“Let me go!” I screamed as I tried to wriggle myself free. I managed to kick the elf once in the shins. I heard him grunt angrily from behind just before he gave me two swift kicks to the back of my knees. My legs collapsed underneath of me, and I fell to the dirt path. I managed to catch myself with my bound hands, although a few shards of pointed gravel stuck in my palms when I landed.

“Sure, we’ll let you go,” the elf said behind me. “Once you’re bought and paid for.”

“Who the hell are you people?” I cried from the ground. “This is insane! Just who is in charge of your group?”

The men all pointed in unison to the one they called “Captain.” I glared at him, as I struggled back to my feet.

“I could have you arrested you know!” I yelled at him.

The men laughed even harder.

“Wouldn’t be the first time, dearie…” the Captain said. “Nor would it be for most of the men here.” He waved his hand at the men around him, who nodded and grinned maniacally in response. I noticed suddenly that many of the men were riding on horses, or sitting on rugged carriages with reins in their hands. Each man looked even grimier than the three surrounding me, if that were possible.

“I said… Let me go!” I grabbed hold of the chain dangling from around my neck, but the Captain held it fast, and I couldn’t wrench it from his grasp. I yelled and screamed. Maybe someone would hear me; there had to be someone wandering around the park. I dug my heels into the gravel and dirt, and I pulled on the chain until my palms burned. But with one quick yank from the Captain I lost my footing and fell face first into the dirt path. The metallic taste of soil and blood filled my mouth, I’d apparently bit my tongue during my fall.

The Captain stepped forward, so that the toes of his worn leather boots were inches from my nose.

“Feisty little thing aren’t you?” He muttered. “I’m sure that’ll increase your price a bit. I’ll bet we can find a wealthy baron who’d love to tame you.”

I glared up at him, my face stinging from the impact. He’d proved his point –he was stronger than me. But I still had some fight left. I spat a wad of dirt, gravel and blood-tinted bile on his boots.

“Wench, I’d kick you in the face for that were I not worried about keeping those pretty teeth of yours intact!” He snapped, and wiped the toe of his boot across my cheek.

“Up!” He ordered.

In one last act of defiance, I refused to move. My knees and elbows ached from my fall, and with my hands bound getting up was no easy task.

“Get… Up!” He ordered again.

I remained still.

His next yank nearly gave me whiplash. I couldn’t suppress the cry of pain, as the chain dug into my neck. Finally I relented and rose to my feet, but my eyes never left his.

“You really are a defiant little thing, aren’t you?” He said, and continued pulling on my chain. Reluctantly I let him pull me until I was pressed against his chest, and against something very hard at the apex of his thighs. Disgust churned in my stomach, as much from his erection as his horrible breath.

“I have half a mind to tame you myself, dearie,” he whispered in my ear. “Were you not expensive goods.” I felt my hair stand on end. Up until this point, I’d been annoyed, angry, and anxious, but now... now I was afraid.

This had to be a joke right? Some really weird, and oddly high-budget, reality show where they pranked unsuspecting people. Any minute now guys with cameras, wearing baseball caps to cover their balding crowns would emerge from the bushes, laughing. I held onto this hope even as the Captain latched the other end of the chain to a wagon with a thick, iron lock. Soon, producers and directors would explain that these guys were all just paid actors picking up gigs during Shakespeare in the Park’s off-season.

Even as the Captain called for the caravan to move onward I had hopes that someone would call “cut!” I’d find out that some friend had signed me up for this; they’d hand me a couple hundred bucks, maybe a meal and a ticket home. As I struggled to keep up with the moving wagon, I thought maybe the Captain would turn around scratching his head, and say: “Hey guys we should probably break for a bit. You guys all earned some experience points for that, and you’ll need to calculate them all up.” Then they’d untie me, I’d chew them out for taking their playing way too far, and then they’d drive me to the nearest bus stop.

My left foot found a sharp rock, and my never-failing grace once again prevailed, as I tumbled to the ground. Both caravan and wagon continued to move, with no sympathy to my recent fall; I was dragged through at least two feet of dirt before I was able to right myself. A few men passed me on horseback, and other than snickering something crude between themselves, paid me little regard. I wondered when someone in the caravan would stop to check their cell phone, or when a random tourist would pass by, or when some indication that this whole situation was just fantastical ruse, not reality, would appear. Over and over, I told myself that this was just a cruel joke, that any minute now it would all be done, as we continued on the rugged path between the trees, no end to the forest in sight.