Selah has been captured by a fugitive mob and sent to the New Frontiers Brothel. At New Frontiers Brothel women can be purchased to serve an indentured servitude to the single men who need companionship, and to the families with disabilities or lack...
As the exchange grew closer, the atmosphere changed in the house. The Madam began repeating how important it was for the girls to detach from not only from the environment they'd been living in, but also the acquaintances they made in the house. It was highly unlikely more than one girl would be purchased by one man, because it was so costly. With two weeks left the Madam restored the 'no talking to your peers' rule. Which made the adjustment that much harder for Selah. She was having so much success teaching Wen important words almost every night. She prayed that it would be enough to help her when she was relocated. Her and Catherine became as close as friends could have been living under their circumstances. Catherine reminded her so much of her sister, Selah knew she would miss her the most.
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March 3, 1865
A week before the exchange Selah had the most demeaning experience so far in her life. Without warning, the Madam asked all of her new girls to form a line. She took one girl at a time to the kitchen and asked her what the state of her purity was. If a girl claimed she was pure, the Madam had her workers restrain them against the table while the Madam ensured her maidenhood was still intact. Selah was one of the girls who was pure, her minor resistance to being held down almost afforded her another punishment, but the Madam needed all of the women to be in top shape for the market.
Selah had been so wrapped up in housekeeping and chores for the majority of her stay, she forgot what many of the men who were coming to the exchange were looking for. Companionship on the lonely homestead, a woman to warm their bed. A whore. That feeling of sickness she had when she first heard about it returned. The thought of what might happen if she was chosen for that job was too much for her. The moment after she was poked and prodded for the Madam's shameful reason she began to plan for an escape. She didn't know when she would be able to execute it or how, but she knew she couldn't give up something so important without a fight. If there was something left for her to fight for, that was it. Selah spend the last days distressed with her appetite completely gone.
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March 9, 1865
The last day before the market all of the eligible women were pampered and dressed up in the finest attire the Madam owned. Selah was wearing an off white gown with puffy sheer sleeves that ended right above her elbow. It had a long skirt and four rows of ruffles at the very bottom and a matching ribbon tied around her waist. Underneath she had on a tight white corset and multiple petticoats. For the first time in what seemed like a year, Selah had her hair thoroughly washed and styled. They tied her curls up in a loose bun and wrapped a netted scarf around her hair. She didn't think about her appearance often and rarely dressed up when she was at home. She'd never wore anything as beautiful as the dress she was currently wearing. When she saw her reflection in the mirror she was stunned. When the Madam and a few other women began complementing her beauty and implying how quickly she would be sold she was petrified. All she wanted to do now was trade with another girl whose outfit wasn't quite so extravagant, but of course that was forbidden. The Madam proclaimed that she picked out each dress specifically for what she felt she would earn from each girl. They were required to return the dresses after the market and were to be sent off with a set of three simple outfits.
Most of the women couldn't sleep, Selah was no exception. She felt as if a rock was permanently lodged in her stomach. Her urge to vomit was strong, but the only thing coming out was bile. The anxiety of her future being decided for her yet again was bringing her back to familiar feelings of despair. Thoughts were passing through her head at a rapid pace. She would focus her mind on running away just the have the fear of punishment cease that train of thought. She would try to pray when she couldn't think straight, but grew increasingly furious at God for placing her here for one small mistake. Selah had lost tiny patches of hair from the stress of knowing about her impending demise, in addition the her steady loss of weight. In this moment, she hoped no one would find her appealing.
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The morning of March 10, 1865
Although she was physically and mentally exhausted, internally she was strung up as tightly as the strings on a violin. Her body was shaking like she had indulged in a whole pot of coffee by herself. The entirety of the night she sat in the same spot staring at the floor, absent from the world. Catherine even attempted to talk to her, she seemed to be handling things rather well. All Selah could do was stare at her momentarily with tears in her eyes, then return her gaze to the floor.
When the time came to walk across the platform, Selah was sure she wouldn't make it. There we're at least thirty men standing in the audience waiting to bid on 18 girls. For some reason Selah believed people would bring their families with them to the market so it would be easy to decipher who was here for what, but she was clearly mistaken. All she saw was a sea of men whose wagons were visible halted in the distance. They all appeared to be by themselves or with one or two other men from what she could see where she was standing.
Before the bidding began, the Madam made sure to boast about her new group of girls best features. Talking up their beauty and commenting on how exotic many of them look. Ensuring the men of their skills, submissiveness, and work ethic. Her order of the bidding began with the women who were pure, then by age, from oldest to youngest. Five women walked on the stage before Selah, they we're all successfully bid on and contracted.
It was Selah's turn, she was meant to walk up a small set of stairs from behind the podium then stand still with her head down while she was being bid on. If she got a successful bid, she would travel to the other end of the stage and be introduced to her 'Master'.
She could hardly stand the thought of actually having to call someone that if they wished. Her grandparents had escaped slavery 50 years before and moved to Canada to start a new life. Her mother was born a free black woman and her father was a free man of mixed heritage. They protected her from the evil that the world contained. Now she would be sold into illegal slavery and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. If her parents knew they would be as devastated as she was.
Selah was pushed forward towards the stairs snapping out of her thoughts. Her feet seemed to be heavy as lead. She felt like it took all the strength in her body to make it to the middle of the stage.
"Our sixth girl is a beautiful young negro girl. She is fully intact and can handle her punishments well. She good at rearing and caring for children and practically any chore you can think of. Start the bidding for one standard three year contract at three hundred? Can I get three hundred?" the auctioneer read off from a small card. Selah was horrified. Her stance was wavering as the men below her yelled their bids. She quickly began to feel faint.
"Sold for 1,500 dollars to the man in front!" was the last thing Selah heard before she blacked out.
