Khakis (NS)

Two thirds of the main characters are here, besides the villain. This is set around the same place as the last chapter, just another part of it.

Two Weeks Ago

He woke up in an adequate bed with clean sheets.  The air was cool and clean, the room smelled like something he had never inhaled before.  He was startled when he noticed someone sitting in a rocking chair over in the corner, looking up from a book at him.

“Good morning, Aleksei.” The stranger said

“Good...morning to you too?” Aleksei replied

The stranger was wearing a white button-up shirt, with a blueish-gray jacket, and khaki pants.  He was wearing black socks with brown leather shoes.  He was learning forward now, resting his chin on his hands as he rested his elbows on his knees.

“Did you expect to be bought at this age?” The well-dressed man asked

“No.” Aleksei answered, just as confused as before “To old to be cheap hands and not old enough for most jobs.”

The stranger picked up the book and held it out a little towards Aleksei.

“Could you read this?” The Owner asked “If I gave this to you and asked you to read some of it to me?”

“I can't read anything...” Aleksei admitted “We're not supposed to know how to read.”

“What good are you if you can't read?” The Owner wondered

“About as good as a horse..” Aleksei answered, afraid to say anything else.

The stranger sat up and held the book in his hands, maintaining the almost content expression as he watched Aleksei.  He then brought himself to his feet and pulled the chair close to the bed, before sitting down in it again.  He showed Aleksei the cover of the hardbound book and smiled softly.  Aleksei was frightened and confused, he returned a timid smile of his own.

“I will read to you and show you a little bit on how to read.” The stranger said “Then you will be good.”

Aleksei said nothing, he was tempted to say “Yes sir” or something like that; but he was just too lost about what was going on.  The title was “How to manipulate people into gaining power for themselves”.  The word “manipulate” had to be explained, and many of the words read and shown had to be explained as well.  The stranger found himself partially sitting on the bed and holding part of the book, as he moved his finger under each word he read.  Words like “the” and “and” were already known to Aleksei, but soon many other common words were memorized by him.  He could recognize them and understand which combination of letters was each.  The book was about this idea of using a person's minds and wants to control them.  There was a sort of power gained and that power could be used to teach a person things, to allow them to stop others from controlling them. That people could be tricked into choosing for themselves.

After about a chapter or so, Aleksei figured out that he was being given power.  He was being led into a position where he knew things and he could read a little.  He wasn't sure that was entirely the case, but he had a feeling inside that he was being manipulated into having power.  He didn't know what was going on, he had not known since he was first bought late last night.  He had been to tired to notice much of anything, and he was trying to ignore the entire experience when it happened.  After the bit of reading happened, the stranger stood up and put his chair where it was before.  He then looked over at Aleksei and gestured him to get up.  Aleksei was wearing the same clothing as last night, he wasn't as clean as his surroundings.

He was led down the hallway that was kept very dark; so much that he had to hold the wall to follow.  At the end of the hallway there was a room with lights hanging over a table.  There was ten chairs for the wooden table, with a bowl of something and a spoon in it.

“Go eat.” The Stranger said “After that, take the clothing on the chair next to yours and go back down the hallway. At the end of it is the bathroom. Get yourself clean, use the hot water since it cleans better.”

Aleksei walked up to his seat and pulled it out, before looking at the other two chairs next to his.  He saw a change of what looked like tan dress pants, a buttoned up shirt, and a blueish-gray jacket.  He reached over and felt the clothing, it was folded a bit crudely; but the material for everything but the pants was very soft.  He realized there was some underwear in the pile of clothing and he blinked, before sitting down in his chair to eat.  It was a dark fluid, with bits of a tanish-brown substance in it.  There were bits of what looked like meat, that seemed to have a very pleasing shape and color.  The heat coming from the bowl was warm and comforting, it smelled excellent.  He picked up the spoon and lifted a bit to his mouth, drinking the spoonful.  He chewed the stuff in it and then looked back down at the bowl.

There was something orange in it, little chunks that were soft and colorful.  The strange tan stuff he had was kinda like, bread.  It was something like bread.  He had mostly lived off corn, bread, and pork; but he knew there was other things you could eat.  The bits of meat were not pork, they were some other meat that was better.  The fluid tasted like the meat and it was a little bit, it was hot somehow.  Not hot like “it had been over a fire hot” but hot in a way that made his eyes drip out water.  He sniffled and looked down at the food, this “burning” was pleasant.  This was an enjoyable meal, it was very good.  He lifted his head up and realized that the man he supposed owned him, was talking to someone.  It couldn't be him, but he didn't hear anyone else talking.

He wanted to turn his head and look, but it would be uncomfortable and perhaps insulting.  So he just ate quietly and listened to what was being said.

“They don't know where we are from right?”

“Well, I am so far picking one out a day. I am certain that they haven't figured anything out yet.”

Aleksei didn't know what “certain” meant, but he assumed it meant “sure”.  He was still eating, feeling some of the heat from the bowl rise up to his face.  He looked around for something to drink because his mouth felt a little sore, noticing a cup of what seemed like milk.  He pulled it close and drank a little, before blinking.

“Yes, I read a little to him. I think he understands some of it.”

The stranger noticed that Aleksei could hear him, so he walked down the dark hall and opened a door that Aleksei could tell was close to them.  It wasn't the room Aleksei came from, maybe he passed it and didn't see it.  Aleksei finished his food and then looked for a sink to put his bowl in.  He found one in what he assumed was the room that the food was made.  He washed the bowl a little with what seemed to be soap of some kind and then dried his hands. He went over to his clothing, picked it all up, and walked slowly down the hallway to the end.  He leaned against the wall and leaned away as he found each door on that side of the hallway.  When he got to the end of the hallway, he opened the door by tucking the clothing one of his arms.

He reached around for a switch or something, which he flicked up.  The room was just as well lit as the room he woke up in and it had another sink.  Above the sink was... a flat thing that showed his reflection.  He set his clothing on part of the thing that held the sink.  He closed the door and looked back at himself, realizing how dirty he looked.  He looked confused and scared, he could see himself shaking. He got undressed and set his clothing on the door, before looking around for the towel.  It was soft as he felt I over with his hands, kinda like the clothing but not as soft. 

Reviews

[Davy]

Just a little scan as I don't have the benefit of reading the preceding chapter. I found myself getting rather engrossed - interesting. Not sure if this is a first draft - guess it may be. Some sentence construction a little rugged - but nothing that can't be improved. I look forward to reading future chapters (y)

Two Weeks Ago

kacki = khaki
'To old to be cheap... - Too old...

is 'Owner' deliberately capitalized? Maybe use a 'better word' I think I maybe misinterpreted - not sure?

TIP: One SPACE after a comma - Two SPACES after a full stop.

Grammar: There 'was' bits of what looked like....perhaps - There 'were' bits of what looked like...

With polishing this could be an interesting yarn my friend...Regards - Davy

[Tevo77777]

I have been misspelling khacki this entire time?

To old to be cheap, is implying he's not young enough to be 10 to 12 year old with small fingers. The thing of age you picture when you think of child labor. Younger children take less time to make, thus they are cheaper.

Well there is only one Owner so far and the character known. Aleksei doesn't have another way to describe him. I was tempted to use stranger, but that would be annoying.

Two spaces after a period? Really? Hmmpt, ever noticed that in any of the paperbacks I read. Weird.

Were... Okay yeah, it should be were.

Let me get right on fixing this.