‹ Prequel: Going Bush
Going Bush 2: Suburbia
89
Sometime in the night, Siemme had snuck in to Taylor’s stall with some of the ointment Taylor knew they usually put on Carlos’ victims. He wasn’t keen, but he eventually let him treat the wounds on his back. Siemme didn’t bandage them, but made sure that what Taylor assumed was some sort of disinfectant covered every surface that hadn’t yet scabbed over. When he left Taylor managed to get some more sleep.
He woke up sometime in the mid-morning when he accidentally rolled onto his side and the pain shocked him awake. With a groan he returned to his previous position, feeling his arms shake from the strain already. He wasn’t there for long before he heard his gate opening. Not bothering to turn and look up, he wondered what she had planned for him now.
“Kneel.”
Taylor’s eyes immediately widened and began to tear as he froze, barely daring to breathe.
“Do not make me ask twice.”
Taylor cringed, before awkwardly managing to pull himself up. He turned to the side and sat back onto his knees, not daring to look up.
“I hear you’ve been causing your Mistress some trouble,” the voice alone setting Taylor’s nerves on edge, “we’ll need to see what we can do about that.”
Taylor didn’t dare even close his eyes, but he couldn’t help but lean back as the man stepped in and closed the gate behind him.
“I hear Nathaniel paid you a visit.”
“Yes Master,” Taylor’s voice shook and he winced.
“What did he say to you?”
Taylor squeezed his eyes shut, fighting an internal battle. When the master took another step closer, his eyes shot open again.
“He ordered someone to go after my wife,” he blurted, leaning back further.
There was a moment of silence as his response was digested.
“Your wife?” he sounded confused.
“He called my brother,” Taylor admitted, “to gloat. I managed to tell him that Nate had been in my house. I think, I don’t know. Then Nate called someone and told them to go after her. I don’t know who got to her first.”
A tear fell down his cheek as his eyes darted cross the hay.
“He said if Miss found out what happened, he’d send them after my daughter. Oh my God.”
The master stepped forward and put a hand on Taylor’s head, fingers curling through his hair and forcing him to look upward.
“And you believe him?” Taylor saw the frown on his face.
“Yes Master,” Taylor gulped, not daring to close his eyes.
He let him go, and Taylor could suddenly feel himself shaking.
“Interesting…” he trailed off confusingly.
Taylor dared to glance upward, soon returning his gaze to the hay.
“Stand up.”
Taylor leant forward so he could use his hands to lever himself up, before stumbling to his feet. The master fetched the chain from the wall before heading back for the gate.
“Come,” he instructed.
Taylor followed obediently as he was led back up to the main house.
He woke up sometime in the mid-morning when he accidentally rolled onto his side and the pain shocked him awake. With a groan he returned to his previous position, feeling his arms shake from the strain already. He wasn’t there for long before he heard his gate opening. Not bothering to turn and look up, he wondered what she had planned for him now.
“Kneel.”
Taylor’s eyes immediately widened and began to tear as he froze, barely daring to breathe.
“Do not make me ask twice.”
Taylor cringed, before awkwardly managing to pull himself up. He turned to the side and sat back onto his knees, not daring to look up.
“I hear you’ve been causing your Mistress some trouble,” the voice alone setting Taylor’s nerves on edge, “we’ll need to see what we can do about that.”
Taylor didn’t dare even close his eyes, but he couldn’t help but lean back as the man stepped in and closed the gate behind him.
“I hear Nathaniel paid you a visit.”
“Yes Master,” Taylor’s voice shook and he winced.
“What did he say to you?”
Taylor squeezed his eyes shut, fighting an internal battle. When the master took another step closer, his eyes shot open again.
“He ordered someone to go after my wife,” he blurted, leaning back further.
There was a moment of silence as his response was digested.
“Your wife?” he sounded confused.
“He called my brother,” Taylor admitted, “to gloat. I managed to tell him that Nate had been in my house. I think, I don’t know. Then Nate called someone and told them to go after her. I don’t know who got to her first.”
A tear fell down his cheek as his eyes darted cross the hay.
“He said if Miss found out what happened, he’d send them after my daughter. Oh my God.”
The master stepped forward and put a hand on Taylor’s head, fingers curling through his hair and forcing him to look upward.
“And you believe him?” Taylor saw the frown on his face.
“Yes Master,” Taylor gulped, not daring to close his eyes.
He let him go, and Taylor could suddenly feel himself shaking.
“Interesting…” he trailed off confusingly.
Taylor dared to glance upward, soon returning his gaze to the hay.
“Stand up.”
Taylor leant forward so he could use his hands to lever himself up, before stumbling to his feet. The master fetched the chain from the wall before heading back for the gate.
“Come,” he instructed.
Taylor followed obediently as he was led back up to the main house.