Through a Slave's Eyes by Alice Arbuthnot (ereader android TXT) 📖

"Georgia!" Mrs. Welch called out the window, "Georgia! Where is that child?" "Coming Madam" I yell back, though my mind is saying something a little more like, "Man, I hate that woman almost as much as I do my life.." I hurry back to the 'mansion' as Mrs. Welch calls it, though it seems more like a prison to me. I come in through the servant's door in the kitchen and quickly walk up the stairs to her bedroom. As I go I think of the night that, though was only a year ago, feels like an eternity in the past. The night that regrettably changed my life. But my climb up the stairs only last for so long, so I force myself back into the present.
"Yes Mrs. Welch?" I say as peak my head into the bedroom. "Good gracious child, if I've ever heard of anyone walking so slow? And a slave none the less." Yep, she said slave, "And haven’t I told your before?" she went on, "You can call me Madam." Wow, I hate this lady, I think, even the kitchen maids have it better than this. "Oh, stop gawking child, can you speak?" "Yes ma'am" I reply. "Good girl" she says to me like I'm some dog. "Now come along, darling. Busy day, busy day."
I followed her out the bedroom and to the 'tea and social room' ,also known as a living room, Mr. Welch waited in the for us. "Hello Darling" he said kissing Mrs. Welch on the cheek, "Georgia" he said with distaste. "Mr. Welch" I said with a curtsy, so he had no excuse to abuse, sorry discipline me. They went on with meaningless chatter, bragging of their achievements, for the thousandth time, the way rich people do.
I always found it funny how a house like this was only owned by the rich here, especially since my house is—was two times the size, and we were middle class. Okay maybe that’s over exaggerated but two times nicer definitely. The thought of my old house back on Kolo brought back painful memories. Ones of my mother, sister, and brothers, friends, and the Ladoes. Oh how I despise the Ladoes. "Georgia.." said Mrs. Welch, probably for the third time by her tone. "Yes Mrs.- Madam." "Go fetch that servant boy you like so much. Andy, Aaron.. something" "Andrew Ma'am" I said, trying to keep my voice even. "Oh, well yes. Go on, tell him to make me a pot of tea." I left the room swiftly, glad to leave.
As I walked I remembered the day I was bought at the slave market, and my outrageous luck of not only being bought with someone I knew, but three. Andrew, my little brother; Selein, an Aryian I met in a cart on the ride over to this miserable planet (Aryians have blue-ish skin and pointy ears, their eyes are just pupils so it’s like looking into a void); and Ky, another boy from the cart. I thought about Ky, I actually never really knew him all that well...

I exchanged friendly greetings with Andrew when I came into the kitchen. We had decided when we were bought together to not let anyone know our relation, we knew the Witch- sorry Welches would only use it against us if they knew.

Andrew and I walked back to the living room, each of us carrying a tray with either tea or cups. We walked in silence for a while, but Andrew broke it, "Chase’s letter said he and Steaven are looking for an escape" he asked so quickly and quiet I questioned whether he had said it or not. "Good" I said as we entered the room.
We set the tea on the table and left after Mr. Welch waved his hand, partially acknowledging us. Andrew headed back to the kitchen and I to my (insert sarcasm) favorite chore, the kids.
The kids are about the most stuck up little brats money can buy. If it rained they'd drown from how far they stick their noses up, which would be fine by me. They aren't here the whole year because of school, but when they are their favorite hobby it tormenting me, right after getting me in trouble that is.
I walked into the first room, "Wake up Walter" I said flipping the light switch. "LEAVE ME ALONE" he grunted with outrage at being woken before lunch time. I left and went to the next room. "Let's go Mildred" I said pounding the door and eventually coming in. I flipped the switch to see an angry pre-teen with a rats nest for hair and armed with a pillow. "Get out!" she yelled, throwing the pillow and missing me entirely as I walked out the door. I pounded on the next door and called, "Wake up Simon" but to my displeasure he was already up.
"Good morning, Cupcake" he said as he came out the door buttoning up his shirt, "I'm not your cupcake" I said as I walked away. "Oh don’t be a prune" he said with a chuckle, "Why don't you come into my room anymore?" "Because last time you locked me in" I said trying to control my attitude. "Aw, you’re not still sore about that are you?" he asked, still following me, "Maybe just a tad" I replied.
He followed me as I made my second trip to the other kid's rooms, "Let's go Mildred!" I yelled into her room again as Simon kept on with his daily routine. "Georgia, you’re looking marvelous this morning", "Georgia, does your face always light up like that, or just when you see me?", Georgia, Blah Blah Blah. Always "Georgia, something", he really wasn't very creative, just copied old chick-flicks. "Georgia" he began, "will you marry me?" he got down on one knee and held up a very expensive looking ring. His siblings snickered as they watched, "Of course now they get up" I think. "Simon, that's very flattering but--" I said trying to control my voice, then I noticed how expensive the ring actually was, "Simon, where'd you get that ring?" "Mother's jewelry box" he said it was no big deal. He and his siblings gave me a sly smile as I realized this was another one of their plots to get me in trouble.
"Go put it back" I ordered, doing a failing job at keeping my voice even. "Why should I?" he snapped back. I stared at him, I had no answer and he knew it. I knew he was a horrible, sneaky, conniving little twerp, but I never thought he'd go as far as framing me for stealing! I grunted in outrage and walked away as the kids snickered evilly behind me.

I went straight to the kitchen. I walked in and made sure that none of the family was there, or any of the rats that tell them everything. After I did , I gave another angry grunt and stomped my foot before sitting down at the servants table. I felt like crying, everyone knew the punishment for stealing, a whipping. Now I don't mean a whipping that your mom would give you when you were young; this was at least nine licks to the back with a bull whip, if you were lucky! Selein walked over, drying the tea pot from earlier, she asked me if I was alright. I told her everything, as usual. When I finished and looked up all the staff and kitchen maids had a strange mix of distain and sympathy on their faces. "That slimy, good for nothing" began Selein, "Shhh! "one of the kitchen maids, Jenny, warned. She did, knowing that she'd get in trouble for speaking out against the family, but she couldn't stop herself, "bug-eyed, ugly weasel!" she finished in a whisper. Then she looked back at me, "Oh come here honey" she said hugging me.
I spent the rest of the day worrying about it. When Simon passed by making a frowny face and tapping his ring finger with his other hand, I thought I was going to turn green. The night finally arrived, Mr. Welch had made plans for him and the family to go see a show at a theatre in the next town, so us servants would be home alone. "Oh Mother" said Mildred, glancing at me, "you know what would be perfect with that sash? That ring Daddy got you last year." "You think?" Mrs. Welch asked, examining her hand. "Oh, yes!" said Mildred, giving my an evil grin as her mother left the room to get the missing ring.
When Mrs. Welch came back in I thought I was going faint, from relief. She showed Mr. Welch the missing ring, exclaiming how much she still loved it. Simon looked at me in disbelief, I was as shocked as he was. "Alright let's go children" Mrs. Welch said shuffling them out the door. Simon shot me one last evil glance like, "You'll regret this" then left. I stood there in shock for a few moments, then a grin crept across my face in disbelief as I walked back to the kitchen.
When I entered everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at me. Everyone started cheering, we had actually won something against the tyrants we called 'the Welches.' "Shh!" warned Jenny, wanting to stay out of trouble, she still smiled at me and gave me a kiss on the forehead, "Good job Dearie" she said. "But I didn't do anything" I said in shock, "I thought Selein might have..." Everyone looked at her, "I didn't do anything" she said putting her hands up. I sat down at the little table in bewilderment, "Then who did?" I said almost asking myself.