Chapter 1: Sold at an Auction

It was Auction Day. The sun had barely risen, casting a pale light through the grimy windows of the old warehouse. Inside, the air was thick with the stench of sweat and desperation. Shadows danced in the dimly lit space, moving with an eerie life of their own. Her father had taken another loan to gamble, chasing after dreams of quick riches. As always, luck had not been on his side, and the creditors were relentless. This time, he had nothing left to give. Nothing except her.

The auction room was packed with men, their faces hidden in the dim gloom. They clapped and cheered as different girls were brought onto the stage, each one a sacrificial offering to their base desires. The auctioneer's voice echoed through the space, a frightening chant that punctuated the filthy spectacle. The men raised their tags, their laughter mingling with the cries of the girls, creating a roar of misery and greed.

Two sturdily built men dragged her onto the stage. She stumbled, her feet barely catching her fall, her wrists bound tightly behind her back. The blindfold over her eyes was suffocating, plunging her into a darkness that matched the void she felt inside. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat a desperate plea for escape. She could hear the whispers, the lustful comments, the hungry gazes she couldn't see but felt burning into her skin.

"Take off her blindfold!" a voice shouted from the small audience. It was a command, not a request, and the room fell silent for a moment. She felt the rough hands of the men as they fumbled with the cloth, and then, abruptly, the world exploded into blinding light. She blinked rapidly, her vision slowly adjusting to the harshness. Shapes became faces, and faces became monsters.

As she squinted against the brightness, she saw the men raising their tags, one after the other. Their eyes radiated with a predatory hunger, their lips curled into cruel smiles. They were laughing, pointing, appraising her as if she were a piece of meat. "This one is beautiful," someone sneered, attracting more laughter and bids.

"I want her." The voice was calm, authoritative. It cut through the noise like a knife through flesh. She hadn't noticed him before, a man sitting at the back, enveloped in shadows. His presence was commanding, and as soon as he spoke, the other men lowered their tags in unison. The room fell into an uneasy silence, all eyes shifting towards him. The auctioneer nodded, a glint of fear in his eyes, and motioned for her to be taken off the stage.

She was dragged away, her legs barely able to support her. She watched as the man stood up, his face still covered by darkness. Her heart sank as she was blindfolded again, the darkness swallowing her whole. She felt herself being lifted, carried like a doll, and then placed into a car. The noises from the auction room faded into the background, replaced by the muted hum of the vehicle's engine. Other girls were still being dragged onto the stage, their fates sealed by the same cruel hands.

Her mind was weary, a fog of hatred and despair clouding her thoughts. She hated her life, she hated the family she had been born into, and most of all, she hated her father for selling her like livestock. The car ride was a blur, the voices of men chattering blending into an incomprehensible murmur. They talked about her beauty, their words dripping with a vile admiration that made her skin crawl.

"She's up," someone said, breaking through the haze in her mind. She felt a sudden rush of panic, her body tensing as footsteps approached. Before she could react, a hand moved up to cover her nose with a soft, sickly sweet-smelling material. She struggled for a moment, but the world quickly began to spin, the darkness closing in once more. The last thing she heard before succumbing to unconsciousness was the cold, detached voice of the man who had bought her, sealing her fate with a simple transaction.

She woke up in a dimly lit room, the cold stone floor biting into her skin. Her wrists were still bound, and the blindfold was gone, but the oppressive darkness remained. She could hear the muffled sounds of the auction house echoing in her mind, the memory of the men's gazes and taunting remarks haunting her every thought. Her body ached, her spirit broken, but somewhere deep inside, a spark of defiance still burned. She had been sold like an object, but she was determined not to be broken.

Time passed in a blur, each second an eternity in the dark. The door creaked open, and she flinched as light flooded the room. A man who looked like he was in his mid 30s stood in the doorway, his face finally visible. He was tall, with sharp features and eyes that seemed to pierce through her. He stepped inside, closing the door behind him, and the darkness seemed to retreat in his presence.

He just continued to stare at her without a word.

….

She stared at him, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and curiosity. Why was he looking at her like that? What did he want to do with her? Should she say something?

He walked up to her, making her flinch as he reached out, his hand gently lifting her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.

She grunted in pain while trying to turn away from his gaze, but he held her firmly and steady as his eyes bore into hers.

“You!”

Was he talking to her? What is he talking about? She was lost and she blurted out —"Me?"

His grip on her chin tightened. "You have no idea what you've done, do you?" There was a dangerous edge to his voice, like the whisper of a blade being unsheathed.

She swallowed hard, her mind racing. What had she done? The possibilities swirled through her thoughts, each more alarming than the last. But she refused to let her fear show. "Why don't you enlighten me?" she challenged, a hint of bravado in her tone.

His lips curved into a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Oh, I intend to." He released her chin abruptly and took a step back, his gaze never leaving hers. "But first, I need to know if you're truly as ignorant as you seem, or if this is all an elaborate act."

She rubbed her chin, feeling the ache from where he had held her. "I don't play games," she said firmly, though her heart raced in her chest.

He chuckled, a sound devoid of humor. "Everyone plays games, my dear. The question is whether you know the rules of this one." He reached into his pocket, retrieving an object she couldn't quite see. "Shall we find out together?"