened my resolve to keep them safe.

It is late when we finish the clean-up of the yard and are sent to bed, with reminders to be up for morning chores. I lay on my cot listening to my roommates’ snores and wondering how the girls are.

“Goddess please be with them and keep them safe, don’t let it be discovered that I helped them.” I pray, as I shut my eyes, giving into the exhaustion of a long day.