The Slave

As the hot summer sun beat down on Altai's back, he toiled away in the wheat fields, his body aching and his skin covered in sweat and grime. It was just another day for him, working for his boss Helge, who had taken him in when he was just a small child.

Despite the hard work, Altai didn't mind it. He had grown accustomed to the laborious life, and he had no other options. He had no family to turn to, and his only friend was Eliot, who worked alongside him in the fields.

As he continued to work, his mind wandered, and he imagined what it would be like to travel the lands of Elderai with nothing but a horse and a bag. He had always dreamed of freedom, but the reality of his situation brought him back to the present.

Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his back and heard a loud cracking sound. He fell to the ground, gasping for air, and looked up to see Helge standing over him with a whip in her hand.

"You lazy good-for-nothing," she snarled. "Get back to work!"

Altai gritted his teeth and slowly got back to his feet, his back throbbing in pain. He knew that Helge was a cruel woman, but he had no choice but to endure her abuse.

Today, was like every other day. Bread and water in the morning, hard labor until the last daylight, tomato soup with bread, and sleep at night. They slept all together in the barn, all the slaves. He finally got cozy enough on the hay he was laying on and the moment he was about to fall asleep, Eliot hit him with the classic before-sleep questions.

"Psst! Hey, Altai. You asleep?" Eliot whispered, poking him with his foot.

Altai groaned and rolled over, "What is it, Eliot?"

"Do you think about leaving this place here and there?" Eliot asked, checking to make sure none of the other slaves were awake.

Altai's eyes widened, "You know I do. Why are you asking me this now?"

"I think I found a way," Eliot said with a hint of excitement in his voice.

Altai sat up, suddenly wide awake, "Tell me more about this 'way'. What is it? What's your plan?"

"So, a couple of soldiers visited the mansion yesterday," Eliot explained. "They were speaking about a war breaking out. I think this might be our chance. If we can put ourselves in front of them, they might choose us for the army that's being gathered."

Altai's heart raced at the possibility. It wasn't a guarantee, but it was a chance, and it was better than nothing.

"How do we do that?" Altai asked.

Eliot shrugged, "I'm not sure yet, but we'll figure something out. We have to try, Altai. We can't stay here forever."

Altai nodded, determined. For the first time in a long time, he had hope. The idea of being a soldier wasn't exactly glamorous, but it was a way out of this life of slavery.

They whispered and planned for hours until exhaustion overtook them. But Altai couldn't sleep, his mind was racing with thoughts of escape and freedom. For the first time in his life, he dared to dream of a better future.