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chapter 5
Leech stood against the side of the building for several minutes, he was scared and didn't know what to do or where to go. He wanted to run into the forest before him, but at the same time he felt the need to help the slaves, and recover his few possessions. Soon he resolved that he would need to save the slave because he knew he had nowhere and no-one to run to, and there for had nothing to lose. He looked around, trying to get the lay of the land. The place was just a simple stone house in a small clearing. The house was smaller than he thought it would have been, a single level house in a bad state of disrepair.He slowly moved to the front of the house, where he saw lights burning. As Leech came to the corner he stopped and peaked around it. He could see two torches burning in the small courtyard, they lit all but a small border before the tree and the area directly next to the house. He noticed that there was only one person out; a young man, maybe early twenties, who look as though he were sleeping, on the first of three steps that lead to the house's front door.
Leech slow crawled on his hand and knees along the the front of the house, toward the sleeping man. Once he was a few feet from him his assumption was confirmed by the snoring coming from the slumped figure. Leech knew he need to get through the door in order to do what he planed to do. He look down and saw a rather large stone, he looked at the stone and then back at the sleeping man and knew that he had to knock him out. Leech lifted the stone and crept up behind the man, slowly bringing the stone high above his head as he did. He was just about to bring the rock down on the man's head, when suddenly the door opened. Leech almost immediately was crouched back against the wall, he quickly dropped the the stone and looked back at the door, luckily he had not been seen. His eyes remained on the door waiting to see who would emerge. A few seconds passed, then an older man, maybe late fifties judging by the salt and pepper look of his hair, but he was still very well built. Leech could tell but his stressed, aged and scared face that he had probably seen battle more than once in his life. The older man stepped down right behind the sleeping figure, planted his foot firmly in the center of his back, and pushed him forward, sending him sprawling to the ground. The young man was quickly back on his feet,confused and anger, and began to yell, "Hey! You jacka...". He stopped suddenly when he could clearly see the older man's face, and quickly stood strait and saluted, he now had a look of pure fear in his eyes. His voice trembled as he spoke now, "Sir! I had no idea! Please...". The young man was cut off by the older man, "Don't start you little worm! I've told you before about sleeping while on watch!".
Leech instantly recognized the voice, it was commander Heartman. the commander was much older than his voice would lead people to think. The young man had begun specking again, "But Sir! no-one even knows where this place is!". "That's not the point you idiot! Anyone could pass by here at anytime, and we can't risk someone alerting patrolling guards!", the commander shouted now much angrier. The younger man stood silent for several seconds until the commander spoke once more, "You are actually lucky today though boy! You have a job to do so punishment will have to wait.". The man looked happily confused as the commander turned toward the door and let out a small whistle. Almost immediately, a group of seven people emerged from the doorway. Three of the group were slavers, three were slaves, and one was the man from the cage room, Randel. The slaves wore chains that bound their feet, with chains connecting those together, their hands were tied with rope, and the leading slave was being lead along by a rope around his neck by a slaver. The other two slavers were carrying a plank of wood with something covered with a blanket on it. Randel came out last, his hands were bound to a small bloody, stump. Leech felt a chill ran down his spine as he looked back at the plank, and saw a hand slide out from under the blanket. The all lined up about two yards from the steps and the plank was laid on the ground. It wasn't till this point Leech noticed the commander wore a sword on his hip.
Heartman lead Randel a few steps away from the others, having him kneel and place his head on the stump, and called the young man from before over to him. The commander stepped forward toward the line of people and spoke, "People, today you will witness the punishment for defying my orders and for damaging my business!".He walked to the covered plank and thew back the blanket to reveal the limp body of the boy from the cage room, Leech remembered his name was Robert. Leech, thinking back to Robert also remembered Alice, he looked back at the slaves and noticed she was the last one in the line, she looked so angry Leech thought he could feel it. When Leech broke his gaze from her he noticed the commander had begun to speak again. "Let this be a lesson to the rest of you of what happens when you disobey me." he said as he drew his sword and passed it to the young man, he continued "Now Steven, you will carry out the punishment!". Steven's face took on a look of fear and confusion while he look between the sword and the kneeling man before him. After a few moments of silence and inaction from the newly appointed executioner Heartman produced a curve bladed dagger from is belt and said "It's him, or you" pointing the dagger at Steven while smiling. At that Steven slowly griped the sword with both hand and raised it above his head ready to strike. He stood like that for nearly a full minute, then Leech noticed a hint of a smile when he suddenly leaped back, turning toward the commander and brought the sword in a quick arch toward the man's head. As his strike finished he fell to the ground and rolled onto his back.
All the on-lookers, Leech included, watched in confusion and aw as the commander stand with a long, thin cut down his face from the middle of his forehead to his chin, and began to laugh. Leech's eyes moved to the man on the ground and noticed the commander's dagger in his side. Heartman still laughing walked to the dieing man and retrieved his dagger, giving it a jarring twist as he did so. Leech could see blood spurt after the blade as it left the body and hear the man try to scream in pain but all that came was a wet gargle as he coughed blood. The comander then cleaned the blood from his dagger on Steven's pants, and takes his sword back from his hands. Heartman then took the sword with both hands, took a deep breath and quickly put the dieing man out of his misery by cleaving his head from his body. The head roll not but a few feet from Leech, the dead, bloody face was looking at him with the pained face he had in is last moments, and in his shocked state of witnessing the horrible act he could not help but look into the dead eyes. Leech overcame his momentary shock to return his gaze to the commander who was now poised to carry out the original punishment. He again took his sword in both hands and lifted it over his head, bringing it back down onto the Randel's neck to repeat the same result from only a few seconds ago. Leech could see blood spurt from the wound as the head fell from the stump.
 randomizor301 · Fri Aug 13, 2010 @ 05:24pm · 0 Comments |
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