RED SOX: 2010, 2011, 2012…,
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Jaimy felt a shudder rattle her to the bone. Her heart was beating wildly riding the endorphin rush of her orgasm. Despite her ragged breaths, she strained forward to kiss the woman giving her so much joy. Their lips met and their mouths willing allowed access to the others’ warm, firm tongue.
“Barbarian,” Jaimy murmured when they broke for air.
The passionate embrace ended. The woman stroking Jaimy’s sex abruptly removed her fingers from between Jaimy’s thighs. The soft bed gave a little bounce as the other woman climbed off of its comfort.
Jaimy rolled her eyes. She flung her forearm over her face as she struggled to catch her breath. A deep swallow of air later she was ready to issue a lengthy apology. Again.
“I’m sorry. It’s me, totally me. It has nothing to do with you.”
The doctor was grabbing for her clothes even as she answered, “I know it’s you! It is always you! Barbarian this, barbarian that. I’m sick of it. Do you want to get sent back to the slave pit?”
Jaimy silently sat up. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and pushed her body up. Her knees felt like rubber but she forced herself over to the chair draped with the rags she was given to wear. While the clothes were worn and torn, they were at least clean. She lifted her right foot to shove into the jeans and almost toppled over. Before she could save herself, the doctor was at her side to hold her steady.
“Too soon to be up, I think. Come on, you need to go back to bed,” she said in a soft voice.
Jaimy shook her off. Her momentum sent her stumbling with her pants around her ankle. She managed to save herself by sitting down hard in the chair. She was flushed and breathless. Her belly was flipping from the exertion. But, she was too tired of her feigned deference to follow the instruction.
“Naw, just send me back to the pit, Missy Abby. I’m just gonna keep disappointing you. Can’t seem to keep calling for my lover when you pop me good,” Jaimy hissed.
Dr. Adams straightened up and put her fists on her hips. She sucked on her lower lip watching Jaimy struggle to get her pants up her legs. When Jaimy tried to stand again to pull the jean over her thighs, the doctor stepped in and put a restraining hand on the slave’s shivering shoulder.
“Please sit down. You’re going to fall on you face.”
Jaimy snorted her reply, “Then it’ll make it that much easier for you to rape my ass.”
It was Dr. Adams’ gasp more than the pressure on her shoulder which forced Jaimy back into the chair. The doctor knelt before her and pull the jeans back off. Tears were rolling down Adams’ cheeks. Jaimy could not stop herself. She reached over and wiped away a tear with her thumb. She was rewarded with a kiss to her palm.
“I would never, never to that. You should know by now I’m not like your mistress.” Dr. Adams wept.
Jaimy patted the doctor’s head buried in her lap. “Don’t cry. I can’t do tears. Come on, give a girl a break.” The remark got a sad chuckle but did not end the doctor’s sobs. “Abby, I’m sorry. It was a low blow. I was just trying to hurt you. I know you’re not like my owner.”
Abby Adams looked up but remained kneeling at the slave’s feet.
“You’re also not my love.” Jaimy tried to ease the pain of her words with soft kiss to the doctor’s forehead. “You are a free person screwing somebody else’s property. It is fun but it ain’t love. It can’t be.”
Abby looked down before she answered grimly. “It’s close enough to love for me. I’m desperately for you, Jaimy. You’re all I can think about. If I could afford to buy you…,”
“That would be a mistake,” Jaimy barked out the words indignantly.
“We could be together,” Abby tried to explain.
Jaimy shook her head, “I would resent you holding the other end of my leash. I’d grow to hate you for keeping me like some kind of pet. It’s better to leave me with somebody I hate already; Mistress Goode.”
Abby’s features hardened as she pressed on, “Look, True isn’t going to let you stay in the guest room with me forever. She’s going to figure out you’re healed enough very soon. I’ve already told her she can’t be rough with you again. She caused too much damage the first time. If she can’t use you for her sex games then she’s going to lose interest in you and toss you into the slave pit for training. You’ll be back to fighting for your life. And, it will be a short life that will end on First Eve. Trust me, you’re an interesting fighter but you’ve got no chance in the games.”
Jaimy smiled as she stroked Abby’s soft cheek. “Good.”
“What?”
“Can’t you see? My life is already over. It was over the day Cletus captured me. Everything after has been a nightmare.”
“Even your Barbarian? She was a nightmare too?” The doctor was infuriated by the statement.
“Yes, she was the worst nightmare of all. They made me depend on her and then I came to love her. And, they killed her right in front of me.” Jaimy’s eye filled with tears as she asked, “What could be worse?”
“Dying yourself,” the doctor answered.
“No,” Jaimy was assured in her response. “Dying will be a relief.”
“I don’t think I could stand to see that.”
Jaimy chuckled. “Then you’ll have to close your eyes because it is going to happen. You need to tell my mistress I’m ready for the pits. Better sooner than later. Let’s make a clean break, Okay?”
“No,” Abby shook her head. “No, please not today. I want one more day.”
The doctor leaned up and captured a kiss from Jaimy’s trembling lips. She sucked the slave’s tongue into her mouth. A moan sounded softly when the double tongue piercing caressed Abby’s own tongue. Neither was sure who made the sound but both felt it deep in their chests.
“No, you need to send me back today. It’s best for you. Trust me, you don’t want to know the pain of losing your one true partner,” Jaimy tried to coax the doctor to action.
Abby buried her face in Jaimy lap again with a sob. “As soon as you walk out the door, I’ll know that pain. I’m in love with you, damn it! Can’t you see that? I’m hopelessly in love with you.”
“I’m sorry,” Jaimy closed her eyes but there were no tears to still. “I’m not in love with you. Send me back where I belong. Send me to the slave pits to die.”
Jaimy shuffled along behind the soldier in the crimson red jacket. She kept a measured gait to keep her steps within the length of chain between her ankles. However, it required a quickened pace to keep the soldier from yanking on the leash attached to her collar.
“Don’t want to fall or look like I’m being dragged when I meet my new teammates,” she thought to herself. “Wouldn’t want to get off on the wrong foot with them, now do I?”
The gallows humor brought a brief smile to her lips. Of course, Senator Goode’s slaves were waiting for her. They were not happy she killed their coach. She was certain they would try to kill her long before First Eve.
She was not wrong. Once she and her escort entered the practice yard, the slaves stopped their exercise routines to stare at her. Not one of them looked in the least bit friendly.
“Oh, there probably as nervous as I am,” she joked to herself. “They don’t know weather to say hello first or just get on with ripping me limb from limb.”
The soldier walked her over to a cage in the middle of the practice field. He unlocked the door and motioned for her to enter. Jaimy raised an eyebrow in response and held her ground. The soldier gave a dramatic sigh.
“It’s to give them an opportunity to get accustomed to your presence. So get in. I don’t have all day.”
Jaimy held out her shackled wrists and answered, “I’d rather take my chances in general release than sit like a target behind those bars. Please, take my chains off. Let me defend myself, sir.”
The guard slapped her and growled, “Get in!”
She spit a mouthful of blood before answering, “Go ahead and kill me now because that’s all that’ll happen once I get locked down. Go ahead, kill me. I can’t stop you.” She rattled her chains for emphasis.
“Fine,” the solder grumbled.
He took out his keys and began unlocking the fetters. Once they were all off, he grabbed them up and snarled at Jaimy.
“You’re not gonna last an hour.”
“You lips to God’s ears.”
Jaimy’s reply was a bit too sweet for the soldier’s liking. He shoved her out of his way and headed for the gate with an announcement.
“Anybody that lays a hand on her gets an extra cup of rations.”
The mob surged as one to tackle Jaimy.
“Great, just great,” she muttered as she kicked her first attacker in the balls.
“I’ll give you this, you put up a good fight, bitch,” the man with blood pulsing from his nose said.
Jaimy hung legless between two panting men. Her head lolled on her shoulders. Blood dripped from her ear and a jagged rip down her left arm. She struggled but it was not to get free of their clutches; that was, quite simple, not possible. Instead, she fought to lift her head and face the portly man standing in front of her.
“Finish it,” she managed to utter.
He stepped toward her and grabbed her around the neck. His thick but stubby fingers were unable to wrap completely around her. He began to squeeze and she smiled.
“Wait, Orr, wait!” A voice called across the open field.
The strangle hold was released and Jaimy cursed the interruption, “Fuck off, asshole!”
Orr backhanded her to silence. He turned to the approaching figure. His voice indicated patience with a small hint of annoyance.
“Atticus, we’re in the middle of something here. If you didn’t get your shots in earlier that’s too bad. This fight is over. The bitch’s been punished enough. Now, she dies.”
“Here, here! Well said! Well spoken,” Jaimy chirped up and received an addition slap.
“Orr, don’t kill her. She knows things we need to know.”
Jaimy glared at the boy hobbling over to them and spat, “Stay out of it, kid. I’m no good to any of you. Nothing I can tell you that you won’t figure out on your own. Let’s get on with the dying part of the action.”
Orr backhanded her again. “No wonder they kept you gagged! Shut your mouth! I’ll kill you when I’m damn good and ready and not a minute sooner.” He looked back at the boy and asked, “What are you babbling about?”
“Those round house kicks and the flip she just used on us; we need to learn those. And, that launch she did in the game! That’s a good one too. We’ve got nothing like those in our game plan.” The boy was leafing through a sheaf of paper scraps. “Never mind she was taught by two of last year’s survivors. Killing her is a complete waste of a resource. Besides, she’s another pair of hands. We’re working short without coach.”
“God rest his soul,” the group mumbled as one.
“For cripes sake!” Jaimy shouted with renewed anger. “I ain’t gonna teach you nothin’ so just get on with killing me! Do it, you fucking cowards! Kill me!”
Orr rolled his eyes before asking the boy, “Got any more paper on you or a rag or something? Forget it, I’ll use her shirt.”
Orr ripped off part of Jaimy’s tattered sleeve. He balled it up then grabbed her by the chin. He pressed his fingertips into her jaw forcing her to open. With a firm push, he stuffed her mouth with the material. Jaimy muttered bitterly but was notably quieter than before.
“Ahh, peace at last,” Orr grinned. “You, Franklin, get something to tie the bitch up with so Roosevelt and Clinton can tend their own wounds. Okay, Atticus, take me through this good and slow.”
Jaimy was dumped face down on the grassy field. A knee was planted in the middle of her back to discourage her from trying to get up. Her arms were pulled behind her and held tightly.
“Sweet! She’s got D rings!” The man tying her up announced happily.
Jaimy’s muffled reply got the gathering of fighters laughing.
“As you were saying, Atticus,” Orr said as he squatted down a few feet from where Jaimy was being restrained.
It was getting dark. The cool air of evening was a relief after the heated afternoon. However, the mosquitoes were feasting on the bound slave. Jaimy was left in tied up in the grass as the other slaves went about their usual business. Orr and Atticus spoke at length several feet from her but most of what they said was completely boring. Jaimy’s training was far beyond the limited experience and planning abilities of Senator Goode’s team.
“They haven’t got even a slim chance to survive the first round,” Jaimy thought grimly.
The boy, Atticus, was young. As much as Jaimy wanted to resent him for interfering with her murder, she found she could not work up the emotion. When she looked at him all she felt was grief. He was going to die in the games. There was no doubt in her mind he would not survive. It was not merely the lack of skill possessed by Senator Goode’s team. It was because the boy was lame. His left leg was mangled. Most of the calf was missing and a large chunk of the foot as well. He could barely walk.
“How can he ever manage to fight?” She thought grimly.
Atticus hobbled over with a bowl in each hand. He sat himself down in the grass next to her with remarkable grace. After setting the bowls in front of her, he spoke.
“Orr told me to get you fed. You’re staying right where you’re at for the night, sorry,” the boy sounded like he meant he was actually sorry too.
Jaimy closed her eyes with the thought, “He’s got no shot at living to see next summer at all.”
Atticus misunderstood her grimace. “I’m really sorry. What Orr says we do now. He’s the closest thing we got to a coach since you, you know, killed our last guy.”
Jaimy nodded understanding and the boy seemed to relax a little.
“No sense in scaring him. No point to that,” Jaimy thought.
“Okay, I’m gonna pull your gag out. Please don’t bite me. I’m only doin’ what he told me to do. I’m only trying to help make you feel a kind of better.”
Jaimy nodded again. Atticus took a deep breath before approaching her mouth. With just his index finger and thumb, he snagged a piece of the cloth stuffed into Jaimy’s mouth. He pulled his hand back quickly and the rag followed. Jaimy gave a couple of hearty coughs once her mouth was emptied. She worked up a small amount of spit and swallowed.
“Thanks, kid. I’m not gonna give you any trouble. I promise,” Jaimy said hoping the boy would relax somewhat.
The boy gave a nod and pushed the bowls closer to Jaimy. “These are for you. I’ll come back and get them when you’re finish.”
Jaimy glanced up at the bowls and then back at the boy. “Could you untie me so I can feed myself?”
Atticus shook his head. “Nope. Orr says, no. You should eat like the dogs do. He said you’d know how.”
“You can tell him I said he should fuck himself.”
Jaimy rested her head back down on the grass. She was going to do her best ignoring the rations sent to her. While her dignity was compromised all afternoon, Jaimy had no intention of contributing to the continuous shaming of her personhood.
“No way I’m gonna say that. I like my backside.” Atticus stated firmly. “And, if you like your skin then you should eat and drink what he sent you. Food and water supplies are hard enough to get without an ignorant slave acting like she’s too good for what we’re willing to share.
“Then fuckin’ untie me! I’m not eating like no dog so you all can sit around laughing at me,” Jaimy fumed.
Atticus fired back at her, “Everybody got too much stuff to do to be wasting time watching you. That’s why we tied you. So get over yourself and take what I’m giving you.”
The boy’s words rang in her ears. Jaimy shifted to look up at him. His eyes were red rimmed. The kid had been crying.
“Where’d you get these rations, Atticus?” Using his name tossed him off balance and he couldn’t think of a lie fast enough to tell her. “This is your supper, isn’t it? You givin’ me your stuff? You can’t do things like, kid. You’ll never survive if you’re givin’ away your food.”
Atticus wiped at his eyes with his shirt sleeve. “I ain’t got no hope in Hell of livin’ if you don’t help us. Have you seen us fighting? We’re pathetic! We couldn’t even get within ten feet of your Captain. And, we were armed and you guys weren’t. We’re gonna die, bitch. Unless you help us, we’re as good as dead.”
“Jaimy.”
“Huh,” Attacus was confused by her statement.
“My name is Jaimy. I don’t like anybody but one woman calling me anything other than Jaimy.” Jaimy halfheartedly explained.
She shifted on the grass to inch in closer to the bowls. The water was crystal clear. Dipping her tongue first, Jaimy realized it was cold and fresh as well. She lapped about half of it before turning to the other bowl. It was filled with a pasty light brown substance. Again, she dipped her tongue in first to try it before taking a mouthful. It was sweet and slightly warm. She ate about half before easing back from the meal.
“Okay, I’m full. You have the rest,” Jaimy stated in a no nonsense tone of voice.
Atticus beamed with delight. He grabbed for the food and shoveled it in before chugging down the water. A deep burp punctuated the completion of his meal.
“Thanks for sharing,” Jaimy softened her tone with the boy.
He grinned and replied, “No problem. It was my pleasure. If you want, I can see if there’s any dregs left in the cooking pot.”
“No, I’m good. I haven’t had a lot of food in the last few days. Don’t want to overdo it, now do I?” She said with a wink.
“Guess not,” the boy mumbled. “I’m sorry but Orr won’t let me untie you. I asked him a couple of times but he’s seriously no, no, no about it. Maybe tomorrow, after you help us, he’ll let you be free.”
Jaimy shut her eyes as the boy walked away. Her mind raced with the words.
“No kid,” she thought to herself. “Orr ain’t got the power to free me. The only thing he can do for me is get me killed.”