‹ Prequel: Going Bush
Going Bush 2: Suburbia
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“Why are you back so soon? What happened?” the woman demanded when she saw the master enter her study unannounced.
“I’ve brought you gifts,” he said with a hint of sarcasm as Isaac and Zac were led in behind him – hands on their heads.
“Zac,” her eyes narrowed in recognition.
“That’s her!” Zac turned to Isaac before being clubbed on the back of his neck by the butt of a rifle.
The blow sent him to his hands and knees, and he quickly knelt up again.
“What are they doing here?” she demanded.
“I came across them inspecting my plane,” the master looked them over with disdain, “though they stupidly appear to be here alone.”
“Alone?” her eyes were on Zac again.
“Yes.”
She hesitated, then turned to Ibby who was at her side. Giving him Spanish instructions, he quickly left the room.
“What do you intend for me to do with them?” she asked.
“Keep them out of sight until I speak with my superiors,” the man insisted, “if you don’t mind, of course.”
She seemed to consider it.
“Very well,” she relented with a sigh, “but I don’t know where we’ll put them. Do you have any restraints?”
“I figured you’d have your own,” the man said snidely, “but if you can take it from here, we’ll take our leave.”
The words no sooner left his mouth before the door to the study opened again. Ibby led Taylor in, the end of the chain to his wrists connected to the hoop in his collar.
“TAY?” Zac exclaimed, ignoring the warning shouts and darting up toward his brother.
“Zac?!” Taylor’s eyes widened as he was almost bowled over by the hug he got.
“Nat’s safe,” Zac quickly whispered in his ear before he was pulled off by one of the rifle-wielding Mexicans.
Taylor took a moment to pull himself together, before he spotted Isaac as well.
“Ike?!” he frowned.
He stumbled forward as Ibby handed the chain to the master. Seeing who held him, Taylor gulped worriedly.
“What are they doing here?” he asked as he looked between he and the woman, feeling Isaac’s eyes on him.
“Questions, Taylor?” the master gave the chain a yank making him stumble forward again.
“Leave him alone!” Zac fought the men holding him until they got him down to his knees.
“That’s not a bad idea,” the master mused before turning to Taylor, “kneel.”
Taylor gulped but lowered himself to his knees where he was. Isaac cringed a little at the sight.
“Ibby,” the woman called his attention again before speaking to him in Spanish.
The slave nodded and left the room again. Taylor’s eyes finally met Isaac’s, and he frowned when he saw something in them that he didn’t recognise. The expression was returned.
Minutes later Ibby returned with an armful of chains. Seeing what was going to happen, Zac attempted to stand up again but was held down.
“I’ve brought you gifts,” he said with a hint of sarcasm as Isaac and Zac were led in behind him – hands on their heads.
“Zac,” her eyes narrowed in recognition.
“That’s her!” Zac turned to Isaac before being clubbed on the back of his neck by the butt of a rifle.
The blow sent him to his hands and knees, and he quickly knelt up again.
“What are they doing here?” she demanded.
“I came across them inspecting my plane,” the master looked them over with disdain, “though they stupidly appear to be here alone.”
“Alone?” her eyes were on Zac again.
“Yes.”
She hesitated, then turned to Ibby who was at her side. Giving him Spanish instructions, he quickly left the room.
“What do you intend for me to do with them?” she asked.
“Keep them out of sight until I speak with my superiors,” the man insisted, “if you don’t mind, of course.”
She seemed to consider it.
“Very well,” she relented with a sigh, “but I don’t know where we’ll put them. Do you have any restraints?”
“I figured you’d have your own,” the man said snidely, “but if you can take it from here, we’ll take our leave.”
The words no sooner left his mouth before the door to the study opened again. Ibby led Taylor in, the end of the chain to his wrists connected to the hoop in his collar.
“TAY?” Zac exclaimed, ignoring the warning shouts and darting up toward his brother.
“Zac?!” Taylor’s eyes widened as he was almost bowled over by the hug he got.
“Nat’s safe,” Zac quickly whispered in his ear before he was pulled off by one of the rifle-wielding Mexicans.
Taylor took a moment to pull himself together, before he spotted Isaac as well.
“Ike?!” he frowned.
He stumbled forward as Ibby handed the chain to the master. Seeing who held him, Taylor gulped worriedly.
“What are they doing here?” he asked as he looked between he and the woman, feeling Isaac’s eyes on him.
“Questions, Taylor?” the master gave the chain a yank making him stumble forward again.
“Leave him alone!” Zac fought the men holding him until they got him down to his knees.
“That’s not a bad idea,” the master mused before turning to Taylor, “kneel.”
Taylor gulped but lowered himself to his knees where he was. Isaac cringed a little at the sight.
“Ibby,” the woman called his attention again before speaking to him in Spanish.
The slave nodded and left the room again. Taylor’s eyes finally met Isaac’s, and he frowned when he saw something in them that he didn’t recognise. The expression was returned.
Minutes later Ibby returned with an armful of chains. Seeing what was going to happen, Zac attempted to stand up again but was held down.