‹ Prequel: Going Bush
Going Bush 2: Suburbia
42
“Looking better already,” the master was waiting with a set of keys.
Taylor’s eyes immediately lowered, wondering if he should kneel then and there. Then he noticed his escort holding some more leather cuffs.
“Hands,” the master indicated for Taylor to hold his out.
Taylor lifted his arms, knowing what he was doing. Glad to have the now-soaked leather away from his wrists, if only for a moment, he took a deep breath as they were replaced. Moments later, he also had a dry collar.
“Come downstairs, I’d like you to meet someone.”
The master gave the escort a pointed look, and he stood behind Taylor waiting to follow him down.
As they made their way down to a sort of lobby area, Taylor’s eyes fell on an older man waiting patiently. He was dressed in similar clothing, an identical collar around his neck. He bowed his head as the master’s feet hit the floor.
“352, this is Charlie,” he introduced, “he’ll be a sort of mentor for you over the coming days. I’d like you to learn everything you can from him. Understand?”
Taylor eyed him curiously, almost forgetting to answer.
“Yes, master.”
Charlie’s face showed little to no emotion at all. Taylor was unnerved to find he couldn’t read him.
“For now, Charlie needs to prepare my evening meal. I’d like you to accompany him. Your escort will stay with you for the first couple of days, just until you get settled in. But I trust you will show Charlie the same respect you’ve shown me,” the master said with a pointed look.
“Yes Master,” Taylor replied softly, keeping his eyes down.
“Good. Charlie?”
Charlie nodded, and then indicated for Taylor to follow him. Taylor gave the master a glance as if to make sure it was alright to do so, before following him from the room.
When they made it to the kitchen, Taylor immediately felt sick. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten anything substantial and the very smell of the food in there was overwhelming. Charlie led him to a bench where he’d obviously begun preparing the meal.
“Can you cook?” he asked with a rusty voice.
“Yes Sir,” Taylor nodded, unsure of how to address him as yet.
“Then this should be easy,” Charlie offered him a reassuring smile.
Taylor gave his escort a wary glance, before taking Charlie’s lead and performing whatever task he needed his help with.
*
“Did he mention which highway? It could have been the one we just came in on,” Rick looked across at Isaac as he refuelled his car.
“He didn’t,” Isaac shook his head, “but I doubt it. There wasn’t really anywhere remote to turn off.”
“See the patrol cars heading out?” Rick’s eyebrows rose.
Isaac nodded, “probably their second wave.”
Rick pulled the nozzle from his fuel tank and went to pay for it, soon returning and getting in the car.
“So what’s the plan now? Wait until we hear from Davison?”
“I’ll give him a call once we find a motel and let him know where we are,” Isaac said decidedly, “hopefully he’ll give us the highway and we can head out there ourselves at first light.”
Rick gave him an awkward glance, but started the car and pulled out.
Taylor’s eyes immediately lowered, wondering if he should kneel then and there. Then he noticed his escort holding some more leather cuffs.
“Hands,” the master indicated for Taylor to hold his out.
Taylor lifted his arms, knowing what he was doing. Glad to have the now-soaked leather away from his wrists, if only for a moment, he took a deep breath as they were replaced. Moments later, he also had a dry collar.
“Come downstairs, I’d like you to meet someone.”
The master gave the escort a pointed look, and he stood behind Taylor waiting to follow him down.
As they made their way down to a sort of lobby area, Taylor’s eyes fell on an older man waiting patiently. He was dressed in similar clothing, an identical collar around his neck. He bowed his head as the master’s feet hit the floor.
“352, this is Charlie,” he introduced, “he’ll be a sort of mentor for you over the coming days. I’d like you to learn everything you can from him. Understand?”
Taylor eyed him curiously, almost forgetting to answer.
“Yes, master.”
Charlie’s face showed little to no emotion at all. Taylor was unnerved to find he couldn’t read him.
“For now, Charlie needs to prepare my evening meal. I’d like you to accompany him. Your escort will stay with you for the first couple of days, just until you get settled in. But I trust you will show Charlie the same respect you’ve shown me,” the master said with a pointed look.
“Yes Master,” Taylor replied softly, keeping his eyes down.
“Good. Charlie?”
Charlie nodded, and then indicated for Taylor to follow him. Taylor gave the master a glance as if to make sure it was alright to do so, before following him from the room.
When they made it to the kitchen, Taylor immediately felt sick. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten anything substantial and the very smell of the food in there was overwhelming. Charlie led him to a bench where he’d obviously begun preparing the meal.
“Can you cook?” he asked with a rusty voice.
“Yes Sir,” Taylor nodded, unsure of how to address him as yet.
“Then this should be easy,” Charlie offered him a reassuring smile.
Taylor gave his escort a wary glance, before taking Charlie’s lead and performing whatever task he needed his help with.
*
“Did he mention which highway? It could have been the one we just came in on,” Rick looked across at Isaac as he refuelled his car.
“He didn’t,” Isaac shook his head, “but I doubt it. There wasn’t really anywhere remote to turn off.”
“See the patrol cars heading out?” Rick’s eyebrows rose.
Isaac nodded, “probably their second wave.”
Rick pulled the nozzle from his fuel tank and went to pay for it, soon returning and getting in the car.
“So what’s the plan now? Wait until we hear from Davison?”
“I’ll give him a call once we find a motel and let him know where we are,” Isaac said decidedly, “hopefully he’ll give us the highway and we can head out there ourselves at first light.”
Rick gave him an awkward glance, but started the car and pulled out.