TAKEN

[10]

Waving his hands in the air, and his mouth close to the microphone, the bidding for 3421 Starts at five thousand dollars.

The VIP who was already up went further for eight thousand, another countered him until the last bidder came to twelve thousand dollars.
When no one else bid more than that, the girl was declared sold. Soon Mama led her to the highest bidder.

A gasp escaped my mouth. The clarity of the situation rushed at me like a bolt of lightning. We were brought here to be sold openly to strangers.

Before I could wrap my head around what was going on, another girl was up there, wearing the same red dress. She was from my group. Her owner bought her for twenty thousand dollars. It went on and on until  I was the only one left.

My eyes glanced over at Mama's and her lady chaperone. She was all giddy, eyes glittering with greed. Her empty big bag was now heavy and bulky.

When my number 6754 was announced, I wanted to hide, run, and disappear. I was not a commodity, not a piece of property but a human. I deserved to be treated that way, to live, to breathe.

"Auction number 6754?" The speaker announced my number again.

I still didn't move. My mind wasn't on the crowd or in the activities of the room, all I wanted was an escape route. To leave. To never be here.

All these while I'd been watching, hoping to find an exit. But when I saw Mama walking briskly towards me, I knew I couldn't wait any longer.

Without thinking of a second option, I bolted, running and hopping across the room, leaving my heels behind. It was a blind escape and it must somehow be my saving grace. I hoped.

I had no idea where I ran, I just knew, I had to leave and leave right now. But, there were lots of people, bodies I needed to swim through before I'd get to the back door which was seldom used.

"Number 6754?" That stupid man's voice bellowed again throughout the room.

Whispers filled the room as people looked confused, glancing over their shoulders. While that disquiet continued, I weaved through them, away from Mama and her gang.

Then I sighted the door. The narrow door that I'd explored while everyone was busy selling off their fellow human beings. When I turned the corner that led to my supposed freedom, two people were in that hallway making out, making a very narrow way narrower.

"Please, out of the way." They groaned, hissing as I tried to squeeze myself through them.

"Coming through, I whispered, successfully wriggling myself away from them.

Suddenly, the door opened and an elderly man and woman walked slowly towards me chatting amongst themselves. My pace slowed as I waited to make my way out without suspicion.

Their gazes met mine long before we met in the middle. The older man pointed suspiciously at me. " Aren't you one of the 'Pleasure auctions'?

I simply shook my head while tossing a gray jacket I snagged out of the hangers on my way out. "No Sir, I just happened to wear almost the same dress.

A flash of relief ran across his face as he shifted his focus back to the woman beside him.

"Oh, Okay, I'm sorry miss." He apologized.

I smiled and kept walking. Inches close to the door, hands grabbed me and with one lift, they dragged me like a doll back to the main hall. I kicked and fought, but my hulk was nothing compared to my weight and body.

I kept scratching, screaming but he wouldn't let me go. When he finally threw me into the hall, everyone gasped and then I began to yell like never before. It was now or never!