Read Promise: The Scarred Girl for Free Online Page B

head. Her eyes tear up and she realizes that she is still in the tent of Luica, Zippi, and Harold. Everything is good, she thinks, at least.
    But then she notices she is no longer on the mat and slowly begins to realize why her back and hands hurt so much. She is sitting on the ground; her hands are tied behind her back around a stake in the ground. As she tries to pull at her bonds, her shoulders hurt so much that she would like to cry out loud. The whole situation is strange to her, what happened since yesterday? Were they attacked? Where are Luica and the others?
    Nea’s mind operates at full speed. Is it better to draw attention to herself or is it better to be silent? Again, she tries to find a weak spot in the bonds, but it is hopeless. She listens and tries to hear what’s going on outside the tent, but there are no voices, only the steady patter of feet. It is difficult to estimate how many there are and whether they belong to friends or strangers. She wonders if she should make a noise, alert them to her being awake, but sooner or later, someone will come in to check on her. As she thinks that, Luica enters the tent and looks down at Nea. She sees Nea crouching on the floor in front of her, she seems bigger and her face is missing the friendliness that Nea has grown accustomed to in recent days, a feeling of security. Luica is unusually serious.
    “What is it, Luica, what’s going on?” Nea asks and hates the tremor in her voice which she cannot suppress. She knows that it’s a stupid question; after all, she is tied up while Luica runs free, but a last spark of hope remains in her.
    “What does it look like?” Luica replies coldly. Nea finds it hard to believe that this cold woman ever seemed warm.
    “I do not understand what’s going on here. Have I done something wrong?”
    A wicked grin stretches across Luica’s face.
    "Honey, I did not think that you were so stupid. You should know that you do not get anything for nothing in this world after all. "
    “What do you want from me? You can have everything I own...”
    Luica interrupts impatiently, “From today, you own nothing. It’s nothing against you, that’s just our job. Everyone needs to make ends meet, as you can see.”
    Nea does not understand what she means, but she notes Luica’s laugh as being a condescending laugh, so it occurs to her that she has been stupid and naïve.”
    “You still do not understand, do you? We do not trade with milk or eggs, but with people. We provide the Carris with slaves and for that they leave us in peace and provide us with food.”
    Nea’s throat constricts in fear. She should have expected as much, but no, she would never have come up with the idea that she would be the goods they would provide the Carris. All of the family’s friendliness was just a game. Nea was never more than a product for them to deliver. Shocked, Nea just stares at Luica. Her words fail her, because there is nothing that she could say that would sway her kidnapper. Nea will not be the first person this group has traded to the Carris. On the contrary, these three knew as soon as they met her that she would be given to the Carris. For the Carris to leave them alone as they do, they have to routinely deliver new slaves.
    “Oh, don’t look so sad, if you’re lucky, they’ll let you work in the fields. Then you’ll always have enough to eat. I know how you are, your own well being is paramount,” Luica says almost apologetically, shrugging her shoulders indifferently. Then she turns her back and walks away.
    Nea tries not to cry. After going so long without having to trust anyone, the moment she does, she is deceived again. Luica seemed to her to be the warmest person in the world, but now Nea’s fate is sealed. Nea thinks of all of the talks she and Luica had together and realizes that Luica never actually lied to her. She said that together they are stronger than if they were solo and that they would protect each other. She and