already been so hard. I don’t blame her for being careful. The other girls, Lizzie, Varsha, Jane and Kgomotso have all settled in. They work the piece of land we grow our vegetables on.
“Girls,” I greet them with a smile, “this is Sophia. Please make her feel at home.”
Varsha has a bubbly personality and she’s the first to step forward. She’s gentle as she hugs Sophia. “You’re going to be so happy here!” Varsha has been with us for seven years. She was taken as a child. We think she’s from the middle east. Most of the people come here with only their names, no past and no family.
Kgomotso is next. She’s an African beauty. She also hugs Sophia. “Welcome.” She’s not one to talk much, but when she does have something to say she doesn’t hold back.
Lizzy and Diane just smile at Sophia. For some reason Diane has taken to Lizzy. I think it’s because Lizzie is only seventeen. With their age being so close, and their dark hair and grey eyes, they could have been sisters in another life.
“The girls tend to the vegetables. We have potatoes, carrots, peas, pumpkin, tomatoes,” I take a breath and laugh, “we have it all here. You can get to know them better over dinner. Let me go show you the others.”
We find the other girls picking apples. This group is really tight. The two groups are polite to each other but it’s seldom that they socialize.
Jamie is another young one. She just turned twenty, but she’s been with us four years. She’s one of the cases that broke my heart. It’s her friend, Lolla who died. She took the blow really hard.
Savannah, Beverly and Julie are glued to each other. They were freed from the same asshole. I suppose they’re a little family. Jack and Sophia might be the same. Usually if people are freed together they cling to each other and the bond they’ve already formed.
April is our oldest girl, or woman. At thirty three, she’s a year older than me. We got her just in time. They were going to kill her because she was too old for the sex trade.
When everybody has had a chance to meet Sophia, we walk in the direction of the cattle. Kevin, Joe and Theo help Tristan with the cattle. Then there’s Maddie. She stays away from the girls. The person who took her sold her to a bitch of a woman, who took great pleasure in hurting Maddie. She’s got a fear for women since then. We leave her with the men. They make her feel safe, especially Christopher. He guards this side and he keeps a close eye on her.
I take Sophia back to the kitchen and notice that she’s very quiet. “Do you have any questions?”
She drops her eyes to my feet, a puzzled look on her face. “They’re all your slaves?”
I shake my head quickly. “No, Lovely. No one here is a slave. They’ve all been a slave at one point but just like you and Jack they are now free. Any of you can leave at any time. You are no longer someone’s property and you can make eye contact with all of us. You never have to submit again.”
Sophia frowns and I can see something is worrying her. I take her hand and hold her back. “You are not a slave. No one will use you for sex or beat on you again. You’re safe here. You can now live your own life.”
Tears well in her eyes and she whispers, “I don’t know how to live my own life. I’ve only been a slave, my entire life. It’s all I know.”
“I understand, Lovely. With time you will adjust to this new life. There’s no rush. Take it one day at a time.”
When I start to walk again she says, “Mistress…”
I swing back, shaking my head hard. “Your first lesson is that no one is the boss of you. I’m not a mistress. No one is. There is no such thing as a mistress or master. I’m River Sinclair.” I cup her cheek with my hand. “Say my name.”
I see her swallow and then she whispers, “River Sinclair.”
“You’re going to be just fine. If you need anything just ask myself, Adam or Miss Ella.”
She nods, looking a little calmer.
“Girls,” I greet them with a smile, “this is Sophia. Please make her feel at home.”
Varsha has a bubbly personality and she’s the first to step forward. She’s gentle as she hugs Sophia. “You’re going to be so happy here!” Varsha has been with us for seven years. She was taken as a child. We think she’s from the middle east. Most of the people come here with only their names, no past and no family.
Kgomotso is next. She’s an African beauty. She also hugs Sophia. “Welcome.” She’s not one to talk much, but when she does have something to say she doesn’t hold back.
Lizzy and Diane just smile at Sophia. For some reason Diane has taken to Lizzy. I think it’s because Lizzie is only seventeen. With their age being so close, and their dark hair and grey eyes, they could have been sisters in another life.
“The girls tend to the vegetables. We have potatoes, carrots, peas, pumpkin, tomatoes,” I take a breath and laugh, “we have it all here. You can get to know them better over dinner. Let me go show you the others.”
We find the other girls picking apples. This group is really tight. The two groups are polite to each other but it’s seldom that they socialize.
Jamie is another young one. She just turned twenty, but she’s been with us four years. She’s one of the cases that broke my heart. It’s her friend, Lolla who died. She took the blow really hard.
Savannah, Beverly and Julie are glued to each other. They were freed from the same asshole. I suppose they’re a little family. Jack and Sophia might be the same. Usually if people are freed together they cling to each other and the bond they’ve already formed.
April is our oldest girl, or woman. At thirty three, she’s a year older than me. We got her just in time. They were going to kill her because she was too old for the sex trade.
When everybody has had a chance to meet Sophia, we walk in the direction of the cattle. Kevin, Joe and Theo help Tristan with the cattle. Then there’s Maddie. She stays away from the girls. The person who took her sold her to a bitch of a woman, who took great pleasure in hurting Maddie. She’s got a fear for women since then. We leave her with the men. They make her feel safe, especially Christopher. He guards this side and he keeps a close eye on her.
I take Sophia back to the kitchen and notice that she’s very quiet. “Do you have any questions?”
She drops her eyes to my feet, a puzzled look on her face. “They’re all your slaves?”
I shake my head quickly. “No, Lovely. No one here is a slave. They’ve all been a slave at one point but just like you and Jack they are now free. Any of you can leave at any time. You are no longer someone’s property and you can make eye contact with all of us. You never have to submit again.”
Sophia frowns and I can see something is worrying her. I take her hand and hold her back. “You are not a slave. No one will use you for sex or beat on you again. You’re safe here. You can now live your own life.”
Tears well in her eyes and she whispers, “I don’t know how to live my own life. I’ve only been a slave, my entire life. It’s all I know.”
“I understand, Lovely. With time you will adjust to this new life. There’s no rush. Take it one day at a time.”
When I start to walk again she says, “Mistress…”
I swing back, shaking my head hard. “Your first lesson is that no one is the boss of you. I’m not a mistress. No one is. There is no such thing as a mistress or master. I’m River Sinclair.” I cup her cheek with my hand. “Say my name.”
I see her swallow and then she whispers, “River Sinclair.”
“You’re going to be just fine. If you need anything just ask myself, Adam or Miss Ella.”
She nods, looking a little calmer.
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