黑料福利社鈥檚 (NPC) student creative writing group, The Write Hawks, sponsors
a fall fiction contest each year for students. A small group of faculty members judge
submissions anonymously. The winning author receives a prize package and certificate.
The winner for the 2020 fall fiction contest was Grace Sutton for her story Fight for Freedom.
Fight for Freedom
CRACK! A young lady ducked in surprise.
鈥淗ey! You don鈥檛 need the whip! I鈥檒l do what you want, alright?鈥�
The man raised an eyebrow in shock. 鈥淎lright, girly. Have it your way. But if you
make a wrong move...鈥� He snapped the whip again to finish the threat.
The woman walked up to the leader of the marauders who鈥檇 raided her town and killed
her father. To say it was hard to be his slave and do as he beckoned was a major understatement.
All Ashwyn could do was grind her teeth to keep from saying something she鈥檇 regret
and just try to stay alive.
鈥淲hat can I do for you, Sir?鈥� She forced out as kindly as she could.
鈥淥h, there鈥檚 no need to call me 鈥楽ir.鈥� Please,鈥� He leaned forward with a nasty smirk
and continued. 鈥渃all me 鈥楳aster.鈥欌��
Ashwyn bit her tongue before she could snap back and replied. 鈥淵es, Master.鈥� She had
to get out of there. Had to escape. Had to find a new home. But how? Was it even possible?
鈥淚 want a cup of tea with two sugar cubes and a splash of cream. My laundry is in
my tent鈥攜ou know where to find it. And make sure the clothes are washed upstream where
the water is clean. No going downstream y鈥� hear?鈥� He commanded.
Ashwyn nodded even though she didn鈥檛 understand why she needed the reminder. She never
washed clothes downstream鈥攏ot that she hadn鈥檛 thought about doing it for her 鈥楳aster.鈥�
As she turned to follow her orders, Captain Anders taunted her:
鈥淎lso tell that scraggly young man you work with that I need my weapons cleaned and
sharpened... for my next raid.鈥�
The woman鈥攖o her honor鈥攕tiffened but did not retaliate. Instead she stormed off across
the grounds with her two guards in tow. She knew her place and tried to maintain the
manners that her father... that her now deceased father instructed her in which to
behave. But it was excruciating to respect those who ripped her life apart.
鈥淒akota?鈥� Ashwyn asked looking around the slave tent for her friend.
The man from Iden groaned, 鈥淩ight ... here.鈥�
Dashing to the young man on the ground, she asked. 鈥淎re you alright?鈥�
鈥淧erfect. Don鈥檛 worry.鈥� He stood slowly, eyes dazed as he fixed the feathers in his
braided black hair.
鈥淲hat happened?鈥�
鈥淥h nothing. Just that I didn鈥檛 know I WAS DOING ANYTHING WRONG until the guard hit
me over the head!鈥� He growled to the guards at the tent entrance.
鈥淪omething鈥檚 got to be done. We can鈥檛 continue to live like this!鈥� Ashwyn whispered
in anger. 鈥淲e have to find a way to escape...鈥�
鈥淪ounds great, but how? We aren鈥檛 really in a great position to plan an escape,鈥� he
said nodding toward the guards.
鈥淒on鈥檛 worry about that for now. Just try to think of some ideas. We can compare thoughts
tonight.鈥�
鈥淪ounds good. So, you came in here to tell me something? More orders?鈥�
Sighing, Ashwyn told him to tend to the weapons again. Afterward, she left to fetch
tea for Captain Anders and to start cleaning laundry鈥攍ots and lots of laundry. As
the sun began to set, she met up with Dakota once more. She approached him in the
failing light of the day while helping to gather firewood.
鈥淪o, I heard news that the marauders are planning to sell us at the slave auction
to be held in three days鈥� time.鈥� Dakota informed. 鈥淒o you know where the slave auction
will be held?鈥�
鈥淰ynmara... I believe,鈥� he replied puzzled. 鈥淒oes it matter?鈥�
Ashwyn鈥檚 thoughts began running ahead, 鈥淭heir security will be more focused on who
comes in rather than who goes out...鈥�
鈥淲hy? Shouldn鈥檛 they make sure slaves don鈥檛 make a run for it?鈥�
鈥淯sually, yes. But in Vynmara it鈥檚 illegal to sell slaves! They will be more concerned
about getting caught selling slaves than keeping a close eye on us.鈥� She mused. Silence
settled as the thought was solidifying into something dangerously like hope. A hope
that could propel them toward the great escape that could save them... or get them
all killed!
鈥淓ven so, we鈥檒l need more people if we鈥檙e to overcome the guards and escape. I suggest
we find more allies. We could strike at noon just when the auction is starting,鈥� Dakota
added.
Ashwyn nodded as she turned back to the camp with her arms full of wood. 鈥淏ut be careful
who you talk to!鈥� he said as he snatched her arm. 鈥淚f we talk to the wrong people,
they may rat us out. Some people would rather be slaves than risk dying in an attempted
escape.鈥�
鈥淩ight. Go to those we are sure will fight with us.鈥�
鈥淥k.鈥� The young man looked over his shoulder to see the guards stepping forward signaling
their time to discuss was over. 鈥淕oodnight.鈥�
Ashwyn never knew she could be so excited about the day of a slave auction. That day
did not seem to her as bonds and shackles, but as the day she could truly be free.
The night before the auction, she and Dakota compared how many people sided with them
to be sure they would stand a chance of escape.
The dark-skinned man whispered. 鈥淚鈥檝e got about twenty people on my side. You?鈥�
Ashwyn smiled victoriously. 鈥淔ifty!鈥�
On the day of the auction, many signals and subtle nods were passed from other slaves
to Ashwyn and her cohort throughout the crowded auction. Plans had been exchanged
with each person, and tensions were high. Just as the auctioneer slammed his gavel
down to open the bidding, all the slaves attacked their captors, stealing weapons
and striking them down. They cut lose the bonds of their fellow slaves. Chaos reigned
as the guards tried in vain to control the situation. The slaves scattered into the
forested hills. Ashwyn excitedly raced after Dakota into the thick undergrowth.
They were free!
