I stepped to the end of the main counter to take a number and gestured the others towards the waiting area. Turning, I watched Lenore sit with the group of men and women talking. Some had slaves still with them but several did not. The three slaves we brought found seats to one side close enough to listen to the conversation.
"We were told to wait until after everybody checked in their slaves." one man offered as explanation when I joined the group. "They have something 'special' for us. Probably another way for the parish to get more money out of us." He smiled. "I wouldn't mind doling out some extra cash if they spent it fixing the damn roads." That was a common theme state-wide. A running joke as everyone knew roadways were one of the last parts of the infrastructure to get attention yet the main talking point for a candidate seeking election. When a road development project did begin, it would linger for years before completion.
One slave sat with her head down, sniffling. Her owner nodded toward her blonde head and grinned as she said, "My other slave came home last week and scared her with horror stories of what happens here at slave camp. I warned her to keep her shit straight or she'd spend a weekend here, too. I thought that would be enough to straighten out her behavior but I underestimated her stupidity. It's her own fault she's here today. She showed a little too much attitude and here she is. If she doesn't learn from this lesson, I'll sell the bitch and she can be somebody else's problem. Hopefully she'll go to somebody with a strong arm and a mean whip. I don't think she respects my paddle."
"Please, ma'am. I respect you and your paddle. I tried to behave. Jennifer goaded me into that fight. She wouldn't leave me alone. She pushed me until I reacted. Then she flopped on the ground and screamed like I was the one attacking her. She totally set me up." the muscular blonde slave whimpered. "I'll be good. Please just take me home."
"No way. You need the training. A little slave camp indoctrination will do you good. It didn't cure Jen but it seemed to help her attitude apart from your infighting. And you know what I promised if you mess up and I get a single bad report from the staff here." the woman said.
"Please, Gretchen." the woman's sniffling increased. "I'll do my best. But please, don't do that to me."
I looked at the slave. She was very cute with shoulder length, highlighted hair. She wore a light jacket and loose sweat pants so I could not tell her shape but she appeared thin with broad shoulders. Her hunched over posture concealed the rest.
Lenore asked how long she had the slave. The blonde turned to look sharply at Lenore when she spoke. Did I see a flash of recognition in the upset slave's face?
"Just shy of a month. Both the girls I have are stupid bitches. Not unintelligent, just no impulse control. They fly off the handle at the slightest thing. They were single women from a nearby apartment complex who I had seen around and said hello to a few times. I was hosting a backyard party for several of my friends. Both girls are pretty hot so I invited them. I didn't know there was a standing conflict between them. They once got into an argument over a man they both knew and it turned physical. That shows you how dumb they are."
"Instead of staying away from each other at the barbecue, they started arguing. Next thing you know, the grill is knocked over on my wood patio deck which caught fire and they are throwing shit at each other. Some of the stuff they threw were bottles of liquor. That really got the blaze going. By the time the rest of us got them separated, restrained and the fire under control, the deck had been badly burned and the back of my house scorched. They got four years each for negligent damage over twenty thousand dollars. The damage was accidental but the fight was not. That made it criminal according to the parish. They'd have got off with a fine if they hadn't run their mouths in the court room. And despite having good jobs, neither had any money to pay damages so I got their butts as restitution." The woman grinned. "To tell the truth, I came out ahead on the deal. I own their asses for the next four years. I kept their clothes so I didn't have to buy new stuff and I get to put them to work and collect their paychecks."
The slave glared at her owner sourly at the last comment despite her obvious fear of the woman. "I don't blame either one for being totally pissed she got enslaved. They got a raw deal." the woman continued. "But their anger should not be directed at me. I did not engineer their fight nor push for enslavement. But when a house burns, somebody wants restitution. I could have let the insurance company take them which is what the company really wanted. The insurance lawyer actually asked for them. As hot as they are, both girls would have wound up over in Texas at one of the big slave markets, strutting her stuff like a whore to be sold as a sex toy. I sucked up some of the repair costs and got them instead. They should be grateful. Instead I get drama and attitude. They apparently don't like my lifestyle, not that I really care. I guess they'd rather be sucking cock than licking pussy." The other free people chuckled. I personally wondered how fair the arrangement really was. I started to say something about a look between Lenore and the blonde. Lenore caught my eye and shook her head. She whispered she would explain later.
A few of the other slave owners said they bought their girls at a slave sale or from an individual online. Only a couple got theirs as restitution. "I thought owning a slave would be fun." one man groused. He looked to be in his mid to late twenties. I recognized a geek when I saw one. I could identify. "You know, a girl at home ready to service you whenever you want with whatever you want, sex, food or just taking care of the cleaning. But it is a pain in the ass! One of my friends told me I have to make sure I feed her and all that. Take care of her. This is an adult woman right? She should know to fix food if she gets hungry and I am not home! ""