Sell Some Lives

Cent francs

"I'm not signing my daughter away to someone like you!' said my biological mother in eighteen-ninety-four, when I was just four years old.

She was twenty one. She had a good job working at the 'Comptoir général de la photographie' (camera manufacturing and photography supply company) and no one knew about my existence yet.

Until now.

She had to sell me because if people found out about me, it would ruin her, she said. 

"What is that supposed to mean?" The buyer snapped, offended. Then he took a deep breath. "Listen ma'am. I am a good person. I can provide for her. How much do you want? Eight francs? That's almost a year's wages.' The potential buyer said.

"Eight francs in cash?' Mother sounded tempted. 

"No mama! We have a lot more than that!" I said desperately. 

The buyer shook his head and drew out a thick grey book, with a broken spine.

"This is my money book. I buy children from all over the world, madam. Your daughter will travel in class!" Then he started counting out coins into Mother's shaking hands. Twelve in total. 

"But... it was eight!" Mother was astonished. She'd never seen so much money at once in her life.

"I'm feeling generous today ma'am." My new owner said happily.

"...Ok. Ok, fine." She said defeated, sweeping all the money into her metallic reticule. It had our initials at the front. A + T. T for Taleah. 

"Please don't sell me mama..." I whispered. It was hard not to cry. Tears prickled in my eyes.

"It's just for a while, Tali... once I have a husband I'll buy you back, I promise." Mother didn't meet my eyes as she said it and even then I knew she was lying, but I forced myself to believe her. 

"What's your name, ma'am?" The man asked, writing something.

"My name? It's... Antoinette." That wasn't her real name, just the middle.

"And your surname?"

"...Aubert."

"I, Antoinette Aubert, do agree to give full guardianship and care over my daughter Tale...? Tali? To Mrs. Leland Buscarino."

"Mrs?" 

"Yes, I was once a lady, as yourself. And I am not ashamed to admit it!"

"I- how?" Mother asked and then she shook her head.

"Never mind. What will you... do with Tali?"

"Oh she'll do as I say, don't you worry. She's no longer yours." Mrs Buscarino, grabbed me, threw me over his shoulders and stuffed something in my mouth so my screams wouldn't be heard.

My mother turned and walked away.

I flip the page. There is a photograph. Of me. My mother is there too. I look little. About... four years old. It's the last picture i ever had taken of me.