We're Stuck Here Chapter 89
In fact, she started muttering to herself in her original language. Anger overcame her reluctance to speak, and the tone of her voice and the volume rose until she was nearly shouting.
Kol had little tolerance for a yammering woman and he turned on her. He purposely let his eyes glow and the veins show on his face. In height, he towered over her as he did Barbara. In French he yelled, "Close your mouth, woman! Be quiet!"
Claudette shrank back away from him as she realized there were two of the evil devils disguised as humans. With a whimper, she ceased to make further noise. Quickly looking from one person to another, she was horrified to see the younger of the blonde women also flash a strange redness in her eyes. There was much evil here!
Elijah did not add any threat. When they all reached the porch, he told Claudette to sit on one of the porch chairs. She did. He then followed the others into the house where they could talk in English.
"What are we going to do with her?" Kol demanded. "The last thing we need is another mouth to feed. Or a slave, which she probably is."
"If she is going to be here a while," Rebekah added, "she certainly must work for her food."
"I think we can all agree to that," Elijah said. "Let us consider our immediate situation. Even though her clothing looks well-made, it is quite soiled. It needs to be washed. So does she. I suggest we get a couple of buckets of well water and you ladies strip her. Wash her down. Out at the shower stall for some privacy."
The women discussed this briefly and they agreed to bathe Claudette and to lend her one of the shortened dresses that Barbara wore. There remained but to convince the African woman to be cooperative.
They all went outside to face Claudette, who was still sitting on the porch. They were somewhat surprised she had not tried to run away. Perhaps she had noticed that there seemed to be some sort of wall enclosing the place. Or she had guessed that there was no place to run to.
It was Elijah who told her that the women intended to wash her and her clothes, and that she had better cooperate – or else. Freya and Rebekah signaled to her to follow then, while Barbara went up to her room to find a dress that likely would fit the new woman. Elijah and Kol fetched two buckets of cold well water and took them over to the flimsy shower stall near the privy.
Of the three white women only Freya and Barbara were human. They were the only ones who would work up a sweat from activity or just the heat under the dome. They did not bathe daily, but they intended their visitor to start out clean. Claudette's cloth headwrap, dress, apron and petticoats were soiled with dirt, sweat, food stains and now blood. She was not happy to be stripped of her clothing, nor did she like the cold water and soap, but she was pleased, in the end, with the flowered dress she was given. In addition, Barbara had found a piece of pretty cloth so that Claudette could cover her hair as she was used to doing.
The two men stayed away from the women's business. "Where is she going to sleep? With you?" Kol asked.
"I have not decided. She might prefer to sleep somewhere else."
"If she has been a slave or a prostitute, she'll probably do whatever you want. You already claimed her out in the barn."
"That was not entirely of my own choosing," Elijah reminded his brother. "In fact, she is unlikely to want to be with me."
"I don't think she has much choice. But if she agrees to it, will you take her?" Kol persisted.
"I must admit that it would be nice to have a woman in my bed and to have access to some sips of human blood now and then."
"Absolutely," Kol agreed with a grin.
"You realize that this means we are under someone's microscope again. Our every move observed. Like rats in a laboratory."
"I don't care anymore. Let them watch."
"I believe that subconsciously, we all are aware of being watched all the time. I do not like it, but there is nothing to be done about it."
"Who has time to observe us all the time? We are usually as boring as watching grass grow."
It was the women who showed Claudette around their "prison." Carrying her clothes, they walked down to the creek, pointing out the animals along the way. Barbara did not speak French and had no idea what was being said, but she could see that the new woman showed interest.
Down at the creek's edge, those who had shoes removed them and all gathered up their dresses so they would not get soaked, and then they waded into the shallow creek. They did not spend time scrubbing Claudette's clothes, but laid them in the water to soak. It was explained to the new woman that although the water passed through the barrier, the clothes would not.
Walking back up the slope to the house, Freya told Claudette that everyone worked on this little farm. If she did not help with the tasks, she would not be allowed to eat. The woman said she would do the work asked of her. She also asked who she now belonged to. Without asking her brother, Rebekah told Claudette she belonged to Elijah, and she explained which one he was. Claudette was not surprised. She did not ask if she had to accommodate the other male also.
In the kitchen, Rebekah told Elijah, "She understands she is yours. You can decide where she sleeps. Also, Freya told her she has to do her share of the work if she wants to eat."
He nodded, although he was not sure what he wanted of Claudette. He didn't need a servant and certainly not a slave, but he also admitted to himself that a little sex and a sip of human blood now and then would be most welcome. Lastly, he had to consider what the woman might be expecting and what she might want. Would she voice any preferences for food, chores and who she spent time with, or would she just decide she was still a slave and must obey orders?
It was later in the day that he noticed that Claudette was missing from the house. He went outside and found she was not on the porch, in the privy, with the chickens or near the horse, cow or calf. He was about to walk into the barn to search there when Kol and Barbara joined him.
"What are you doing?" Kol asked.
"Looking for Claudette. I do not know where she went."
"Not very far, I'm sure," Kol said. "Unless, of course, whoever put her here took her away."
"That does not make sense," Elijah muttered. Seeing that the woman was nowhere in the barn, he and the other two people went outside and headed down toward the creek. They immediately spotted the dingy, wet clothing that belonged to Claudette. It was now spread on the ground or hung over bushes to dry in the sun. Then the African woman came into view. She raised her right hand, which was holding something shiny, and pointed it at the other three people.
A/N I'm not sure where this story is going. What is Claudette up to? Who is behind her arrival under the new dome? Will the new dome last or fall apart? Thanks for reading this and some of my other stories. I hope you all are well in this time of the serious health challenges. Stay safe.
