Chapter 3: Auction

[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, cigarettes heels clicking the on the floor, and stopped in front of me. She pointed it in my direction with its tip and motioned me to stand. Afraid that she would hit me with it, I slowly stood up, my knees buckling at the process but eventually stood up at my full height. I kept my face up, willed myself not to cower, and straightened my back even though my nerves were wrecking me up inside.

“You can take her for the prize had been set to a minimum opening bid that starts at ten million dollars. Do I have any bidders for this doll?” The emcee continued with his script. The murmuring voices grew louder, waging their monies on me.

I was stunned for a bit when I realized how much I had cost for this auction. The others started at five million and been sold at the highest of twenty. Is there anybody in here who would want to spend that much money for me? I don’t even think I will be that worthy. My father even sold me for only thousands of dollars, and I even felt that it was already too much.

“Do I hear ten?”

I couldn’t even properly hear the emcee. My heart was beating even harder in my chest that I could even hardly understand what the emcee was saying.

“Yes, Mr. Liciano bids fifteen million dollars. Any other bidders going higher than fifteen?”

Did he just say fifteen? I squinted my eyes, trying to see past the beams of the spotlight, but I could even make out any people from below. The fact that the emcee could read through the glare of lights mystifies me the most.

“Counting once…” he started counted, “…going twice….”

I thought my display would be short-lived since fifteen million is pretty much costly, but the emcee called out another name again.

“Yes, I see Mr. Kusamatov bids twenty-five million dollars. Wow, that’s the highest bid for tonight. Any other bidder going higher than twenty-five?”

That is insane! And if my eyes could get any bigger, it will most definitely pop out from its socket. Who are these people? Why are they spending too much money on the people like me?

This should be illegal!

“Counting once…”

“Oh, Mr. Luciano doesn’t want to let loose for our doll. He bids thirty million dollars. Does anyone want to get higher than thirty?”

I now had a hard time following the dialogues, and the numbers kept on getting higher and higher, and it’s making me dizzy.

“Counting once…”

“… going twice…”

“…thri– Oh, we have a new bidder for this doll. Mr. Bronislav bids Fifty Million Dollars.” “Wow, just wow.”

I felt like I wasn’t a human. I felt like a piece of trash that had been found in the dumpster, which they cleaned and put in a box where stupid people collected them.

“Does anybody want to get higher than fifty?”

“Counting once…”

I was no longer listening to them. I was only staring up ahead blankly as I imagined my life. My freedom faded in front of me.

Well, actually, I never experience what freedom is like. Ever since my mama died. Papa got his clutch on me like an eagle’s talon wrapped around me suffocatingly.

“…going twice…”

“…Thrice!”

Maybe that is my fate in life.

“Our doll had been sold to Mr. Bronislav.”

I was jolted back to my reality as the mallet pounded on the wooden podium.

Have I been sold?

How much? To who?

I am at a loss with words for a moment.

People have started flooded on the auction block, the emcee shaking his hands to many mask people wearing his wide grin and in congratulations for the successful event while my cage was pushed towards the backstage.

I saw the other girls standing in line. All of them had a series of numbers tagged attached to the chains connected to the leather collar of their neck.

A rough hand suddenly clutches my arm, only a startled yelp escapes from me as he yanks me out from the cage and starts dragging me to the farthest spot on the line.

“Hey, careful!” I sneered at him. My injured knee protested from the sudden jolt of my body. It wasn’t that painful since the anesthesia they injected worked well, but for sure, sooner than later, it will wear off and put in an excruciating pain again.

The overly muscled man ignored me and kept his face stoic as he lets go of me. From his waist, he took a glitter-covered chain. On the other end was attached with a leather collar rimmed with sparkling diamonds studs. He unclasped the existing metal one on my neck and replaced it with the new one.

“Don’t try to run, or else we’ll shoot you on the head.” He warned me before leaving which I only responded with a glare.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes when he threatened me like he’s not fully aware that I cannot run faster since my knees won’t function properly.

The cold air coming from the ventilation system brushes on my exposed skin, eliciting an involuntary shudder on my spine. The girls on my side were shaking as well, their heads bowed lowly, and I could see the glistening tears welling up at the corners of their eyes.

My nerves were wracking me up as well. I wanted to flee this hellhole as soon as possible, but I feared I wouldn’t see the sunrise again if I did that.

Dying is something that I am scared of because no one will know what lies ahead in the afterlife.

If there’s any, that is.