Back to the present again. When last we left Rachel Sarah and Judith had said their goodbyes and told her they held no ill will towards her. They even gave her a present ( the necklace). Let's see how things are now....

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Rachel

In the days that past after Judith and Sarah disappeared from their midst Rachel tried her best to throw herself into the chores Alice assigned her. Though there were still a few who remained somewhat cold towards her, it seemed that Sarah and Judith's forgiveness had indeed helped the others accept her as a true member of their flock now. Rachel never took off the necklace and displayed it prominently as a talisman of protection, just in case.

Rachel was thankful that Kathryn seemed to have gone back to her normal cheerful self almost immediately. In fact, strange as it was, everything seemed to go back to normal. Only the black stone around her neck remained as a reminder that Judith and Sarah had existed. That they had been members of the flock. That they were gone.

Would she be forgotten just as easily one day? Rachel wondered. It was a disturbing thought and it plagued her mind. Even the summer's cheerful warmth and sunny skies that had taken over completely now, couldn't quite wipe the dark cloud that had settled in her mind since Judith and Sarah had been taken.

Choosing to forgo the slave hall after work one night, too tired and anxious to join the others, Rachel was surprised to find Alice already back at her cabin when she walked in. The old woman was sitting by the unlit fire, a book in her lap. She wasn't certain she wanted to be alone with Alice at the moment, but it seemed awkward to ignore her presence. Rachel walked to sit opposite her, taking out her own book and settling into her chair. Alice's looked up for a moment, as if she'd just noticed her.

"I'm surprised to see you back so early," she commented.

"I was tired," Rachel answered. She felt a hint of discomfort settle over her as Alice continued to stare.

"There is something more isn't there?"

Rachel looked up and met Alice's eye for a moment. The older woman's expression was thoughtful, not unkind, but her gaze was intent. Rachel looked away again.

"What is bothering you Rachel?" Alice asked.

Rachel hesitated. "I just..." she began. "They're gone."

"Sarah and Judith?"

Rachel nodded, feeling the tears form in her eyes. The older woman gave her a compassionate smile.

"It is always hard to lose those we care about," she said. "But death is a part of life."

"But they're just gone," Rachel protest, the tears slipping down her cheeks. "And its like they were never here at all."

"That is certainly not the case," Alice said. "We all must keep living, but that does not mean that the fallen among us are forgotten. You yourself wear Judith's necklace. You have not forgotten her."

Rachel took the black stone in her hand, rubbing her thumb along its smooth surface. "But one day he may kill me too," she said, choking back the despair she felt saying it out loud.

"And?" Alice replied.

And?

Rachel stared at Alice incredulously. The comment so surprising as to stop her tears. "And I don't want to die!" she exclaimed. Wasn't that obvious?

    "What is so wonderful about life then?" Alice asked with a slight laugh. "The sheep that graze each day in the sun, the pigs that roll happily in the mud, what is the difference if they live ten days or one hundred? Every day will be the same until the end.

"It is our great misfortune as human beings to be aware of the futility of our lives as the other animals are not. But you are a slave Rachel. You will live every day of your life as such. Even serving under one as kind as our Master, how long a life of servitude do you wish for? What difference will a few more days make?"

    Rachel considered her question entirely uncertain how she might answer. "I..." she began. "I don't want to be a slave at all."

    Alice shook her head. "The optimism of youth," she chuckled. "Still holding out hope for freedom. But that was not my question."

The woman turn back to her book and Rachel tried to do the same, but now Alice's words were swimming around her head, only serving to confuse her thoughts more. Did she really believe what she said? Maybe it was true that sheep and pigs didn't care how many days of life they had, but she was a human. Surely that meant something. And Alice's comment had hardly provided her comfort. After a few minutes in silence, Rachel found herself speaking again.

    "Alice?" she tried.

    The woman looked up again.

    "Did you know the time of Earth That Was? A Time before the sibla?"

    Alice laughed heartily. "I am not so old as that Rachel," she said. "Perhaps my great great grandmother witnessed the sibla take power, but I was born to slavery. So you see, child? In your short eight years of life, you have already experienced more freedom than I ever will."

    Rachel stared at Alice in confusion. She'd never thought to ask more about where Alice had come from. Rachel had believed that all of Magnus's slaves came from the free settlements, but she realized Alice had implied multiple time she herself was born on a farm. Why had the woman been different?

    "I thought Magnus didn't buy human's born to slavery," Rachel said, trying to understand her comment. "That's what you told me."

    "And I spoke the truth," Alice answered. "Though I was born a slave, Magnus never bought me. I went with him of my own free will when given the chance. I entered servitude to him gratefully."

    Rachel felt her brow wrinkle in confusion. Magnus hadn't bought her? It didn't make any sense. If Alice was born a slave how else might she have ended up in Magnus's possession?

    "But," she asked, trying to make sense of the information, "does that mean you could have been free?"

    "I suppose it was a possibility at one point," Alice answered calmly.

    "And still you chose to remain a slave?"

Rachel was incredulous but Alice only chuckled.

"And what might I have done with 'freedom'?" she asked. "Don't you see Rachel? The human race lost our position of power long ago. We are animals now, nothing more in the eyes of the sibla. You were born to one of the few free colonies that remain on earth, but even those are not truly free. The sibla allow them to exist only so they might harvest new slaves. Fresh meat.

    "You were already in servitude when you were born, you just didn't know it yet. There is nowhere a human might go that is truly safe. I should think that you have learned that by now given how easily you were taken from your home and family. To find a good master is the best one of our kind might hope for. I was so lucky to have done so. I will be grateful to Magnus every day of my life for the protection he has afforded me and all of the other creatures in his care."

    "But if he were to kill you?" Rachel pressed. It seemed a bit unfair that Alice would speak so casually about death considering it seemed that she was the only one protected from it under Magnus's care. But Alice was entirely unfazed by the question.

    "I would willingly submit to death for him," she answered without pause. "My life belongs to Magnus and he is at liberty to take it as he will."

    Rachel didn't know how exactly to respond. Somehow she believed Alice's conviction to her words, but she couldn't quite imagine willingly giving up her life.

    "Speaking of our Master," Alice said, casually turning back to her book and flipping through a few pages before closing it. "Magnus has requested you go to him tomorrow morning. I was intending to tell you later, but since I wish to go to bed myself and you have said how tired you are, you should know that he expects you. You will go as soon as you wake to meet him outside of the main house."

    Rachel felt her body tense. She had tried to avoid their Master as much as possible...

    "What does he want with me?" Rachel asked as Alice stood and replaced her book on the bookshelf.

    "Does it matter?"

    Rachel hesitated to answer. After their conversation is seemed to matter very much. Alice had made it all too clear the man held thier lives in his hands. He had ended Sarah and Judith without a thought... The old woman only shook her head.

    "Your life will be easier here if you learn to accept whatever comes without complaint. You already know what sort of man our Master is. He really does have the best interest of all of his animals at heart."

    "Yes, Ma'am," Rachel answered quietly. Still her mind raced. What could Magnus possibly want with her? He'd never asked for her beore. She was safe for now, wasn't she? She'd barely been on the estate for a full month. He'd just killed two others. There was no way he might intend to hurt her. And surely Alice would not send her to death without warning... The final thought knotted uncomfortably in her stomach.

    "I believe he wants help with some farm work," Alice said, interrupting her momentary panic.

    "Farm work?" Rachel asked, confused.

    "Yes, the aide he requires. He wants your help with farm work"

     Rachel found Alice's response even more puzzling. "What sort of farm wor..."

    "My goodness you are nosey," the woman commented, cutting off her question as she began to switch off the lights. "I only told you that much so you did not fear for your life."

    Rachel stared at her in surprise. How had she so quickly guessed her concerns?

    "It is not hard to read your mind, girl," she said. "But you are safe enough for now. You need to see Magnus as your friend, not your enemy. He provides for your needs you every day you know. You should be grateful."

    Rachel nodded. She knew Alice spoke the truth, but it didn't change anything. She knew why he had saved her. He had never denied his plans to one day kill her as he had those boys, as he had Judith and Sarah.

    "Will you tell me, Alice?" Rachel asked in a moment of daring.

    "Excuse me?"

    "If..." Rachel hesitated, not wanting to say it aloud. Her mind flashed to an image of red. The boys with their throats slit, their screams, their mangled bodies. She saw Sarah and Judith's faces and imagined their smiles transformed into cries of terror. "If our Master intends to..."

    The old woman's expression became harder. "Don't think of such things, she answered."If you focus your thoughts on it, death will consume your life."

    "But..." how could she not think about it? "Will you tell me?"

    "If and when that time comes I suppose I will decide then," Alice answered evasively. "But now it is time for bed. You wish to please your Master tomorrow, don't you? For that, you must be well rested."

    Rachel nodded. She did wish to please Magnus. No matter how pointless Alice might think it was to grasp for time, Rachel had every intention to do whatever she could to live as long as possible. She certainly couldn't just abandon all hope of life as Alice seemed to suggest she should.

    Closing her eyes that night, Rachel found herself filled with a new resolve. She would do as Alice said and throw herself into her new life with as much energy and enthusiasm as she could muster. Perhaps if Magnus and Alice saw her worth they would still think twice before ending her life. It wasn't much of a plan, but Alice had indeed made it clear enough that there was no other option. She was a slave and she had to accept that. But she refused to be complacent in her own end. She was not a pig or a sheep and she intended to prove it.

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Wonder what Magnus wants with Rachel...Guess you will find out fri;-) I am curious what people think of this chapter. I think the conversation with Alice is important for Rachel to hear, but I wonder how the chapter reads in gen. Any feedback would be great. I know this part of the story moves a bit slower. I can tell you that the tension WILL pick up again soon...What does Magnus want with Rachel? Help with farm work? What could that mean? FIND OUT FRIDAY! :-)