Mr. Smith's Obsession

Teaser

I hold myself tighter as the person beside me pushes me harshly with a hard wooden stick. I can't see it because my eyes are covered but I know that's a wooden stick.

I grunt but did not say a thing.

"Move!", He yelled which made me jump. I tugged on the rope connected to my hands to follow the person in front of me. I know the rope is hugging her waist, just like how the connecting rope hugs my waist and is tangled in the girl's hands behind me.

We walked blindly across the halls. I can hear some girls cry, some girls grunts... Other stays silent. Just like me.

Well, we chose this. They asked us if we were sure but we still agreed to it. I know all of us are having a hard time. But we need to endure this for the money.

It felt like a long maze. I already forgot how many right turns and left turns we made. I thought we were never going to stop until the girl in front of me halts. I did the same and the girl behind me bumped me.

"Sorry.", I heard her whisper and I tell her it was okay.

"You may now all take your blindfolds off.", Another man says after a while. I can tell he's not the same man who pushed me earlier based on their voices. This one has a deeper voice. I immediately take the blindfold off.

My eyes were flooded by the light. I can see a few men and a long line of girls behind me and in front of me. We all look the same. We all look like life was sucked out of our eyes. Our eyes are red from continuous crying, our hair is messed up as if we've just woken up and we all are wearing white.

I guess there's one more thing we all have in common.

We're all eighteen-year-old virgins.

I looked around and noticed a small stage with a yellow light directly pointed toward it.

"Good evening gentlemen. Welcome to our auction tonight.", A woman's voice says. Her voice is so calm and soothing that you wouldn't think she's doing something horrible.

"I hope you all had your glasses of brandy 'cause I have mine with me.", She says raising her glass and the crowd laughs.

How could they laugh when we're all here crying our eyes out?

"Alright. I know you're all excited about our auction tonight. So let's start.", She says. "Let's start with girl number one."

The man who's holding us in line removes the rope of the first girl. He pushes her to the stage. And that's when the auction starts.

I looked at my bare toes. They didn't let us wear anything besides this white dress. No underwear, no socks, no jewelry, nothing under these white clothes.

This auction should be illegal. But then again, we came here on our own decision, but against our hearts.

They would be allowed to do anything to us, they'll be paying a decent amount after all. But one thing's not allowed, they're not allowed to kill us.

I don't know if I should be glad to hear that.

The bidding continues but I did not lift my head even for a second to look at what was happening around me.

I can hear her say the number of the girls in front of me.

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

I think I'm going to puke anytime now.

Seven

I can hear my heartbeat. I can feel it in my throat.

Eight

The man untangles the rope on my hands and waist.

"Our next girl just turned eighteen yesterday.", She whistles. "Bring girl number nine up."

The man pushes me to the stage and I force myself to walk with my wobbly knees.

When I reach the stage, I lift my head and the first thing I see is a pair of green eyes looking intently at me. He was wearing a masquerade mask, and so are the other men.

He was sitting at the center third row. His stares are not giving away anything.

"Let's start the bidding!", The woman says. I don't know where she is. The only thing that's keeping my focus is the pair of green eyes not leaving me.

"Let's start with $15,000.", She says.

A fat man in front of me in the first row raised his card number. I can already say I don't like his base on his disgusting grins.

"Bid.", He says.

I bit the insides of my cheek. I know I agreed to this but I don't want this man taking my virginity.

"$16,000.", Another man from the crowd says. He's sitting in the left corner, third row.

"Looks like we have a competitor.", The woman says.

"$17,000.", The fat guy says again. He glares at the man in the left corner.

Fuck. I held the hem of my dress tighter.

"$18,000.", The man says again, raising his number.

"$19,000.", The fat guy says with a slight grunt.

There was a brief pause before the other guy raise his number again.

"$20,000.", He says. That's the amount of money I need.

My attention was caught again by the man with the green eyes but it was interrupted by the fat man again.

"$25,000.", The fat guy says again.

"That's quite a big jump.", The woman comments.

When he noticed that the other guy didn't say anything, he grins. I unconsciously bit my nails.

"No other bidders?", The woman says.

I looked at the guy from the left.

"Going once?"

My eyes traveled to the owner of the mysterious green eyes.

Please... Help me.

"Going twice?"

I look at my feet and closed my eyes. This is it.

I tremble as fear devours me.

"Going thri-"

"$35,000."

I look at the owner of the voice. Who? Who's it?

I first looked at the man on the left. When I noticed that his card number is not raised, My eyes search the crowd and stops when I meet his green eyes.

I... Don't know what to feel. He's not showing any emotions. Did I make the right decision?

"Going once?", The woman starts counting again.

"Going twice. Going thrice."

She looks at the crowd and pasted a big smile on her face.

"Closed! She's all yours Mr. Smith."