Night fell, and he knew his ultimate fate. He looked at the remaining slaves. Not all of the slaves that had not been sold were taken down. Some of them were retained if they were still useful.
1508 envied their abilities. He didn't understand why he was born so weak. Despite his best efforts, he would still fall ill if overworked. In the end, the trainers would hit him out of annoyance.
1508 limped through the field where Room Zero was located. His eyes were fixed on the area. No one had ever seen the contents of that huge building because slaves who entered would never leave.
He lowered his head, trying to keep up with Jero's fast pace.
"Tomorrow night, you will be taken down. So enjoy your last night," the man said.
Nodding, 1508 remained silent. His breathing was labored, his legs aching, but he had to walk fast.
Some slaves returned to their barracks. When he was finally alone with Jero headed to his barracks, Jero walked slower. He looked at the slaves trudging behind him.
"To the training room!" Jero ordered.
1508 gulped. He knew what that meant. But he dared not speak and followed the man in another direction.
The training area consisted of several buildings, and each building had many rooms for training slaves. Usually, slaves were divided by age and trained together.
Of the many rooms, 1508 was most afraid of that room. And they headed there now. A 4 x 4-meter room with various equipment that traumatized the slave.
"Lie down!" Jero ordered quietly, pointing towards the only bed there.
1508 didn't need more commands. He had already gotten into trouble several times for not being agile. While he was removing his clothes, his upper garment stuck in his hands. But he paid no attention to it and soon lay down.
Jero removed his pants, pulling the slave's chained hands above his head. His gaze was soft on the handsome face below. And softly, he kissed those luscious lips.
"This is your last service. Do your best," Jero whispered, smiling at the slave's ragged breathing. He could feel the slave's heart beating very fast.
1508 gulped. He nodded obediently. He dared not close his eyes, as it was part of his training. He must not show weakness in front of his master. He held his breath when Jero's hand rubbed his hole with lubricant.
He was already mentally prepared. But a second later, he still cried in pain. And the next second, he tried to keep his voice down, clenching his fists.
His body trembled as Jero forcefully and impatiently entered his hole without penetration. Even though he was used to it and trained, the slave still felt tremendous pain. Especially considering Jero's size was wider than the others.
"You're still so bad. I told you never to scream. You only make your master feel uneasy! Open your mouth just to moan! Is that so hard?" grumbled Jero. He returned to carefully piercing the hole beneath him. Even so, he still struggled with its size.
"I'll be lenient since you won't be serving any masters. So enjoy your last night," Jero said, smirking at the adorable face of the slave who held back from screaming.
The slave stiffened, his whole body rigid, his face flushed with pain. Tears gathered in his eyes. But even until the end, he dared not to make a sound.
***
The morning came. 1508 woke up, even though his whole body felt broken. He trudged out. He didn't know what he would do on his last day.
Trainer Leo approached him. 1508 immediately looked down.
"Do you want something to eat?" the trainer asked. Of all the trainers, Trainer Leo was the friendliest because it was his job to give medicine and conduct examinations. And of all the slaves, 1508 met that man the most.
1508 gave the man a puzzled look.
"This is your last day. You can have whatever food you want," said the man, smiling slightly, knowing that the slave in front of him wouldn't have much time left.
"Speak up," Leo continued.
"M-may I ask another thing, Master?" the slave asked timidly.
Leo frowned. "I'm not sure. What do you want?"
1508 often saw a lake in the middle of the forest when he searched for firewood. And he wanted to go there but didn't dare go near it. He knew there was no way he would be allowed, but he tried to ask.
"I want to... go to that lake over there." He pointed far into the forest.
Leo looked doubtful. "Well, I have to ask the chairman. Is that all?" he asked.
The slave nodded.
"Alright, I'll come to give you some news." Leo patted the slave's head gently before leaving.
1508 touched his head. He liked that gentle pat.
In less than an hour, Leo arrived with a young trainer. He smiled at the news that the trainer would accompany him to the forest.
1508 stared in disbelief. He couldn't hide his excitement. He bowed respectfully and thanked Leo.
"But you must be back before noon," Leo warned.
1508 nodded.
It was a gloomy morning when they walked into the forest. It was overcast, and the giant trees made the atmosphere gloomy.
The trainer didn't speak at all. He walked while looking back. The slave walked slowly.
The forest was dense and silent, only the sound of birds and twigs breaking under their footwear could be heard. After almost half an hour of walking, they arrived.
The lake was much larger than he imagined. The water was calm and bluish-black, as if it held secrets at the bottom. As a thin mist covered the surface, it looked both beautiful and frightening.
The slave didn't expect this close. He looked at the young trainer for permission to descend into the water.
"Hurry up. I'll wait here," the trainer said, seemingly unconcerned. He sat on a large rock under a shady tree.
1508 looked back at the lake, slowly stepping closer, hesitating. He stripped off his shabby clothes, revealing a thin body full of cuts and bruises. His deformed feet touched the water first.
The trainer watched the slave's every move. A worried look crossed his face as he watched the slave walk along the water.
"Be careful! You won't like dying here!" the trainer warned.
There was no response from 1508, as the lake banks were overgrown with moss, and it was quite slippery. Also, the pebbles hurt his bare feet. But he liked water.
It was cold.
He plunged deeper until his body was fully submerged except for his head. For the first time in his life, he felt refreshed. He felt his chest heave with excitement.
The trainer watched as the slave sank, his eyes not leaving the lake. He didn't want trouble. Moments later, he heard a wolf howl.
He was alert. His hair stood up. He quickly pulled a knife from his pocket.
1508 heard it too. The sounds were very close. The howl was followed by shouting and horse neighing. He was alarmed and frightened.
He saw the trainer walking quickly away. He was startled, rushing to the ground.
"Master!" he called, terrified. But by the time he reached land, the trainer had disappeared. He quickly put on his clothes and hobbled away.
Meanwhile, shouting became clearer. It came from the opposite direction. He turned around. Was someone in trouble? What should he do?