Read Online Captive Travelers by Candace Smith - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Candace Smith
Ads: Link
You’re in the tribes’ spirit world, and this land belongs to the Wehali.” Henry looked at the girls. “Which one of you crossed them? One of you knows an Indian, and you pissed them off.” He needed to know which one the tribe would be after.
Aubrey was too shocked to speak, and she pointed at Kayla.
“This is bullshit.” Kayla’s voice was a little too loud, and it betrayed her angry fear. “Where the hell is Bobby? Your joke has gone on long enough.”
“It’s no joke. Dammit, look around you. I don’t know what kind of gadgets you have now, but do you see anything modern? Clara’s cooking on a stove made from rocks.” Henry was getting frustrated with their stubbornness. “Have you seen any planes or cars?” They shook their heads. “And you won’t, either. They aren’t here.”
Clara swiped at her eyes. She was terrified of the danger the travelers brought with them. “Change. It’s going to be hard enough to hide you.”
“Hide us from what?” Aubrey asked, moving towards the side of the room.
“The Indians. Aren’t you listening?” Henry was trying to figure out how to get them out of his house. He knew that Clara would probably argue about just putting them out. She had refused, last time. “God, just get changed. Clara, you gotta’ find something for the other one.”
“Rebecca’s things. I think I still have her other dress packed away in the barn. I was saving it to cut it up for a quilt.”
Clara had one hand on the door when Cici asked, “Who’s Rebecca?” Clara’s feet froze for a moment, and then she ran through the door without answering.
“Take everything off. You can’t have anything from the other place on you,” Henry called to the two young women. He was still walking from window to window and scanning the field. “Faster,” he ordered. Oh shit. Oh god. What the hell are we going to do with them?
Clara flicked her wrists to snap the dust out of the dress. She was crying again, and remembering the Wehali warrior’s fierce eyes when he grabbed the front of her dress, ripped it open, and slapped her breasts. It had always been Tocho’s favorite punishment for her. Poor Henry had to run a gauntlet, and he ended up with three cracked ribs and a broken arm. And that was just for hiding one traveler, she remembered. Even with her exhaustion of caring for Henry and the farm until he was better, when Clara closed her eyes at night she would see Rebecca’s terrified face and hear her muffled screams while the Indians dragged her away.
She dashed back to the house and tossed the worn dress at Cici. “Oh god, hurry.” Clara pushed her towards the curtain and noticed her painted nails. She tipped a lamp and spilled some of their precious kerosene into a bowl. What did not come off with that, they would have to sand off them.
Aubrey felt ridiculous. She came out from behind the curtain, wearing the floor length dress and apron. She held the cap in her hand. After Kayla and Cici were finished changing, Clara sat them at the table and told them to get the nail polish off. While their fingertips soaked, she began collecting their jewelry.
“What the fuck?” Cici stammered, when she felt Clara taking off her diamond stud earrings.
“We’ll have to keep your hair over your ears. A free-born woman would not pierce them,” Clara answered.
“You can get your hands off my damn earrings, lady.” Cici stood up. “I’ve had enough of this crap. You tell your friends I’m pressing charges for kidnapping.” She glared at the diamond in Clara’s fingers, “And larceny, if they don’t get us the hell out of here.”
“Where’s your underwear?” Henry demanded. He was holding the clothes they had removed in his arms.
“She didn’t give us any,” Aubrey replied. The man just stared at her. Aubrey’s eyes widened. “For god’s sakes, you don’t expect us to walk around bare assed under these tents, do you?” The worn dresses were so thin that the lace
Aubrey was too shocked to speak, and she pointed at Kayla.
“This is bullshit.” Kayla’s voice was a little too loud, and it betrayed her angry fear. “Where the hell is Bobby? Your joke has gone on long enough.”
“It’s no joke. Dammit, look around you. I don’t know what kind of gadgets you have now, but do you see anything modern? Clara’s cooking on a stove made from rocks.” Henry was getting frustrated with their stubbornness. “Have you seen any planes or cars?” They shook their heads. “And you won’t, either. They aren’t here.”
Clara swiped at her eyes. She was terrified of the danger the travelers brought with them. “Change. It’s going to be hard enough to hide you.”
“Hide us from what?” Aubrey asked, moving towards the side of the room.
“The Indians. Aren’t you listening?” Henry was trying to figure out how to get them out of his house. He knew that Clara would probably argue about just putting them out. She had refused, last time. “God, just get changed. Clara, you gotta’ find something for the other one.”
“Rebecca’s things. I think I still have her other dress packed away in the barn. I was saving it to cut it up for a quilt.”
Clara had one hand on the door when Cici asked, “Who’s Rebecca?” Clara’s feet froze for a moment, and then she ran through the door without answering.
“Take everything off. You can’t have anything from the other place on you,” Henry called to the two young women. He was still walking from window to window and scanning the field. “Faster,” he ordered. Oh shit. Oh god. What the hell are we going to do with them?
Clara flicked her wrists to snap the dust out of the dress. She was crying again, and remembering the Wehali warrior’s fierce eyes when he grabbed the front of her dress, ripped it open, and slapped her breasts. It had always been Tocho’s favorite punishment for her. Poor Henry had to run a gauntlet, and he ended up with three cracked ribs and a broken arm. And that was just for hiding one traveler, she remembered. Even with her exhaustion of caring for Henry and the farm until he was better, when Clara closed her eyes at night she would see Rebecca’s terrified face and hear her muffled screams while the Indians dragged her away.
She dashed back to the house and tossed the worn dress at Cici. “Oh god, hurry.” Clara pushed her towards the curtain and noticed her painted nails. She tipped a lamp and spilled some of their precious kerosene into a bowl. What did not come off with that, they would have to sand off them.
Aubrey felt ridiculous. She came out from behind the curtain, wearing the floor length dress and apron. She held the cap in her hand. After Kayla and Cici were finished changing, Clara sat them at the table and told them to get the nail polish off. While their fingertips soaked, she began collecting their jewelry.
“What the fuck?” Cici stammered, when she felt Clara taking off her diamond stud earrings.
“We’ll have to keep your hair over your ears. A free-born woman would not pierce them,” Clara answered.
“You can get your hands off my damn earrings, lady.” Cici stood up. “I’ve had enough of this crap. You tell your friends I’m pressing charges for kidnapping.” She glared at the diamond in Clara’s fingers, “And larceny, if they don’t get us the hell out of here.”
“Where’s your underwear?” Henry demanded. He was holding the clothes they had removed in his arms.
“She didn’t give us any,” Aubrey replied. The man just stared at her. Aubrey’s eyes widened. “For god’s sakes, you don’t expect us to walk around bare assed under these tents, do you?” The worn dresses were so thin that the lace
Similar Books
