Chp 2 - Ivan's Story

Earth/Europe/Bertotia Kingdom/02_09_2020 (1 week before Ivan Bisset’s 20^th birthday):

1 week to go, huh? Guess that means it’s finally time. Time for me to die. I am a Bisset, after all…

The Bisset race is one looked down upon by all, their members are treated as slaves by almost all countries. It’s one of the few things all the countries in Europe have in common. The only other thing the countries have in common would be overpopulation (that and they all have a serious spiderling infestation). For whatever godforsaken reason, it's a crime for members of my race to live past their 20^th birthday (the punishment for which is the death penalty, ofc), meaning that I have a week left to live, at most.

I don’t remember my parents. My people are taken away from their parents at birth and forced into slavery for their remaining years, at this point, the women are often forced to give birth to a child, allowing the Bertotian royal family to have what is effectively an infinite supply of slaves. The man responsible for my upbringing, Mr. Briggins, is the slaver that owns me¹All Bisset in the country are originally property of the royal family until they’re sold, from the moment that they are born and a real piece of shit. He sits on a fat cloud of self-importance, raining on my parade whenever he gets the chance. As much as I want to say that’s a problem exclusive to him, everyone who finds out I’m a Bisset has a similar reaction. One of my duties is to help him carry all of the things he buys from the market for the weekly shop, though I wish it wasn’t, as one look at the collar around my neck is all anyone apparently needs to see. After that I’m not human, I’m Bisset, rights and basic human decency just don’t apply.

I’m going to break out of here, I must! Once that’s done, I’ll live the life of a free man, I’ll become an Arachnophobe and I’ll work up enough wealth and power to buy all the Bisset slaves in the country. That way, we’ll be free! No one could touch us because we’d become human.

I gaze at the collar around my neck, the walls of my cell, the light from my barred window.

(Ivan): That being said, what the hell am I supposed to do in this situation????

After staring at the wall, "formulating a plan"²There is no plan, not for lack of trying for what seems like an eternity, I hear faint footsteps approaching my cell door from down the hall. Without even seeing the footstep's owner, I can already tell that whoever it is that's coming my way isn’t Mr. Briggins. My heart begins to pound in my chest.

Has this person come to save me?? Does this mean I’m getting out of here??

I throw myself off my tattered bed and onto my feet. Rushing to the old, wooden door, I open the slit through which my food is served with as much gusto I can muster, ready to greet my saviour. My saviour…the one that just ran straight past my cell…

(Ivan): Hey!! I don’t know who you are, but please let me out of here, whatever you’re here for, I’ll help you!!

The hooded figure recoils in surprise at my words, apparently, they weren’t even aware of my existence. After a few seconds of stunned silence, I get my reply.

(Hooded figure): Sorry, I’m busy

The hooded figure turns his back and prepares to start running again. Now it was my turn to be stunned into silence.

Huh, this guy…Did he just sit there for a solid 5 seconds (time that could have been spent saving me) only to say “ahhh actually, you know what? I’m fine thanks, ‘ppreciate the offer though pal”???? What a selfish son of a bit~

My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of faint footsteps outside my door once again. My mind races for a plan, anything I can do to convince them I’m worth saving. Like a lightning bolt, an idea appears out of nowhere, shaking me to my core. A shit-eating grin works its way across my face.

(Ivan): Oh actually, I suggest you change your mind…

Clearly unnerved by my demeanour, the hooded figure once again stops, hesitantly turning to face me.

I’ll make this bastard take me with him, regardless of what I have to do, hehehehe

(Ivan): You see, you certainly could leave me behind to rot in this cell for the rest of eternity…but if you do, I’ll have to see to it that I report your presence to Mr. Briggins immediately. It is one of my duties, you see…

Despite being unable to see the hooded figure’s face, it was immediately obvious that they had stiffened up. To this, I responded by deepening my grin to shit-devouring levels and pointing to the collar around my neck.

(Ivan): This is starting to get a little achy, you know?

The hooded figure seemed to hesitate before quickly bringing their hands up to door, showing me they were about to use Weaving to break down the door. While I had assumed the person would be pretty capable, owing to the fact they were able to get this far into the building without being spotted by anyone, I had not expected them to be a Weaver. This was a mistake I was more than happy to make.

(Ivan): Glad to see you’re being so cooperative now

(Hooded figure): If you don’t shut up I’ll just aim at you instead of the door, in fact, that might be easier…

(Ivan): Woah woah woah, there’s no need to…Wait, your voice…You’re a girl???