Being a Shepherd rather than a Disciple is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, you have free will, control over your life, and your own personality remains intact. But it comes at a price.

You see, humans are born into one of two groups. Either you're a Shepherd, like me. You can control the mind of another person for their entire life. That person is known as a Disciple.

Disciples are essentially slaves to their Shepherds. If a Shepherd commands them to jump off a cliff, they would do so happily. They are completely under our control, and that's where the problem lies.

Your average Disciple has only the most basic of emotions and thoughts when left to their own devices. Their Shepherd is morally obliged to be responsible for their charge, meaning that we have to keep giving them instructions for every last thing they do. Without our directions, the Disciples would never survive.

Some Shepherds went crazy and got their Disciples to kill themselves, just so they wouldn't have to deal with the responsibility of caring for another person for their entire lives. I knew how they felt. It was an immense amount of pressure, especially if you were still rather young, like me.

I was nearly nineteen, as was my Disciple, Laura. She and I were quite similar, with the same green eyes, slim build, and dark brown hair. The only difference was that I kept my hair cropped short in a pixie cut, whilst Laura's went down to her shoulders.

I regarded her as something akin to a sister, albeit a dreamy, silent one. Growing up, she had been the perfect playmate, as long as I gave her clear enough instructions. Now, however, things sometimes became a little awkward.

You heard horror stories sometimes, about teen Shepherds abusing their power over their Disciples by making them do the most horrific things. Boy-girl couples were the most common combination for it to happen with. The Disciples didn't know what they did was wrong; they merely performed the tasks they were given, no matter what.

It made me rather relieved that I had been born into a coupling with a Disciple of the same gender. The most intimate thing I had ever made her do was give me a back massage a few times. Even that had felt a little weird, and I now respected her enough as a human being to not command her to do so again.

I looked up from my laptop as I lay on my bed, thinking all of this over. Laura was sitting with her back against the bed, her feet stretched out in front of her. She was toying with the silver necklace I had had made engraved with her name again. The thing fascinated her simple mind, like a dog with a favourite toy. I smiled as I watched her, then went back to what I was doing.

Disciples merely blended into the background after a while. They could be given quite complicated tasks and perform them perfectly, if the Shepherd commanded them clearly. Sometimes I managed to get Laura to wash, dress, and feed herself before I even woke up in the mornings. It was really just a case of getting the balance just right.

My stomach growled suddenly. I sighed and mentally reached out to Laura. She perked up as I entered her mind, like a dog whose master has returned home. With a practised series of mental commands, I had her stand up, walk out of the room and downstairs to get us both some food. I liked to match her meals with my own, so that I didn't forget to feed her later on.

That was the sort of small thing that led to Disciples dying, either from starvation, dehydration, exposure or any number of other things. All it took was one careless command (or lack thereof) and the next thing you knew, you were alone in the world.

Being a Shepherd without a Disciple was practically a one-way ticket to depression. Having a whole half of your world suddenly disappear often sent Shepherds into spirals of anger, sadness and ultimately suicidal thoughts. That was why it was important to take good care of your Disciple.

Laura returned with a sandwich for both of us. I let her eat hers as I bit into my own, watching her as she ate. Even after nineteen years of doing so, I still found it fascinating to watch my charge perform my commands. The very fact that I could easily tell her to do anything I wanted rather frightened me at times.

Suddenly my phone beeped. It was a text from my friend Avery.

'You coming out to the disco tonight?' it read. 'Shepherds only!'

I smiled and typed back a reply. Then I sat up on the bed and glanced at the silent Laura as I smiled. Maybe it would be good for me to get out by myself for once.

'Looks like I'm going to a party,' I said to her with a grin as she stared blankly forward. 'Don't wait up for me, alright?'

I stepped from the shelter of the nightclub doorway and shivered. It was well past midnight by now, and there were no taxis in sight. Still, I only lived around ten minutes walk from here. I wasn't looking forward to making the trip in my high heels, but what other choice did I have?

I pulled my jacket tighter around myself as the cold night air sapped the warmth from my limbs. I was already regretting wearing my short blue dress with a pair of thin tights underneath. It had scored me a fair few looks and a couple of drinks from the guys in the nightclub, but now it offered zero protection against the wind.

I had been walking for maybe five minutes when the dim glow of headlights shone from behind me, throwing my shadow up against the darkened buildings to my left. I ignored it at first, thinking it was just a late-night driver on his way home or something. But when it slowed down alongside me, I began to get scared and walk a little faster.

Suddenly, several dark figures sprang from the car's interior and ran towards me. I tried to outrun them, but with my six-inch heels, it was no contest. A heavy hand grabbed my arm and shoulder, pulling me back, while another pressed a damp cloth to my nose and mouth.

I struggled to try and get away, but the sweet-smelling liquid that the cloth had been dipped in was making my head spin. I sank to the ground, my head swimming. Then I blacked out.

I awoke in darkness. I immediately tried to sit up, but found I couldn't. My wrists were tied together, as were my ankles. Another rope ran around my neck like a leash, chafing against my skin. The other end of the tether seemed to be attached to something solid that I couldn't see in the gloom.

My heart pounding, I tried to figure out what had happened. They had drugged me with something. Chloroform, was that what it was called? Had I been kidnapped? The present circumstances would certainly indicate so, the cynical part of my brain pointed out.

I could hear men's voices nearby, muffled by walls. I tried not to panic, almost on the verge of tears. I had no idea what they'd do to me. And no-one knew I was here.

Then I stopped. There was someone.

I closed my eyes and concentrated on the tenuous link in my mind.

When I opened them again, I was looking at a silver necklace in my hands. I stood up and pulled on my boots. It was time to save myself.