healing black eye was covered. Before take off, she had rubbed a fair amount of dirt onto her face to help her blend in and she was sure no one could differentiate between the dirt and blackish green ring around her eye.
Sarah took in a quiet deep breath. It had been three years. It had been three years since she had been sold into slavery.
Three years ago, her father, Sarah’s only connection in the world, had died suddenly. She was heartbroken and bereft, knowing that she was all alone in the world. But while in the week of mourning that was traditional in Europa, a knock had come to her door.
Two large men had stood in her doorway demanding payment. They had claimed that her father had borrowed a huge sum of money over the last five years to subsidize his business. They said that now was the time he finally paid them back.
Sarah had shaken her head in confusion. “But I don’t know what you are talking about,” she cried, feeling overwhelmed. “My father just passed a few days ago—”
“He’s dead?” one of the burly men interrupted.
Sarah nodded vigorously, hoping they would understand and show her leniency. “Yes,” she said fervently, trying not to cry. “He was all I had and I am still in mourning. If you could please give me some time so I could go through his papers, I’m sure I could figure out—”
Sarah stopped herself short as she watched the two men suddenly change. Their expressions took on a leering, calculating gaze and their stances changed from a demanding pose to one that looked about to pounce.
One of the men smiled, showing some missing teeth. “Well then, sweetums, we know just how your old man will be paying back his debts,” he said, his voice gravelly and deep.
Before Sarah could scream for help, the men had struck her across her head and had dragged her limp body out of her childhood home and away from her only link to family.
She had woken up on the other side of Europa, in the settlement of Khil. She had heard of such places but had never thought she would ever see it. When Sarah had finally regained consciousness, she had tried to slowly sit up. But a weight was pressing her back down. Hands flew to her neck where a thick heavy metal collar had been locked on. A chain connected to the collar roped down around her and was nailed to the stone wall.
“Wha—” Sarah whispered hoarsely as she felt panic rise up in her stomach.
A door opened and an old man, large and fat, appeared. “Ahh, so it looks like the lazy little beggar has finally awaken,” he said, his beady eyes glaring at her.
Sarah tried to stand up but found the chain length too short to do so. “Please, sir,” Sarah started. “I think there’s been a mistake. My name is Sarah Peyton and—”
“Peyton?” the man echoed. “Then there’s no mistake. Old man Peyton thought he could borrow my money and then die without paying me back, eh?” The man stepped into the dim room. “Well, nobody cheats Garrig Swigton!” The man stood right in front of Sarah, his huge belly nearly touching her nose. “Nobody!” he said as he let loose his hand, striking her right across her cheek.
Sarah was sure her cheekbones had been broken. Stars flew across her vision as pain cracked against her face.
Garrig grabbed a handful of her long honey colored hair, yanking her head back. Sarah cried out, trying to reach out and stop his hand.
“You’ll pay for your father’s debts, sweetums,” Garrig whispered in her ear, his breath foul with the type of tobacco