Snippet #1589104

Clatter… Clank; clatter these where the sounds that rose from the locked gate of the barred prison wagon as it rolled along the long stretch of dirt road that lead towards the town of Scythia. The next town in the line of many that the traveling cell would make its way through as it was heading towards the capital with its few prisons all of which were seen as some of the worst of their kind for one reason or another. The wagon was being guarded by a grouping of eight soldiers each well equipped for long travel with a second wagon following up the rear which carried their supplies. As for the prisoners inside the mobile cell there were clearly three prisoners who were cowering towards the back nearest the thick wooden door it would not be to clear what it was that they were cowering from but something kept them from the front where what appeared to be a sizable amount of clothing was piled up.

From outside the wagon two of the guards were talking and looking in at the three men one of guards made a comment to the other guard and the two broke out into laughter. Looking back over his shoulder towards the wagon that carried the supplies one of the two guards gave a wave of his hand towards a young boy that seat atop the wagon, the boy was quick to attention and with a nod he grabbed a small package from a sack and climbed down from the still moving wagon and ran over to the guard.

“Here you are sir.” The body handed over the item he had pulled from the sack to the man before turning and returning to the wagon which just as easily as he had dismounted before he returned to and was seating back in his spot watching the event that was about to take place closely. Taking the item in both hands the guard gave another laugh as he unwrapped the item which turned out to be a chunk of dried meat which he held up towards the three men all of which stared longingly at it but none of them dared reach out for it having already learned that lesson.

“Oh come now I know your hunger I can see it in your eyes. So go ahead and eat up boys.” With those words the guard threw the chunk of meat between the bars and into the cell where it landed near the pile of clothes which remained still even as it landed with a faint thud. As for the three men they each stood there just staring a look of clear want showing across their faces, each trying to come up with the best way of getting at the meat while avoiding the clothes but so far none of them made a move towards the pile.