"Get up!", I hear as I'm being nudged in the side by a heavy boot. "We haven't got all day to wait on you to get ready! The stands are just full of stallions chomping at the bit for the chance to get at a fresh new pony."
Stands and stallions and ponies? What is he talking about? I'm barely awake and we're already talking about animals? Ah, the auction. I guess I'm being sold with livestock. Have I been sold to a farmer? Perhaps he breeds horses. Before I'm even fully coherent, I'm taken by the arms and pulled up to a standing position. This time, I can feel that there is one person on each side of me. I do my best to gain an understanding of my situation. The hands on my arms aren't as large or rough as the brute man's. Perhaps they belong to women? And I sense another presence somewhere behind me, so there are at least four people here.
"The knife.", the same voice calls out from his position in front of me.
Knife? Wait, what knife? What's happening? He doesn't need a knife! I'm supposed to go to a farm, not my grave! What happened to the stallions and ponies? Does this mean I was the meat he was referring to? Am I going to die here? And who would dare devour the flesh of a fellow human? Shaking off the remaining haze of drowsiness and dehydration, I tug away from the man and nearly fall backwards, but the unwelcome hands on my arms prevent me from going any further. My only option is to beg for mercy. He's shown me none thus far, but I've got to at least give it a try!
"Please don't kill me! I promise you, this is all a misunderstanding!", I shout.
"Misunderstanding?", he growls before starting to snicker. "And what sort of misunderstanding would we have, my dearie?"
"I beg of you, ask my father! I have no uncle! We have no family! It's only my father and I! It always has been! I don't even have a mother, let alone an uncle!", I make my plea.
"Make no mistake little girl.", the man huffs. "Your father did have a brother. And a brother with a gambling problem, at that! It's such a pity you'll never get to know him though. He had an unfortunate accident while running away from his punishment. Luckily for us, he had a special little notebook with him when we finally tracked him down. That is how we found you... And YOU are how we're gonna get our money back to pay his debts!"
I make an attempt to argue but before I can utter a single word back, my blindfold is ripped off and the yellow light of the lanterns burns my pupils, which have been protected by darkness for far too long. Bowing my head away from the light, I blink and squint until I can see clearly again. The man comes closer to me and leans down to look me in the eyes, a sly grin crossing his crooked, sun cracked lips. The evil seeping from him steals the breath from my lungs.
"So sorry about your father though. He couldn't be of any further use, so we sent him to meet his long lost brother. I'm just a sucker for reunions, you know."
Sent him... What did he just say? Does that mean he... My father is... My father can't be dead! It's not true! It just can't be! Those last words cut me deeper than the knife in the man's hand possibly ever could. So lost in my own disbelief, I don't even notice the man bend down and grab the hem of my dirty, tattered nightgown. But the sound of fabric being torn pulls me back to my senses and I instinctively try to pull away, forgetting that I'm being held in place by who I can now see are two women much older than myself. They grip me tighter as I fight against their grasps.
"Don't touch me!", I try to scream at the man, but my mouth is quickly covered by the mysterious third person behind me, just out of my range of sight.
Curse them all with the full wrath of the heavens! All that is done in this life shall be paid for in the life that comes after, and I will never stop praying to all of the stars that they're all punished for their crimes. My skin crawls as the man continues to cut all the way up until my gown falls completely open. Once I'm fully exposed, he stands at his full height and looks me dead in my fiery eyes. Though my mouth is covered, my sapphire blue orbs dance with burning blue blazes and I hope he can see clearly the hatred and disgust in my gaze.
"Don't you worry that pretty little head of yours. You're worth more to me if you're untouched. These rich fellas really have a thing for virgins. I'll leave you for your new master to deflower.", he spits, coming close enough to rub against me as I clench my fists and shut my eyes tightly. "No matter how much I'm just dyin' to put you face down on that table right there and show you what a real man can do to that tiny little..."
He cuts his sentence short as he slices through the straps and my dress falls off of me, freezing cold air biting every inch of my bare skin. Before the cloth hits the floor, I feel his hand grab my panties. I fling my eyes open and try to fight the women off, but I know in my heart that it's pointless. The last shred of dignity I've been clinging to is swiftly cut away, and tossed aside onto the dirty floor, followed by the bindings on my ankles. He takes a step back as I stand there, fully naked on display in front of him and all the others to gawk at.
"Bathe her and make her up real nice, ladies. We'll get a hefty price for her today. I can feel it!", he says as he turns and leaves the room, closing and locking the door loudly behind him.
All I can do was weep as I'm scrubbed and washed. The soapy water hurts my wounds, but it's nothing compared to the pain of losing my father. No more tears come, but I cry nonetheless. The women clean and scrub every inch of me while I sit powerless in the wooden washtub. Let me drown in the water, drown in my grief! Not only have I just lost the only person I've ever had in this world, but I've never known such humiliation. Not a single man has ever laid a hand on me before, ever seen my bare skin. And now, I could do nothing to defend myself, to protect my honor, as I was being violated in such a way that made me feel sick to my stomach.
'I'll leave you for your new master to deflower.' His words replay in my head. Deflower... What does he mean by that? Never mind! I don't want to know! There's no way that it can be anything good, coming from vermin like him. Feeling myself being pulled out of the tub, that thought is interrupted. The women sit me down on a wooden stool in front of a mirror. One of them begins brushing my long hair, another rubs a kind of floral scented oil on my legs. I bite my bottom lip and only allow myself to look at my own face. The entire time, I try to stare deeply into my own eyes, blue as Mama's sapphire ring that Father held in his hands every time he'd hide away and cry.
He didn't know I had seen him. But of course I did. He missed her dearly. Father loved Mama more than life itself. I wonder if they can finally be together again now that he has returned to the heavens. My painful thoughts return to me. Father has always told me that I'm a rare beauty, but looking at my slim face in the mirror, I'm not so sure. My already fair skin has become even more pale. Is it from lack of rest? Food? Water? Water! I almost forgot about my thirst! Now that the man is gone, maybe I can convince one of the women to give me a drink of water.
"Please...", I speak to the woman holding the tray with a brush and some things that resemble paint. "May I please have a drink of water?"
She looks around nervously and nods silently, giving me a cup filled with the most glorious tasting water I've had in my life. It's not clear like the water from the streams at home, but I gulp the cool liquid down so quickly that I start to cough. It wets my throat but there will never be enough water in the world to quench this thirst. As I continue to cough, she takes the cup and fills it again, handing it back to me, full to the brim. I make eye contact with her and her eyes are full of woe. I don't know why, but I feel ashamed and I feel inclined to look away. I don't want her pity. All I wanted was a drink.
I close my eyes as another much older woman paints on my face. When I finally open them again, my eyelashes have turned black and my lips are moistened with a transparent, yet glossy pink liquid. Now, my eyelids are shimmery and pink and my cheeks are colored too. I would never be able to tell by looking at my painted face that I'm exhausted, hungry, and dehydrated. After she finishes drawing on me, she nods to the woman who gave me water and she comes toward me. In her arms is a tray holding a plain white piece of cloth and a smaller piece of fabric folded up into a tidy little parcel.
"Wear this", she says.
I snatch up the larger piece, holding it to my chest, if for no other reason than as a means to cover my breasts, which have been exposed for far too long already. After glancing around the room to glare at everyone who dares to stare at me while I dress, I look down at the fabric in my hands but it does not resemble any piece of clothing I have ever seen. It's just a thin tube of cloth. Where is the rest of it? Did it get eaten by moths in this cold, dirty room? And why is it white? Any other color would be better suited for farm labor. I decide to put my questions aside for now and just wear it. It's the only thing I've got right now, after all.
"How am I supposed to wear this?", I ask the woman holding the tray.
"I'll help you.", she whispers, gently pulling me up by the arm. "He's brought panties too. Put your feet in, quickly. He'll be coming for you any moment. Don't let him hear you talking. Please, just get dressed quietly so all of us can stay out of trouble!"
Trouble? Why would she be in trouble? Isn't she on his side? No matter. Not wanting him to see my exposed body again, I quickly follow her instructions. I slide in one foot, then the other, and pull them up around my hips. Then she slips the larger piece of cloth over my head and arms. It doesn't even cover my belly button. How can someone call this clothing? It just doesn't make any sense to me. Are there people who actually dress this way? Do they not get cold? The sound of the door unlocking sends shivers down my spine and I take a step back, out of instinct. The door creaks open and the man looks me up and down with lust in his eyes.
"Come on then, before I get any ideas."
Chapters 1-3 have been edited as of 3/31/2023. I hope you enjoy the new version of the book as I edit it! If you've already read through 37 chapters, make sure you give it another read once it's complete. It may surprise you! -Sultry Sky
The blood pulsing through me freezes upon seeing the ugly man in the doorway. Now is not the time to make a run for it, though the thought briefly flashes through my mind. As though somehow sensing the possibility of my resistence, the woman who had given me water and helped me to dress, comes close to me. Her trembling hands reach out to tidy some stray hairs that the older woman seems to have missed before. Hardly audible even to my own ears, she leans in and whispers to me, her voice shaking with fear. "Go now. Don't fight back, whatever you do. It will only make things more difficult for you." She steps away, without another word, only giving me a nudge from behind to coax me forward. Having grown impatient, the gruff man huffs into the room and grabs me, clamping down heavy metal cuffs onto my wrists. He yanks me so hard that I nearly fall into him, but he stops me short and attaches a chain to my cuffs. They're so heavy that I feel like I'm going to drop to the floor with a
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 m
A shorter man appears in an identical black suit to the one worn by the man carrying me. He opens a back door on the car, while a third black suited man opens the door on the opposite side. I'm placed firmly into the seat and I glare out the window at the wretched people, walking to and fro, like a person isn't being treated like swine, merely feet away from them. My tears are once again dried up and I can see black streaks down my cheeks in the reflection of the tinted window. The black suit who carried me on his shoulder only moments ago bows to this new master of mine, who then turns and walks around to the other side of the car, settling into the seat beside me. The door closes with a thud on his side too, and the car begins to drive. I can feel the man's eyes on me but I have no more energy left to fight. There's no will left in my weakened, starved body. I dare not look back at him, preferring to travel in silence. Instead, I watch the road, trying to take my mind elsewhere
The slightest hint of satisfaction shows on his once emotionless face, and he asks his next question in a way that gives me shivers. As the sound of his deep voice vibrates in my ear drums, he rests his hand just below my belly button and proceeds to creep his fingers down to rest between my thighs. His firm grip engulfs the entirety of my most sensitive place and I tense up every muscle in my body. All I can do is hold my breath and shut my eyes. "Tell me, Euroah... Have you ever been touched right here?" A warm sensation comes over me, tingling through my core, and while it doesn't feel bad, it utterly terrifies me. Nothing but a thin pair of white cotton panties stands between his hand and my most precious flesh. My whole body trembles and shivers. This is shameful. But kicking and screaming won't help.I have to use my brain, use my words. Inhaling deeply, I attempt to regain my composure. With my fists clenched, I respond with as much confidence as I can muster, "No, Maste
Two identical black cars pull up behind the one I'm still sitting in, and more men in black suits get out of them. Like ducks in a row, they stop in front of my master and bow. This time, I recognize one of the faces. The one who had carried me over his shoulder appears at my door. I let out a yelp as he grabs me by the hips, pulling me so hard that I fall onto my back. With my legs bent at the knees, my feet drop and slam to the ground. What is he doing now? This can't be good! I gasp in shock when I see him start to pull out a folding knife, and I dig my nails into the leather of the seat when he whips it open. Do I scream? Am I about to lose my clothing again? Anything but that, not in front of al these people! I'll just drop dead of shame if every one of them bears witness to my humiliation. Suddenly, I feel a warm touch above my right knee. My master bends down to meet my gaze. "Are you going to be good?", he asks me. Nodding my head vigorously, I reply, "Yes Master!"
Hearing the faint echoes of whispers becoming audible all around me, I try to find my bearings. I can no longer move. What happened? Am I being restrained again? One of the women in a blue dress is cupping my face in her hands, but my eyes refuse to focus on which one she is. Then, a faceless man in a black suit leans down and cradles me in his arms. He scoops me up, and briskly continues down the corridor, following the women into a room. "What happened?" "I don't know, she just fell!" "Are we going to be fired?" "Shut up, Elise! Of course not. We didn't do anything wrong!" "Calm down, Anna! No need for harsh words. Akida will find out what happened and clear everything up." "Hurry up unless you all really do want to lose your jobs! Benny, you get out of here. Marie, go get some water. Anna, towels. I'll get her clothes." A door closes in the distance, and I feel myself being tugged around a bit. The world is a haze and no matter how hard I try to see through it,
Micro... Micro means something very small. Chip? I vaguely recall my master mentioning something about his company making them, but I don't understand the concept, so I nod my head, 'No'. She digs in her case and pulls out a plastic tube with a needle at the end. It's sealed in a plastic wrapper with a white paper backing. Walking over to me, she lays it on the bed and I sit up, pulling the blanket tightly around my chest. I scan the packaging with my eyes for a moment, before looking at the words. "Micro-Claim" I read aloud. "Legally Acquired Slave Identification Device". "This is a microchip. We call them LASIDs, for short. Until recently, we used to brand slaves with a tattoo.", she begins. "But in the cases where they escaped, it was difficult to track them down. It was a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Trackers sometimes resold the slaves or held them for ransom. It often didn't end well. Zion, I mean your master's company came up with a way to both mark and track slaves, a
Laying my head back on the pillow, I curl up and hug up as much of the blanket as I can. There are so many emotions going on in my heart right now. For one thing, I'm angry. I'm so beyond furious at the men who took me away from my home, away from my father, away from my happy life. I was perfectly fine far away from all the people who want to hurt me this way. And I'm sad. Actually, sad is clearly an understatement, but I can't think of a better word at the moment. Not that I'm dumb or uneducated. It's just that there aren't any adjectives that I feel correctly express my pain. The loss of my father has cut me deeply, but it feels so unreal, so impossible that I don't think I'm even truly allowing myself to accept that he's gone and process the grief. I'm relieved that I have met this woman named Akida. She has been the only person, other than the woman who offered me water at the auction house, who has truly shown me compassion, sympathy, and kindness, since this all began. Hav