Chapter List
Charlie hopped down from the ladder and picked up the now full basket and carried it to the building where we stored everything until the end of the day. Even the guards couldn�t help but admire his speed and how much he enjoyed his work.
�The rest of you see that? That�s the kind a work we�d prefer to see out of the lot of ya!� said one of the guards while pointing to Charlie. I believe it made Charlie feel good to be pointed out as such an example. If I didn�t know any better I�d almost say that Charlie thought that all of this was a game instead of what it really was. I shook my head and got back to my work before I was noticed. Charlie grabbed another bucket and ran back over to his ladder and climbed up it to resume where he left off. I climbed down to take the bucket I was using to the building. As I walked by the guards one of them stepped on my tail, causing me to drop the bucket, spilling the fruit across the ground. They laughed and pushed me over to pick them up.
�Come on get a move on it! The child can move faster than you!� one said to me. I kneeled down and started to pick up the fruit. This obviously wasn�t going to be a pleasant day for me, though nearly none are. Damien walked over to me to help. He kneeled down and reached for one and was immediately hit across the face to the ground. I looked up at the guard that hit him.
�Let him do it on his own!� he yelled at Damien.
�He was only trying to help me!� I yelled on an impulse. No sooner had the words escaped my mouth had I known that I would regret it. Both of the guards turned to face me. I sat there and looked down. Damien got up and went back to the tree. I looked around and noticed everyone had their eyes on the guards and me. I looked up at the guards nervously. One of them reached down and grabbed my by my neck and pulled me to my feet.
�It appears that the fox here doesn�t like the treatment that his friend is getting. Now why do you suppose that is?� he asked the other guard.
�Well I believe that he�s jealous of the special attention that it was getting.� The other replied. They both looked at me and the first one spoke up.
�Well now don�t you worry about a thing, we�re gonna make sure that you get equal treatment.� With that said I was struck across the face with the small club he carried. I fell to the ground and put my hand to my muzzle. I could taste the blood in my mouth and looked up at them. Another blow from the club on the side of the head brought me flat on the ground. I whimpered as two more hits from the two guards shot pains up my back. I looked up and saw Damien and Charlie looking away. Terrance was however staring right at what was going on. I stopped looking at them as I felt the final blow come across my face hitting me right under my eye. I lay on the grass not moving, blood coming out of my mouth and my nose, bruises all over where the clubs had struck me. They called to another two more guards that were walking nearby over.
�Take this one back to the barracks for a few hours then bring him back out at noon.� One said to another. It was a mixed blessing; I would be able to rest on my bed for four hours, I would however have to come out here and work during one of the hottest part of the day. They lifted me up by my arms and they started dragging me away. I opened one eye and looked back at Damien. He was already picking up the dropped fruit as directed by the guards. He looked over at me and nodded to me, silently thanking me.