It seemed that he didn't even give her question any thought. His flat response of 'No' felt like he had hit her- just in a different way. Her limbs trembled as she tried to wrap her mind around what he had said. What was the point?"I don't understand." Her tone was still soft- but for the first time in a long time, she allowed emotion in her voice. Maybe that was frustration? Or maybe just an upcoming anxious breakdown. She felt she was going to burst with stress. "Why do you buy slaves at all if you want to be the one to do the breaking?"Or would that make you a hypocrite? Would it make you like my father? She wanted to say those words. She wanted to say them so badly as the tears began to well in her eyes- she had no idea where they came from. Perhaps it was just the dam beginning to break.
The idea of fighting just added to the beginning of her downward spiral. "I-" She cut herself off. I can't fight. I shouldn't fight. But the rules were changing. This was a different game. And facing that realization was one of the most difficult things she had endured in a long time. He turned away from her- made a statement about how they were burning daylight and needed to move. But she wasn't sure she could. He took a few strides, and she stood frozen. Feeling the urgency to follow, but momentarily forgetting how to use her legs. Adelina was desperate but simply didn't know how to carry on. The facade of an individual that she had become, was all for nothing.
