CHAPTER 2

Mia’s POV

Pain. Terrible pain was all I could feel at the moment. It felt as if my head was being repeatedly slammed against the wall, causing immense discomfort. My body, too, was incredibly weak, making it feel like I weighed more than I could manage to move.

I struggled to open my eyes, fighting against the drowsiness and the overwhelming urge to welcome sleep once again. With great effort, I managed to pry my eyelids open and take in my surroundings.

What I saw left me speechless. The place was dimly lit and filthy, with faint rays of sunlight filtering through a small window. As I tried to move, I realized I was being held back by something strong. Looking down, I saw chains restraining my arms and legs, just like the rest of the girls huddled beside me.

There were surprisingly many girls here, a total of ten. Some wore expressions of confusion and uncertainty, while others showed fear. A few seemed unfazed by the situation, as if they had grown accustomed to it. I found myself aligning more with the scared group. I couldn't even begin to comprehend what was happening.

Suddenly, my memory came rushing back, reminding me of the intruder who had injected me and brought me here. But why? That was the burning question in my mind.

My sister! Where was she? Could she be trapped here as well? Worriedly, I scanned the faces of the girls, hoping to catch a glimpse of Maddie. But she was nowhere to be found. What had happened to her?

"I see this is your first time," a voice beside me said.

The voice sounded kind and calm, almost comforting.

I turned to face the source of the voice and saw a girl in her late twenties. She had dark black hair and intelligent, dark eyes. From her demeanor, it was evident that she had experienced a lot and was unfazed by it all.

Unsure of what to say, I simply nodded in response.

"Yeah, I could tell. You seem afraid and I bet you have a lot of questions. Maybe I can answer some," she offered.

I stared at her for a moment, unsure if this was some kind of trap. But the reassuring smile she gave me helped calm my nerves, if only momentarily.

"Yes, you're right. I do have some questions. Where is this place? Why are we chained up? Can we escape? We should do something!" I pleaded, a mixture of sobs and anger escaping my lips.

All I wanted was to leave, and it seemed like no one else was making any attempts to escape. Was I the only one bothered by this? Was I the only one who found this situation odd?

"Whoa, slow down with the questions, girl. Firstly, you can't, and please, do not try to escape. It will only put yourself and the rest of us in danger," she warned sternly.

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"There's no way out. And if you make a move to escape, they'll put a gun to your head in a heartbeat... and maybe to the rest of us, who knows? The last time someone tried to escape, it ended badly," she whispered.

"You seem to know a lot about all this," I observed.

"Where is this place, and why do you know so much?" I inquired.

"I'm not sure if you're ready to hear this yet, but I'll tell you anyway. This is an auction room, and you're going to be sold. There's no choice in the matter. Don't try to fight it; it'll only make things worse. Trust me, I'm speaking from experience," she warned, her tone serious.

"And as for why I know so much," she continued, a hint of resignation in her voice, "that's because I've been here more times than I can count. I've been sold multiple times, but somehow, I always end up back here. I guess I'm just too much to handle... you know?" She ended with a forced giggle, masking the pain behind her words.

My heart clenched, unable to comprehend how she could make such a terrible situation seem light and be so unfazed by it all.

"Wait!" I gasped, my voice trembling with fear and desperation. "You said 'sold'! What do you mean by that?!"

Before she could respond, the sound of the iron door at the far end of the room scraping open caught our attention. Instinctively, we fell silent, knowing that the guards had arrived, and they were far from friendly. The girl beside me straightened up and distanced herself from me, a clear signal to remain quiet.

I sealed my mouth shut, whimpering softly as the gang of guards entered the room. They roughly unlocked our chains, leaving scars in their wake, devoid of any care or concern for our well-being.

"Get up and make your way to the next room," barked the guard who seemed to be in charge, his authoritative voice filling the air.

The ten of us girls rose in unison, forming a straight line, and obediently followed the direction toward the next room. Not a single complaint was uttered, as if we all knew the consequences of any defiance.

The next room contained only a middle-aged woman. The guards remained outside, and the door was shut behind them, enclosing us in an unsettling silence.

"Strip!" the woman ordered, her voice cold and commanding.

My breath caught in my throat, unsure if I had heard her correctly. But as I saw the other girls promptly begin to remove their clothes without hesitation, I realized that I hadn't misheard. Their eyes turned toward me, silently questioning my reluctance.

Feeling the weight of their gaze, I reluctantly started to undress, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment and vulnerability. Soon, I stood completely bare, exposed in this cold and degrading room.

"I'll start with you," the woman said, her voice devoid of any warmth. Her eyes scrutinized every inch of my body as she circled me, her hands groping and violating my personal space. I felt a sense of dirtiness wash over me, and I couldn't help but squirm under her touch.

A tight-lipped smile crossed her face as she nodded in approval at my reaction. "Virgin?" she asked, her voice monotone and robotic.

I nodded, my voice caught in my throat, unwilling to give her any satisfaction.

"Use your voice," she reprimanded angrily.

"Yes," I choked out, suppressing the tears that begged to be released.

"Good. You'll fetch a higher price," she muttered to herself, a mischievous grin forming on her lips.

The remainder of my time in the inspection room became a blur as she proceeded to subject the other girls to the same degrading scrutiny. Once the inspection was over, we were given a quick bath and clothed in skimpy lingerie that barely covered anything.

One by one, the girls were called to the stage, where they were put up for auction. From backstage, I couldn't see the audience, but the boisterous cheers, lewd remarks, and catcalls made it clear that there were many men present.

"Mia, it's your turn now," the guard ordered.

Fear and worry coursed through me as my heart pounded in my chest. I wasn't ready for whatever fate awaited me on that stage, but I had no choice.