Chapter 11 “Echoes” (6/7)

Her face still stinging from revelation that she is quite an infamous figure back home, Jerri plops down next to Karen to try to offset any implied power dynamic. She knows she has precious little time for some straight talk to the newcomer.

“Listen,” her voice is no longer warm with the official tone of the Sultan’s protocol slave, “We don’t have a lot of time, but things here are nothing like they seem. You can’t trust anyone right now.”

Roxy takes a place on the other side of Karen and gently tries to console the poor girl, who now just looks at the tiles of the bath.

“I wouldn’t even trust us, just some real talk here. You’re in some real shit right now.” the redhead chimes in.

“’Real shit’?” Karen asks, her voice soft, yet clear.

“Yes, you’re in a good deal of danger...” Jerri starts to explain before Karen interrupts.

“’Danger?” she scoffs, not taking her eyes off the tiles, her speaking is very plain and emotionless. She talks as if she’s reading off a grocery list. “Danger? As if I’m about to see my friends and coworkers hacked to pieces and their bodies thrown off of an oil platform? Or danger like, I’m about to have my clothing cut off of me with the same blade that cut the others to pieces? Should I be afraid that I’m about to get gang raped only to be ‘saved’ by being dragged by my hair to a box a side of a coffin? Am I going to spend the next few days in total darkness, marinating in my own filth?”

Roxy gently pats Karen on the back and the two veteran slaves share a surprised glance with each other, silently acknowledging that Karen’s journey was quite a bit different than their own and the poor girl seems to be in shock. As much as she’d like to help Karen process right now, Jerri knows time is precious.

“You’re in a very different kind of danger, but very real none the less. The most important thing to do right now is don’t speak unless spoken to and just do what you’re told. You’re not going to have a lot of time to process anything and you have no idea how quickly and how much is going to be thrown at you in the near future..”

“I’m not going to bullshit ya, it’s going to be tough here,” Roxy says rather plainly.

Karen silently stares at the ground.

“Just pay attention, learn and you’ll get through this. I’m going to get us out of here,” Jerri reassures the girl.

“How?” Karen asks rather plainly.

“I’m working on that,” Jeri blinks. The truth is, she still has no idea how to get out of the harem. She doesn’t have a plan, not even an outlandishly elaborate unrealistic plot to even toy with. She’s developing the sinking fear that ‘I’m going to get us out of here’ is becoming an empty mantra to keep her from losing her mind.

“You’re a shitty liar,” Karen replies in a matter-of-fact tone.

Jerri finds herself blink-blinking again. What is that supposed to mean? Sure, she’s not sure how they are going to get out of Alqir, but she’s working on a plan and she’s playing the part of devoted slave-girl quite well, Jerri asserts to herself. Of course, this is no time to take anything too personally and the goal here is to make Karen’s first few hours as easy as humanly possible. Jerri sighs, pats the girl on the back and softly says, “Just remember what we’ve told you. Please. For your own good”

The pitter-patter of Piglet’s bare feet can be heard as she approaches, half-skipping and humming to herself with an armful of soaps, shampoos, perfumes and assorted toiletries.

“And most importantly,” Roxy whispers “whatever you do, don’t trust Piglet. That bitch is fuckin’ trouble.”

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Jerri and Roxy can only hope that, despite all she has been through, Karen took something away from this little encounter. Thank you all for your views and words! The conclusion to this chapter will be posted tomorrow!

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