This can't be happening. Four eleven year olds; chained and sold into slavery. The three boys in the cart are sullen and quiet. Two are blond and with the eyes of the north; the other is dark haired and brown eyed. You are chained by your collar and drawn along behind the cart hour after hour, as punishment for trying to escape and as a warning to the other boys.
Your child's feet are rudely treated by the unpaved trail; the sandals are not much protection and the thongs between your toes are hurting you. You are sweaty, thirsty and your legs are beginning to feel like rubber. The master and his servant stop the cart for the night at an inn, and at least you are spared more walking. All four of you are shackled and chained together in the cart for the night, and become wet and miserable when a shower passes overnight.
In the morning, the two men leave you chained with the others in the cart and finish the journey to the master's estate. Once there, your sandals are unlaced and stripped from your sore dusty feet. One of the other boys also has his sandals taken away; the other two are barefoot.
"Well," says the master, "which of you will be house slaves and which farm slaves? You are all too small to work in the fields, but I have need of a stable boy to clean up after the animals. That work you can do I am sure."
Your eyes widen. Clean up after stable animals? They just took my sandals, you are thinking.
"Please sir, not me!" you blurt out. The master looks sternly at you. He is beginning to see you as a discipline problem.
"Listen, you," he barks. "You have already tasted the lash as I saw from the stripes on your skin at the market place. The overseer is an expert at lashing slave flesh, and your age will not help you if you disobey." Your mouth drops open at the thought of being strung up again on tip toe to be whipped.
The master continues. "There are also other punishments that are done to slaves. You might be chained hands, feet and neck together for a day and a night in a pit where insects will torment you." He grins with the thought. "It is most unpleasant."
The other three boys look frightened, and you wisely shut up.
"Now," continues the master. "I believe I have found my stable slave." As he looks at you, it is obviously...you. Trying to choke back tears, you feel the lump that comes from fear grow in your throat.
"Since you are already dirty from the journey from the market place, you can start now." The master smiles, enjoying this. "You might like the feel of fresh manure between your toes."