[Erin]
I was lying on cold hard ground.
My wrists and feet were bound behind my back, and my left knee was in excruciating pain.
My eyes were covered, and my mouth was gagged with a piece of cloth.
Where am I?
I don't know.
How did I end up here?
My father happened. And it happened too fast for my mind to process it all.
It was after midnight, and I was sleeping when my drunken father arrived home. Nothing has changed. He was like this when I was fifteen years old, and my mother died of leukemia. He has never been sober since.
He drowned himself with alcohol and gambling. He already had forgotten that he still had a daughter that needed him.
I struggled to live and learned how to fend myself. I worked at a young age for both of us to have a roof in our head, so we had food in our fridge and covered our monthly bills. Hence, that was not enough. Working in a coffee shop isn't enough. I am not enough.
I can't leave him, though, even if I want to. He is the only family I have, and I cannot bear the thought of leaving him behind.
He woke me up that night for money. Asking me for a large sum of money that I did not have. I can see his desperation in his eyes at the time, and I've never seen him so terrified.
"Papa? Why do you need that much money? I only have pennies to last us until next week." When I told him that, he became enraged. He begins rummaging through my belongings, flipping my drawers upside down.
I have saved some money, but that was for myself. I planned to go back to school and was saving for that, but still, it wasn't enough compared to the amount he's asking me.
"You ungrateful little bitch! I know you have cash hidden somewhere! Give me your money before they get here!" He began yelling and destroying everything in my room. They? What is he talking about?
"I promise, Papa, I don't have any. I just paid our bills last week." I reasoned out, scooted further to my worn-out bed, afraid that he might hit me.
My father is a large man who stands six-five feet tall, and my petite frame would have nothing to do with it if he decided to throw me against the wall.
He had hurt me once when I told him to stop drinking liquor, and I learned not to mess with him again. With a broken bone, I couldn't walk straight for a month.
"Liar! Where is it?!" He violently forced open my cabinet, tossing my belongings to the floor. Cursing when he couldn't find anything, then began raiding the drawers under my desk.
That's where I kept my money.
Without thinking, I jumped out of my bed and ran to stop him.
That money is all I have for my future, and I can't have my father squander it.
"Papa, please stop this. I don't have money left. Please." I said, trying hard not to cry. His nose flared, and his face reddened with anger.
"What are you hiding? Is that where you stashed your money?!" He hollered, but I refused to budge, even though it terrified me.
"Please, Papa. That's all I've got." I pleaded with him to stop whatever he was doing.
"You dare to defy me now?" He spat, even more outraged. He grabbed my hair painfully and shoved me on the floor. I gasped in pain when my knees hit the shards of glass scattered around the base, burying deep into my flesh.
"What is this? Is this all you have? This is not enough!" He complained, holding the two thousand dollars I had stashed away for myself.
My knees were burning with pain, with blood flowing from the wound. Welling tears had made my vision hazy.
The frequent knocks drew our attention. My father blanched and cursed under his breath, looking down on me and tightly grasping both of my shoulders. Red veins protruded from his bulging eyes, sweat beaded down his brow, and his palms were clammy and cold against my skin.
"Erin, I need more money now. They will kill me. Do you want your father to get killed?" My heart beating down on my throat with dread and anxiety.
What does he get himself into this time?
I shook my head subtly. Tears had found their way down to my face. I have nothing left in me. I can't help him with what he wants.
He's already holding the money I have saved up for my future.
"Papa, I--"
"It is your fault if I'm going to die. Remember that!" He cut me off without letting me finish what I wanted to say.
The violent knocking continues in the background as I look at my supposed to be my father. The man that was supposed to love and protect me and not blame me for the misfortune happening in his life.
How is it going to be my fault? I don't even know what is happening.
We heard the door busted open, loud footsteps entered from our entryway.
"Romanov! Come out, come out wherever you are." The intruder sang maliciously, whistling like death walking down in our house.
"Who are they?" I whispered. My heart started to beat wildly inside my rib cage. My father stiffened at their voices and ignored my inquiry.
"Where is the money that you've promised us? Romanov?" One of them called out again, footsteps shuffling as they randomly opened every door inside, drawing nearer to my room.
My father sighed, releasing me from his grip, and went outside my room without bothering to close my door.
"Viktor, why do you have to come here to my house? I told you I'll give you the money tomorrow." I heard my father say nervously. Does he know them?
"Come on, Romanov. You don't have my money, do you? I mean, where will you get a hundred thousand dollars in one night?" The man scoffed.
My eyes went wide from the amount he's asking. Shock is an understatement. Hundred thousand dollars? He's gambling on that considerable amount of money? Did he lose? Is that why these people are after him? He owed them big time.
I slowly stood up, a sharp pain shooting on my left knee, but I clamped my hands down on my mouth to keep from making any noise and listened closely to their conversation.
Are they going to hurt him if he can't pay? Should I call the police?
Yes, that's the right thing to do. Call the police. My phone laid on my bedside table. I carefully hobbled my way towards it and picked up my phone.
I quickly dialed the emergency hotline, but my thumb hovered over the call button. I heard a loud thud followed by my father's voice shouting in pain, but what he said next made my heart drop.
"My daughter. I have a daughter. Take her instead. Please don't hurt me."
How can a father sell the life of his child like that?
How can a man be so soulless and take one's life?
In front of me, I saw with my own eyes how the man named Viktor shot my father in the head after they chased me down outside our house.
I managed to jump out of the window after my father had said that, but it was too late. I didn't know there were many of them outside. My injured knee was not helping any better.
I was mortified by the scene that flashed in front of me. I thought my heart would stop beating, and my mind went blank as the man I had known as my father was murdered.
The last thing I remember was being hit by something behind my head.
That's how I got here.
The ground I am lying on vibrated, yanking me back to my present situation. I am in a vehicle, that's for sure. Judging by the sound of the engine roaring to life.
I felt something shifted beside me, followed by a whimper and another one not far away from me.
I am not alone.
There were many of us inside.
A clang of metal chains caught my hearing and an unfamiliar voice.
"How many of them?"
"Ten, boss." Another voice replied.
"Good. Take them to Kirstina and prepare for the auction."
Auction? Cold seeped through my voice as I heard the metal doors groaning closed and the heavy clicking of padlocks imprisoning us. Sobs echoed around me as the vehicle accelerated, taking us to our impending damnation.
They are selling us?
[Erin]The truck we’re in came into a grinding stop. I rolled into across the floor from the sudden cessation of momentum, bumping myself into someone.I groaned when I hit my injured knee into a hard surface.The metal door creaked open, dread crawling up inside me. This is it. Hell had opened up for me.Rugged boots pounded on the floor, padding towards our huddled bodies.We were picked up one by one, and excruciating pain tormented my left knee when a rough hand closed on my arm, yanking me up.I yelp, but it was muffled by the gag on my mouth.It was already daylight. I can tell by the small amount of light penetrating my blindfold.“Boss! This one is injured.” Announced by the man that was holding me. Another pair of hands inspected my knee and then to my face. I tried to pull away and shrink from the touch, but they kept me tighter.“Easy now, darling.” The m
[Erin] My turn had come. The other girls had been sold to the highest bidders with a whopping amount of million dollars. I could even hear the cries of protest to each one of them as the rubber mallet pounded on the podium just like a judge sentencing a death penalty to a criminal. My body jolted from the sudden movement as the cage was being dragged towards the center stage. The intense flashings of light produced by the cameras blinded me as the thick satin cloth had been removed from my cage. Choruses of awes, claps, and cheers erupted from below the auction block. My heart was beating faster than the horses racing on the track field as the bidding started. “Ladies and gentlemen, for our last item in the cart. This lovely young lady, a twenty years old doll. She was silent but a bit feisty. She can be whatever you want her to be. A trophy for this lovely evening to satisfy the needs of your carnal desires.” Kirstina moved forward with a leather lashing stick on her hand, ciga
[Erin]My teeth were gnashing against each other, the tiny hairs of my body stood erect that I could already see the small bumps on my skin. I was damn freezing with this type of clothes they made me wear, and I can't even consider this as a cloth. It was only garter straps that were only enough to cover my private areas.The girls that were also on the line seem to be freezing; they were hugging themselves, shivering from the cold.I was looking at them, rubbing my palm against my arms to create friction in hopes of giving me some warmth.What are we doing here? Are we waiting for our new owner?I was mulling over my own thoughts with dread coiling and furling inside my lower belly, too occupied to even keep myself aware of my surroundings.Just then, a heavy soft cloth drapes into my shoulders, startling me to my feet and sends my heart into gallops, ripping a squeak out from my throat."Relax, I'm not goin
[Erin]The ride was quiet. Akim focused his gaze on the road. It was already night. It was too dark for me to see outside or hint me anything of where we were going. I couldn't seem to find my voice to speak, despite the blasting cold air conditioner inside the car, and I was sweating bullets.Good thing that Akim give me his coat or else, I'll be freezing my butt off in this seat. It is my first time riding in a luxurious car. I have never even imagined being inside of one. However, I never thought that it would be like this. I couldn't enjoy how smooth it drives on the road. Fear was overwhelming all of it.My clammy palms clasp tightly on the seat belt. I was staring at the dark road ahead. I am not seeing anything, aside from the two-lane street we are now taking and the high walls at the side. The car swerves over the curve street, and just on the end of the road, a gigantic black gate emerges. It was so high that I cou
[Erin]My chest tightened as my heart dropped. Figuratively speaking. I believe my lungs are not functioning properly at this time as well, as it is refusing to pump enough air through my system that I will collapse any time at this moment.Akim gently pushes me forward. But I can’t move, my feet feel as if they are glued to the ground. My mouth feels as parched as the Sahara, and I'm literally shaking my wits off with fear.“Come on, sweet cake, move forward,” Akim whispered right
[Erin]What?Everything stops. I’m not even sure if I hear it right.Does he mean that he’s not going to kill me?The cold gun was still pressed on the side of my head, and he was holding the trigger. If anything, he could be jesting me and would blow my head into bits. While Akim stood there motionless as if what this man said astounds him as well.I could feel the sweat trickling down at the column of my neck as the jugular hollow of my throat drummed with tension. My lungs constricted, my knees blaring with pain. Hence my body froze at the moment.Nobody spoke. A pair of mossy green eyes pierced into my brown ones. He removes the gun away from my head and steps
[Erin]The girl smiled at my reaction. My mouth literally dropped when she said that she was going to be my personal maid.I expected to be treated as a slave or something, but I never imagined that Nikolai would appoint someone to look after my personal needs.But on second thought, was this his initiative?My head turned towards the bathroom door where Akim emerged, he was hold
[Erin]A piercing, petrified shriek penetrates the depths of my eardrums, jolting me out of my brief slumber. In the background, the sound of running water slapping against the marbled floor resounded. The bleach white wall blurred in my vision as my lids fluttered open. My nose immediately stings as I try to take a deep breath, but instead of air, water rushes into my nasal passages, instantly wheezing as I gasp for air.“Oh, goodness, Erin! Are you alright? I thought you were dead!” A woman’s voice shouted on my side. I whipped my head, blowing the excess water off my nose as I fully came to my senses. Only to be greeted by Micah's concerned expression hovering above me.I look at her with a baffled expression, my brows furrowed deeply.