Chapter 5

  People in the stands begin to get up and bustle about, off to meander until the next object of interest goes up for bid. The smell of something delicious lingering in the air is probably tempting them to go and spend their money for a taste of it. My stomach growls and I wish I had my father here to buy some food for us to eat together. Now isn't the time to think about food, Euroah, focus! The gruff man starts cranking a lever and the tension that had been pulling on my wrists lessens. An idea pops into my head and any thought of filling my stomach leaves me.

  Here it is! My arms start to lower and I see my only possible opportunity for escape. If I jump off the stage, I can probably run. There's got to be a way out that's just out of sight to the right or left of the stage. I just have to make a bet on which way. Beyond the stands is an entrance somewhere, otherwise all of these people couldn't have gotten in. As soon as the hook holding the end of my chain is low enough, I lower my wrists as low as I can and then, with all my might, with every ounce of anger in my tiny body, I fling my arms up, lifting the chain just high enough to jump off the hook!

  'Run!' I tell myself, and then I hear my feet pounding on the wooden stage. The gruff man jumps over to catch me but he misses and dives head first onto the floor. That's going to leave a new mark on that ugly face of his! Before the quick talker can grab me, I leap as far as I can, past the podium, under a string of lights, behind a curtain, and right to the edge of the stage. The only way down that I can see is to jump. Here goes nothing! I hit the ground and roll, but I'm able to get up fast enough to avoid being snatched up by my pursuers.

  "Somebody catch her!", the quick talking man shouts, as I see men in black suits running toward me.

  I look up and quickly gather my sense of direction. Sprinting toward the stands, more and more men in the same suits start closing in on me from various directions. At least I tried. I know that I'm trapped, but I won't just give up so easily. I need to at least throw a fit to repay them for how unjust this all is! I stop, turn to face the suited men coming at me, and I let out a primal scream, like I've never screamed before. This is my only chance to let them know how much I despise them! With all my vocal power, I declare my high pitched vow to seek revenge for this humiliation and injustice in my next life.

  As long as I breathe, I'll never forget today. I attempt to drop to my knees in surrender when I feel an arm completely surround me, squeezing me so tight that my lungs can barely fill with air. Gasping, tears streaming down my cheeks, I look up, trying to make eye contact with the wall of muscle, holding me from behind. Glaring down at me is the most incredible face I've ever set eyes on. Is he a man, or have I died and met a creature of the heavens? For a moment, I gaze in stunned silence, as his grey eyes pierce through my soul. Jet black hair frames this face, drawing me into his hypnotizing leer. As the man begins to speak, the terrifying realization of who this man is takes my breath away.

  "My new toy is trying to run from me before I even get a chance to play with it. How infuriating.", says the voice, no, the man who bought me.

  The cold, yet beautiful face I'm looking into is my new master. Acknowledging this fact, I squirm, in an attempt to get away from him. While his beauty intrigues me, I've never been so frightened. In one swift move, he spins me to face him, slams me onto the ground, and puts his hand on my neck, pinning me down. The wind is completely knocked out of me and all I can do is stare at him, gasping for breath, pleading for mercy. He flips the hair out of his face and lowers himself down, straddling me.

  Looking straight into my eyes, he says, "You don't seem to know who's boss, do you? Don't worry that pretty little head of yours. I know how to fix that."

  This statement, the monotone voice, the hand on my neck just hard enough to cause discomfort but not cut off my airways, makes me more scared than I've been since the time this whole thing began. His gentleness, even while using force, is shocking to me. How can he be so strong? He could snap my neck here and now and he's choosing not to. But his hands... They're so soft. Not like the brute's. Maybe it's the adrenaline coursing through my veins, but my heart is beating uncontrollably. He cocks his head to one of the black suits.

  "Pack her up. I'll take her straight way."

  Without another word, he gets up and releases his grip on my neck. The man in the black suit ties my ankles with a much softer rope than I had been bound with previously and picks me up, throwing me over his shoulder. My fight is over. I have not emerged victorious and there is nothing left for me to hope for. Any idea I had of escaping this place and returning to my quiet life is now gone. I close my eyes and wish I could be anywhere but here. No people around, just me and a field of flowers.

  "Very nice.", my owner says as he walks over to look me in the face. "Do you understand the situation now?"

  The situation? He doesn't seem like a farmer. He's too clean. Perhaps he's just so wealthy that he doesn't do any of the work himself. Or maybe he's a trader? In that case, what could he possible put me to work for? I'd be useless to him. The situation is that I'm at the mercy of a beautiful, strange man and I don't have a choice because my only chance at escape failed, okay? At least that's what I would say if I could. But my pride won't allow me to answer his question. I don't want to give up, even though I know there's nothing I can do. I can only turn my head and face away from him.

  "I guess not", he says, feigning pity for me.

  He straightens up, pauses for a moment, and takes a few steps closer to me. Taking a few paces to the side, he walks around to meet my gaze again, and then places his open hand on my bottom. A warmth rushes to my cheeks as I feel his long, slender fingers grip me through the thin layer of cloth and begin to slowly glide down my thigh and start to creep back up, never looking away from me while he strokes me. Outraged, scared, and humiliated at the thought of so many people watching this scene unfold, I yell out my response to his original question.

  "I understand! Please, I understand!", whimper and tremble, as he softly tickles me, making me shudder.

  "Good!", he says with a rumble like thunder in his voice, before spanking me with a loud clap!

  My hope and my dignity in shambles, I try to shut out the rest of the world around me as the black suit follows my master to a shiny black car and I focus only on remembering the tune my father used to sing to me as a child. 'Be well, be fine, until we meet again. I'm yours, you're mine, our love will never end. You're in my heart, near or far. Be well, be kind, sweet love of mine.' As long as I carry my father's song in my heart, I'll be okay until we meet again. 

  Be well, Father. We'll meet again in another life. I'll try my hardest to survive in this one. As long as you're with me in my heart, I'll be fine.