you're safe now

She did not know that her life would turn upside down.

If she had known, at least she would have said goodbye to her apartment and the little cat waiting for her there.

What an ill-fated birthday!

When she regained consciousness, she did not find the ceiling of the old kiosk storage room, nor the usual smell of wood, nor even the warmth of the corner where that child had been hiding.

Everything was… strange.

The ground beneath her shook slightly, and she heard voices from outside, and the neighing of horses.

She slowly opened her eyes.

A low wooden ceiling.

Iron bars surrounding her from every side.

And sounds… many sounds beside her, mixed between crying, whispering, and pleading.

Only then did she understand.

She was inside a carriage.

A closed carriage.

She quickly moved backward and collided with another body.

She turned in fear and saw pale faces… girls, children, and young men, all in a state of exhausted silence; some crying quietly, others staring into emptiness, having lost hope and surrendered to their fate.

Even the one she collided with showed no reaction.

Iris was terrified.

She raised her hand to her head.

The pain was still there… heavy, throbbing.

She remembered.

The storage room.

The girl.

The strike.

Then… darkness.

“My mother, I am so scared, mother where are you?!” A heartbreaking crying voice was heard from a little girl in the corner of the carriage.

Iris clenched her dress tightly.

Right.

The girl!

She quickly turned, searching among the faces.

But she did not find her.

“Are you looking for someone?”

A faint voice came from beside her.

She turned slowly.

A girl slightly younger than her, her eyes empty, her voice lifeless.

She did not wait for an answer and added:

“She was separated from you. If you do not hurry, she will be sold quickly.”

Iris froze.

“Sold…?”

The girl did not answer, only gave a short meaningless smile, then looked back down at the ground.

The question itself was painful.

Iris understood something at that moment.

They had been taken as slaves!!

The disaster was that, according to what she had heard before, they would be sold to another kingdom!

She was not even allowed time to think.

The carriage suddenly shook violently.

The iron door opened from the outside.

Sunlight struck her eyes harshly.

A rough voice cut through the place:

“Line up.”

Everyone froze.

Then they began to descend one by one.

Slowly.

When the guards saw their delay, they shouted harshly: “Move faster!!! We do not have all day.”

Everyone trembled without exception and hurried their steps.

Iris descended with them, of course, searching with her eyes for the girl.

She had promised to protect her!

Her legs were unsteady, but her body moved on its own.

When she went out, she saw the place.

A vast square.

Metal fencing.

Armed men.

And many eyes watching the “goods” on display.

She swallowed hard.

She felt something in her chest tighten.

And without realizing it, her steps slowed.

“Move.”

She was pushed from behind.

She almost fell but managed to steady herself.

She raised her head unwillingly.

And she saw them.

People standing on a raised platform, watching, pointing, sometimes laughing.

As if in a market.

“This is… the new batch.”

Another voice said it coldly.

Then the whispers began.

Numbers.

Specifications.

Choices.

Terror appeared on the faces of the victims when they heard the brutal bidding on them.

She did not understand everything, but one thing was clear:

They were treating us like livestock!!

Iris felt bitterness and pity for herself and for everyone who had gone through this experience.

She searched with her eyes for the girl again… in vain.

Then she whispered to herself in a barely audible voice:

“No… this will not be my end.”

She had to leave, she had to find the girl.

Then…

Her life had just begun!

She was born free from her mother’s womb, so why should her freedom be sold while she is a complete human being?

I refuse!!

...

The square was filled with a sound she had never known before.

Something she had never experienced.

Overlapping voices…

Harsh orders…

And merciless gazes.

Completely different from the warmth of her village.

She stood in a long line with the others, but something inside her refused this reality.

This is not her place.

She had promised that child to keep her safe.

She must not break her promise!

...

When the guards were distracted for a moment, she moved.

One step… then another.

She did not know where she was going, but she knew staying meant the end.

She ran.

She heard that the second batch was in the northern area,

and now she was in the eastern area.

The distance was not too far!!

If she ran a little, she could help the girl!

She ran until she was out of breath.

She finally saw the edge of the forest… it was not very large anyway!

Iris felt overwhelming joy!!

But…

She forgot she was in enemy territory.

She was not allowed to go far.

A loud shout cut through the place, then heavy footsteps behind her.

“Catch her!”

She looked back and saw a group of men rushing toward her like arrows.

She was terrified.

She fell to the ground.

Pain spread through her body, but worse than the fall was the realization that she had failed.

When they brought her back, resistance was no longer an option.

“So we finally caught you.” The same man who hit her earlier growled.

Then—

Smack—

He slapped her face with his rough hand.

Her face swelled and reddened.

Her vision darkened afterward.

...

When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in another place.

It looked somewhat luxurious, the smell of alcohol and strange scents filled her nose.

She almost vomited, then suddenly remembered what had happened.

She checked herself.

Fortunately, she had not been harmed further except for her face, which had been treated earlier.

It seems they care about the quality of their goods.

Iris looked around cautiously.

A closed place, dim lights, and sounds of slow but heavy footsteps.

There was a man waiting.

She could not see his face clearly.

But she felt something about him; he looked at her from top to bottom with a filthy gaze.

Then he licked his lips and whistled, saying: “A product worth the trouble.”

Iris froze.

He approached.

She stepped back.

Then another step.

Until she hit the wall.

The man grabbed her violently and threw her onto the bed.

A terrified scream escaped her.

He was completely drunk.

He approached and began removing his clothes while muttering incomprehensible words.

Iris resisted violently, crying sometimes and moving chaotically other times.

No… nooo…

She was terrified.

And when he was about to remove the upper part of her dress—

A loud crash was heard at the door.

The man frowned but ignored it and focused on her.

Iris trembled under his gaze, then with all her remaining strength, she bit his hand.

“Aaah!”

The man screamed in pain.

Iris took advantage and rushed away from the bed.

But he would not let her escape so easily.

He grabbed her long silver hair and dragged her violently.

She screamed for help.

“No one will save you from me today… serve me well and I will take care of you, alright?”

Before he could reach her again—

Something unexpected happened.

A loud crash.

Then another.

This time he could not ignore it.

Screams rose, and sounds of fighting.

Then suddenly…

Masked men entered.

With masks covering their faces and precise movements, they took the man down without harming Iris.

In moments, the place turned into chaos.

But she did not see the details.

Her eyes were fixed only on the door…

On the light that began to return.

The person in front of her stepped back.

She did not understand what was happening, but he released her hair.

She heard his screams and other voices, but she could not focus.

A man approached from a distance… standing at the door without joining the fight.

He must be their leader.

He said nothing.

Iris closed her eyes in fear.

She did not see his face.

The fog in her vision was thick, and exhaustion made it impossible to focus.

But she heard his voice.

Hoarse… and calm.

“You are safe now.”

She did not answer.

She could not.

But she whispered with difficulty:

“The girl… save her… please…”

All she felt was that her body could no longer resist.

And when she tried to keep her eyes open…

She could no longer.

She surrendered to the temptation of unconsciousness and escape from reality.

And she fell into darkness.

...

Today had exhausted her greatly…

But this time—

She slept in peace.