Desirable Lies

Call me, John

I've been told that I could go for more than two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and maybe more given that I'm still a virgin. The money will mean the difference between life and death for my sister and best friend in the whole world. It will mean I can pay the fees to get her into the experimental treatment program for advance stage ovarian cancer. And now she's facing death in a matter of months if I don't intervene, which is why I'm standing in the dimly lit dressing room applying my third coat of mascara and dressed only in a pair of lingerie.

I'd found out about this place completely by coincidence. A few weeks ago, I would have never believed places like this existed. I'd been searching online for money making schemes, something, anything, that could help me raise the three hundred thousand dollars we needed. My parents made ends meet, but just barely. So I knew it was up to me. My job searches turned out to be a joke. My skills could earn me minimum wage waiting tables. That's when my internet searches got more interesting and my attitude bolder.

I agreed to an interview at a local strip club. As if the interview itself wasn't embarrassing enough, being asked to undress in front of the club's owner and prove my non-existent dancing abilities, when he'd asked how much money I hoped to make dancing and I said three hundred thousand dollars in the next few months, he'd laughed in my face and told me to get dressed. It was obvious to us both that based on my dancing skills, I'd never earn that kind of money.

When he saw the tears swimming in my eyes and inquired about why I needed the money, I'd given him, a complete stranger, the entire sad story. Once I was dressed, he brought me into his office and made me promise that what he was about to say would stay only between us. The shifty way his eyes danced around the room told me whatever it was, it probably wasn't legal. I didn't care. I'd never so much as run a red light, but I was willing to do anything, go to any extreme to save Angela. I promised him complete secrecy. He asked how serious I was about saving my sister and warned that I wouldn't like what he was about to tell me. That was how I learned about tonight's auction.

Bill, the strip club manager, entered me into tonight's bids. He said that virgins were very rare and that someone so natural and beautiful would go for a high price. I just hope to keep my nerves under control so that I can actually follow through with this. I feel like throwing up and I haven't even eaten all day.

I turn to the sound of a light tapping on my door and Bill pokes his head in. My arms fly over my chest as I try to cover my breasts. My modesty is pointless and a hysterical giggle bubbles up in my throat. All too soon I'll be exposed to a roomful of men and expected to give my body to one of them, but I focus on maintaining my innocence while I still can. Bill raises an eyebrow at me. "Are you ready?"

I hadn't known this side of the world existed and now I was entering into it. I'm doing this for Angela, I remind myself. Drawing every ounce of strength I can, I uncross my arms from over my breasts and nod to Bill. "I'm ready."

His eyes give me a cursory once over. I'm grateful he doesn't leer. "You look great. Very natural. That should work in your favor", he remarks, leading me from the safety of the dressing room.

When we stop outside a steel door, panic courses through my veins and my throat constricts, my gag reflex threatening to send bile shooting up my throat. I draw a deep breath through my nose and open my mouth to tell Bill I've changed my mind when his hand suddenly reaches out and twists the doorknob.

The door swings open to reveal a large, dimly lit room. The only light comes from a bare bulb that hangs directly above a platform like stage in the center of the room. Men sit in lounge chairs facing the small round stage, their faces completely hidden in the shadows. I'm unable to distinguish a single feature, which I know is the point. The nature of tonight's activities means they want their anonymity. And the kind of money that would be spent tonight bought you that right.