They didn’t speak to me on the transport pad. I followed them off and they walked me into the Keepers


    compound.


    The rest of the morning passed in a daze. My friends didn’t desert me and sat with me. I vomited once


    and the Keepers fed me the root. It felt like I was in shock.


    At lunch I realized I had no idea what my owner’s mark Looked like. I asked the Keepers where I was


    supposed to be and one of them showed me.


    Kneeling on the mark, I felt Like a traitor.


    I warily watched the dark haired man that came to feed me. He looked terrifying. I couldn’t read any


    kindness in his eyes. The man fed me all that was in the bowl and left without saying a word.


    As usual we went to the beach after Lunch. The Keepers automatically stripped me, since I usually


    swam. That was when I realized I still had my old owner’s mark on my stomach. I sat in the shallow


    water and started to pull the hair out one at a time.


    The Keepers stopped me from proceeding with that. They took me back to the room in thepound


    and strapped me to the wall. Self harm was looked on as fighting at the Keepers. I was not permitted to


    harm myself.


    Strapped to the wall I considered my life. I had promised myself I would make the best of this. Sure this


    new turn was bad, but I only had two options. I still didn’t want to die. Time for mourning was over, I


    decided, I would make the best of this.


    ninjanovel


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    When the men came and got me, they didn’t ask why I was strapped to the wall. They took me back to


    their home, which was on the fourth floor.


    They fed me dinner and walked me down to the pool.


    Oddly, they didn’t undress me. They left me to sit in their alcove while they cleaned themselves. In my


    head I tried to think of all the reasons I liked these new colors.


    Suddenly it struck me I had never had trouble with my other owner’s colors. I hadn’t really understood


    them at that point, though. I had just epted they enjoyed those shades. They Liked them, so I Liked


    them. It would be better if I thought about it the same way now.


    The men finished their bath and took me upstairs. The men fed me a meal and then we went into the


    sitting room. All of them were staring at me and it unnerved me.


    “ve, how did the vers catch you?” one of them asked.


    The man asking the questions had long dark hair that flowed around his shoulders.


    “I wasing home from shopping-” I started to say and he interrupted me.


    ‘ou shopped at home?” es, Master,” I answered.


    Where did you shop?” he asked Leaning toward me.


    They wanted every detail of the night of my capture. I told them about the mini mart and wooded area


    where the men used to sit and drink. They heard about the bright light and the auction. They were


    interested right up until I started to talk about the auction. They didn’t care what had happened after the


    vers got me.


    Soon, they wanted to know about the motel. I had to tell them what it was and what I did there. The


    men were confused because I lived in a ce for transients. I had to exin to them about the cost of


    apartments. They seemed to understand working for a living, but they still could notprehend living


    somewhere meant for travelers.


    I was made to describe the room I lived in. Describing television took forever. Luckily, they had running


    water here, so that was much shorter discussion. They wanted to know about the room down to the


    linens on the bed, so the conversation took a very long time.


    Finally, I sat staring numbly at them. I hadn’t slept in two days and I was barely awake. If they wanted


    me to perform my purpose here, I wasn’t sure I would stay up for it. Instead, they just undressed me


    and put me to bed.


    I missed my old owners and I feared these new men, but I was so tired.