Page 3 of Lost to the Orcs

There are only men. They’re looking for any more living people. So far, it’s just me. The sole survivor of a massacre. Because isn’t that what this is? A massacre. Death. Everywhere. I’ve never even seen a dead body. My parents were cremated. Family friends saw to it all. Their ashes! I frantically pat my neck finding my mother’s locket still attached.

“You know, if you’re willing to give up that precious bauble, we’d be willing to give you a ride to the next town.” One of the men leered. The friends all look at my partly exposed top in avid interest. The sickness in their eyes fills my throat with bile.

I clutch the locket and shake my head. “No. No thank you.”

He grins. “Well, you’ll have to give up something in order to get a ride to the next town.” My skin blanches.

“Shut it, Micheal.” The medic, because that’s all I know to call him, grits through his teeth. “She’s obviously confused and disoriented. She doesn’t even remember the attack. We should take her to the next town anyways. She’s wounded.”

Micheal sneers at the medic. “So pure.” He spits and walks to his comrades.

“I’m sorry.” The man murmurs. “Honestly, the only reason I helped you was because my mother would have killed me if I hadn’t.” He shrugs in a poor facsimile to an apology. “My wife wouldn’t care but my mother would’ve found out from one of those idiots.” His thumb points at the men in their carriage. They’ve looted the dead and they’re ready to go. “Here.” He takes his shirt off and places it over my head. “I have an extra.”

“Thank you.” I put my arms through the arm holes and as I stand, I grab the torn remains of my top and use it as a belt around my skirts waist as he does the leather on his pants.

He shrugs and walks back to the men. I’m halfway to the carriage when one of the men stands in front of me. “Food and board costs sweet heart.”

I glare at him. “Then it looks like I won’t be eating. Sleeping under the stars isn’t any hardship.”

He takes a step forward, looming over me. The smell of alcohol on his breath. “Gets real cold at night. It’s also real dangerous. Never know when an Orc might come and snatch you.”

That startles me into taking a step back. “An Orc?!” My tone is surprised and incredulous. What bed time bullshit is this?

He grins. “Oh yes. Big hulking beasts, covered in green skin. Tusks.” He uses his fingers to indicate the way they look. “They love the taste of blood. Even more so the taste of women.” His leering gaze makes me want to vomit all over his feet. Maybe I should. Might send him packing.

My lips twist in a bitter flat line. “I don’t know what nonsense you’re trying to get at me with, but I’m not afraid of you or any imaginary boogey man in the dark. Now back off before I hit you in the fucking dick.”

He laughs. As if my threat were a bluff. As if I couldn’t hurt him. Because I’m a woman. “It’s a long few days ride to town. You’ll find yourself whoring for food in no time.”

“If you’re so much in need of a body, why don’t you fuck one of your buddies. I bet they’re just as lonely.”

His face is filled with scandalized outrage. As if to sayHim? Lay with another man??

Yeah, definitely medieval times bullshit is going on. I shake my head and walk around him. The medic sits me on the carriage in the spot he’d been sitting in and he starts walking next to the wooden contraption.

CHAPTER THREE: YELLOW EYES

Within a few hours my ass is sore. Like not just sitting in my chair doing work sore but sitting on the concrete for three hours sore. There’s no cushion on this damn thing. The road is bumpy. I tried shifting my weight and nearly fell off. I haven’t tried since.

I think I’d rather walk. But then again, they did saydays. How can I do this fordays???I silently groan. Because groaning aloud would get the men’s attention and I really, really don’t want that.

We stop for a bathroom break and the men share something to drink in some weird sack with a spout. I’m pretty sure it’s not water as I hear the medic say he wants his ‘wits’ about him.

They jeer at me. Offering to watch my back while I do my business. Or say they’ll let me have a drink if I give them a hand. I roll my eyes, while squatting, thinking of their fucked up nonsense. I wiggle my butt a little, wishing I had toilet paper. “God this is embarrassing. I’m not shoving whatever leaves down there. I would rather not have a rash.” And considering I’ve not eaten, I don’t have to gothat one, yet anyways. I’m muttering to myself to keep myself sane, in some way.

I hear a huff. Like someone laughed.

“Hello?” I call into the bushes, hurriedly pulling up my not quite panties over my thighs and bottom. But nothing calls back. Even though, now I feel like someone is watching me. “Is someone there?” Still no response. I take a step towards the foliage.

“GIRL!” Shouts the medic. “We’re leaving.”

I grunt. “Of course, they wouldn’t wait for me. Jackasses. All they know how to be is crude little boys.”Snort.I pause mid-step, looking over my shoulder. But all I see is green vegetation.

“GIRL!” He shouts again.

“Shit.” I turn away. “I’mfuckingcoming!” I nearly trip on a stick. “Damn it.” I hear some shuffling but it’s coming from behind me. I look again and meet the brightest yellow eyes. I yelp before dashing away. I nearly barrel into the medic but skid to a stop.

“What the devil—?” He looks over my shoulder. “Seem like you saw the living dead.”

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