Chapter List
I looked at the guards as they began picking out the people. They decided to pick out the ones that would be working inside first. I was relieved when they had called my name as one of the ones that would be working inside today. I don�t know how much longer I would have lasted outside in this heat. They also called Vincent, Damien, Terrance, Charlie, and Jewell to work inside. We waited until those assigned to work outside left the barracks before we got up to go. The guards hurried us along as we stepped outside and into the sun. We headed towards the set of buildings that housed Brian and all the guards. I looked back at Jewell, who was walking at the back of the group. She looked worried, almost scared. I felt sorry for her, being thrown into all of this in one day. Without even knowing her you could tell that she hasn�t been a slave long, her fur could show that. Her fur was soft and well taken care of. It looked like it was washed and brushed everyday with the way that the sun shined off of it.
I looked back to the front early enough to stop myself from running into Damien by a few inches. He looked back at me and raised an eyebrow.
�Renard, I know we�re friends but give me a little room okay?� He said. I frowned and backed up a little. We had reached the houses and the guards were going to separate us into pairs for each of the three houses. One of the guards looked at me.
�You, fox. Brian wants you to take the new fox to work in his house so you can give her an idea of what to do around here.� He said to me. I nodded and waited until the rest of us were separated into pairs.
I turned to Jewell who was looking down at the ground, unsure of what to do or where to go.
�Jewell?� I said to get her attention. She looked up from the ground at me. �We�ll be going to work in Master Brian�s house today. It�s this way.� I started walking towards the largest house and Jewell followed behind me. I glanced back at her and saw her looking down at the ground, hugging her tail.
�Scared?� I asked her. She looked at me and shook her head.
�No�. it�s just�� she looked back down. I stopped and faced her.
�Worried about your parents?� She nodded slowly. I sighed and started walking again. When we reached the house there was a paper with instructions on what needed to be done. I looked at the paper and frowned. I couldn�t make out a lot of the words on it. I was never taught how to read properly at the farm. Jewell looked at me and could tell I was having trouble with the paper.
�Can I see it?� She asked. I looked at her and handed her the paper. She looked it over then began to read it out loud.
�First, wash dishes and stack them away properly. Second, clean floors in the kitchen, dining room, and living room. Third, dust off paintings and other wall items. Fourth, clean walls outside of the house. If time, you may wash up using the well out back, Brian.� She looked up from the paper at me.
�Uh, you can�t read well can you?� She asked me. I shook my head. I felt like an idiot, she could read perfectly well and I could barely make out a few words.
�I�ve lived here almost my whole life an� was never taught much.� I told her. She nodded and folded the paper up and put it in one of her pockets.
�Well, then maybe I could teach you how to read better.� I looked at her and smiled.
�Really? You would do that for me?� She smiled and nodded.
�Sure, why not?� I thanked her and walked inside the house with her following behind me. I stopped in the kitchen and looked around. There was a large stack of dishes sitting by a water bucket on the counter across the room. I walked over and grabbed the bucket and handed it to Jewell.
�Could you go out back an� get some water from the well?� I asked her. She nodded and headed out the front door and started walking around to the back. I grabbed some of the dishes that were there and began to organize them better, putting the smaller ones first. Once I had done that I waited for Jewell to return with the water. I waited for five more minutes before I decided to check on her. I walked through the house and out through the back door. I saw her standing by the well looking in it. I walked up next to her and leaned against the well.
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