A Thousand Lives

Chapter 8: The Auction!

Adola opened her eyes to a world of darkness.

She didn't move as she heard voices around her and cold bars on her back. What the heck was happening?

'And now one of our finest yet!' a voice to her left exclaimed. 'She may be part cat with opposing eyes, but that doesn't take away from her beauty!'

Someone took off a blindfold covering Adola's eyes and she slowly opened them. People 'oohed' and 'aahed' at the sight of her eyes' patterns.

'Keep her as an accessory, a daughter, or a pet! Bidding starts at 500-'

'600!' someone called.

'700!'

'900!'

'Oh! 900! Do we hear 1000, anyone at 1000,' the bidder said.

'2000!' a man around Adola's age shoved his hand into the air.

'3000!' another man yelled.

'5000!' the man Adola's age with spiky red hair yelled.

'6000!'

'10 000!'

'15 000!!!!!'

'20 000!!!!'

The older man looked to his companions who shrugged.

'Do I hear 20 000?' the bidder asked. '20 000?'

'100 000!' the older man yelled at last.

'Oh! And do we have 100 000?!' the bidder exclaimed and everyone looked at the red head.

He eyed everyone defeatedly.

'And sold to the old man with rotten teeth!' the bidder exclaimed.

Wait a second, this is an auction. These people are human traffickers?!

Adola looked to her right to see more girls in cages, all in pretty dresses or with blemish free skin.

Elton you moron!

She eyed the bars surrounding her then her gaze stopped at a familiar figure wearing a blue dress with wolf features.

Alvara.

Alvara looked up at Adola through narrowed eyes as if blaming her for what had happened to her.

It's not my fault she decided to come to that party.

Then she looked up at the bidder with a smirk on her face. 'Anyone ever tell you human trafficking is illegal?'

Everyone stared at her and Alvara looked at her, surprised.

'Yeah, it's pretty much considered a code red these days, though of course you wouldn't know that, you actually had the guts to pull it off!' Adola shrugged.

'It speaks!' someone in the crowd called.

'Of course I speak, you asshole!' Adola snapped.

Gasps echoed in the dark basement.

'How rude!'

'What a monster!'

'Oh shut up!' Adola snarled.

Someone behind her with a whip lashed her neck with the piece of leather and blood splattered across the floor.

'Try that again,' Adola smirked. 'See if you reach bone.'

The person whipped her across the cheek and part of it hit her eyes, leaving a slash mark.

'Keep doing that and she'll be to ugly to auction off!' Alvara yelled. 'Not like she's already ugly.'

'You're one to talk,' Adola commented.

Alvara smirked. 'I'm surprised someone even bought you.'

'Ha! And what about you?' Adola smirked.

'Ladies, ladies, save this for another time?' the bidder said.

Adola looked at him, her blue eye closed because of her injury, blood dripping down her cheek as if it were a tear. 'Is there really a better time?'

'Let them fight!' someone called out.

The crowd erupted in protests and agreements.

Suddenly, the door burst open to a grim man, also about Adola's age with blonde, spiky hair walked in. 'I say we let them fight. This event will be a load more entertaining if there's a girl-fight.'

'Fight, fight, fight!' the room burst into yells as the bidders opened Adola's and Alvara's cages.

How the hell am I supposed to fight in a fricking dress?!