shackles

Although he had only been there since the morning, it already felt like days. This wasn't much different than what he was used to traveling around anyway. Kept in horrible conditions and only cleaned up to sell, shackled together unless given a job. The only thing different now was that he was alone. For once it was quiet, something he wasn't sure he knew about anymore even being partially deaf. There were always the sounds of pain, anger, or sadness around and that wasn't even including the sound of the caravan in general.

The quiet that surrounded him now was refreshing and scary. He'd never been alone before, not like this. Left alone to do a chore or a job, sure, but never alone. His nights were spent with the other slaves or his master, his days spent working. Loneliness was something he felt of course, but never like this. But that didn't mean he was excited when he did hear someone approach. He flinched and curled in on himself tighter, his whines fading away to be quiet but his body still visibly trembling.

"Speech."