Read Cracked Dagger, Book One of Allies and Adversaries Page 13

The trans sped on with blinding speed, down corridors dark and unknown. The boy could see out a side window, streaked with the hard rain. Three of his captors sat with him in the back, while a fourth drove the trans erratically, narrowly missing unknown obstacles. He wished she would put on the PATH, and let it drive itself, but he figured she wanted it this way.

  All of his captors were women, and the three with him in the back poked and prodded him, examining him as some alien specimen. They reeked of the sewer, dank and dirty, with patches on their dark grey clothes smelling like excrement.

  “They’re gonna pull over,” he whispered to himself, “and it’s all gonna be some big joke, and I can run home and —”

  ^Boy, shut up!^ cast a woman near him. She grabbed his head, and jabbed her thumb into his scalp, scrubbing its surface. ^Look lovelies, he ain’t gotta caster! Whoo — you are a young thing.^

  ^Young and sweet,^ cast another.

  ^It’s a shame he ain’t a clone,^ she cast, as her hands found their way up his shirt. ^I’m in the mood for some fun.^

  The boy knew they were speaking to each other, mentally, but he had no idea what they were saying. He figured it couldn’t be good. The one who yelled at him — a dirty blonde, heavy set woman — leaned in close, and ran her hands over his legs.

  ^I’ll bet he’s firm and smooth,^ she cast.

  ^Oooh, and with a fresh little piece of meat, tasty and precious!^ cried another, thin brunette, with a hand missing several fingers.

  The third woman, another heavy set blonde, leaned in to the boy’s face. ^He looks so scared. Why, I remember the first one I ever took. He looked just like him; all shaky, wide eyed, like he’s ready to cry. Ha!^

  The others laughed aloud, bringing expressions of terror to the boy’s face. The trans swerved wildly, throwing the boy onto the brunette.

  “Ooh, little one, it’s too early for some of me . . . but soon, little man, soon.” ^Damn, I hate speaking,^ she cast, as she shoved him back into his place.

  ^Speakin’s bad,^ she cast, “but screamin’s better — ha!”

  “Please, let me go! I ain’t done nothing, I have to be home now, my mom’s gonna worry about me, and —”

  “Shut up stupid,” said the heavy blonde, leaning in close to him. “You’re never goin’ home.”

  Chapter 8