Chapter 2

TAKEN.

Lisas POV:

My eyes fluttered open,and I wasn't lying in my warm bed.There's a dull ache throbbing at the back of my skull,and I try to bring my fingertips to the source of my pain.

I realized my hands are chained, shackled and bound like an animal.

“O my God! Maxwell!”

I rattle my chains that are attached to my handcuffs,trying to gather my bearings,how to remember how the hell I got here.

It's dark,but not too dark.My eyes just haven't adjusted to the surroundings yet. I blink rapidly, scanning the room that I have been chained to.

“Is this basement or a cell?”I asked, talking to no one in particular.

Sunrise is peeking into my new nightmare, confirming that I am indeed awake.

The more I struggled,the more the chains dug into my flesh, making it red hot with pain.

“Tardlet bitch! you're finally awake”A man declares as he appears at the base of the dungeon.His belly protruding from the too short hem of his shirt and splotches of sweat stain his armpit.

Vomit swirls in the pit of my stomach and I want to puke .

“How much did Maxwell Brown pay you?”I finally found my voice.

“Guards!”He screamed, totally ignoring me.

He matched up to me, unlocking my chains.

“Take her away”he commanded with a fling of an arm.

“Where are you taking me to?”

I tried persisting but they were too strong, dragging me like I was some children's toy.

“You'd soon find out”he smirked a sly

“Maxwell was so unwise to let you go”.

The guards hauled me to the door and my heart raced in my chest,trying to make out meaning from what he said.

“Leave me alone”I forced words from my bare teeth and they ignored me as though I didn't talk.

I continued screaming, perhaps someone might come to rescue me but then I remembered,it was all pointless.

“I have money,I would wire everything to your account,just let me go”.My words falling on deaf ears again.

I feel my resolve crumbling,My heart racing beneath my rib cage,trying to make a break for it.

We took a turn and stopped by a door with a small screen glued to the side.One of the guards crouched and and looked into it as it scanned his eyeballs.

The door squeaked and clicked open.

“Please don't do this, please..”before I could continue,a hand connected with my cheeks giving me a painful sting.

They dragged me into a room and the short,stubby man I met at the dungeon approached me.

My heart skips a beat and palpitates, my breathing goes shallow.

I involuntarily stepped back,but the guards pushed me forward.

“Leave me the fuck alone!”

“Soon my dear”he replied.

The man groped my breast and gave it a painful squeeze and I winced.

His hand gripped my gown and ripped it apart leaving me in my black panties and black bra.

My lips trembled to speak but his glare made my words pile up in my throat.

“You’d fetch me a lot of money”he smirked,”Max was indeed a greedy man”.

I was lost in thought when he ripped my pants, I was drenched in sweat.

My eyes scanned  around the room,plush chairs were arranged serially on top of each steps and the walls were thick with heavy metallic cotton draped almost all over.

There were many girls like me at the other corner of the room,looking close at their body was adorned with scars,bruises and whip lashes all over their bodies.Dirt was splattered all over their skins with tangled hair that hand not been brushed.

And it clicked! This was the underworld I read in novels.

Maxwell had kidnapped me?

“Why?”I screamed.

They all stopped what they were doing and turned to my direction.Another man with a whip and baton rushed,he raised the whip high enough and I felt it across my back.The pain stung as hell.

My eyes shut momentarily stopping the breaking tears that threatened to fall.

Minutes passed and the clock ticked and I bowed my head in silence.This was the first time I was bare before people.I felt hot tears on my cheeks 

“Ok girls”A different man who just entered the place spoke.He obviously looked like the boss.

“Now, I need you all to behave.Many masters will be arriving soon,so do me good and make me good money,a new life awaits you “He left as quickly as he came.

Everything was pointing to an auction,I would be sold.

In no distant time,the door clicked open and chattering of male voices filled the place.It was here and it’s time.

Different men trooped in,obviously they looked like kings.One could tell that indeed they were rich.

We were arranged in a single file and took turns entering the stage. I was expecting them to give us clothes but we were entering the stage bare.

It was my turn, I began shedding unending tears.

One of the brutes jerked his head motioning for me to move forward.

I swallowed a lump as I slowly made my way to the podium.That was the worst moment in my life and I wished the ground  would just open and swallow me in.

“Raise your Head!”The auctioneer spoke.

“No!”I said firmly.

The auctioneer  made an attempt to hold my chin and I bit his hand and fled from the stage. I heard gasps and whispers from the crowd as I ran.

Few steps away from the stage, I was roughly dragged back in and given hard blows in front of the crowd.

It puzzled me to know why the crowd was in support of this madness.

“Sorry for that”the auctioneer addressed the crowd.

“Going for $500,000”he looked around the crowd searching for the beginning bidder.

“$500,000”a man raised his hand and the crowd gasped in somewhat shock.

“800,000$”another fellow said, buttoning his suit and giving a devilish look.

“$8M”the first man countered.He seemed adamant.

“Going for $8M then”the auctioneer said.

Guards emerged to lead me to the waiting room and a voice echoed through the hall,

“$50M” The man who had been boring holes into my skin spoke.

He continued staring at me as though he could see through me,but I tried to avoid his gaze at all cost.

The whole suddenly turned quiet and everyone turned their gaze to the owner of the voice.

“Going for $50M then”The auctioneer looked around for any objections and couldn't find any.He banged the wooden gavel and that ended my auction.