The Sky Never Ends

Introductions

March 10, 1865

     Selah woke up to the Madam seething above her, she was holding on to Selah by her shoulders pulling her up into a sitting position.

"I apologize sir, I hope you won't reconsider your purchase. This day tends to be a bit difficult for some of our women. I promise this doesn't happen often. Does it girl?" the Madam said through a clenched smile turning her attention back to Selah, daring her to disagree.

"Y-yes, ma'am. I am very sorry. Please forgive me, sir?" Selah spoke in the direction of the men standing to her left, but never raised her eyes. The Madam said it was disrespectful to maintain eye contact with your superior.

She was still rather woozy and saw stars and spots in front of her eyes. She braced her self by putting her hands on her knees and attempted to stand up. When her body slightly teetered backward, the man standing nearest to her grabbed her arm in a tight grip steadying her. As soon as she was upright, he let go. Selah still kept her glare towards the ground.

"Well... I'll tell the auctioneer to finish these sales and we'll have her contract written up and ready for you. In about an hour. Hold on to this paper right here till I see you again." the Madam said in a hurry, pulling Selah away from the two men and back towards the brothel.

"Stupid girl, you should be glad they still want you. If you would've cost me that money with your childish antics it would have been your head."

...........................

Afternoon of March 10, 1865

      Selah had no property of her own to take with her from the house. The dress she came in had been worn to pieces. One of the Madam's workers stripped her of the beautiful gown she was wearing and replaced it with a cream colored dress. She was told the corset and petticoats were hers to keep unless her master said otherwise. Then she was handed a burlap sack with a few outfits and undergarments inside. There was a pair of light weight shoes and a small wooden hairbrush. One small card with common elixirs for illnesses and ailments, and another with common words used on the frontier that might not be familiar to the girls. She was told nothing about the man who purchased her, or where she was going, or what she was meant to do. She just sat in the parlor waiting for the auction to be over in silence with the other women.

      When the auction was over the Madam gathered all the women who were purchased and placed them in a line. She called them each by numbers the girl would stand beside her while the new owner signed a form that illegally granted them ownership. She would then pass the girl off with a grand smile on her plump face and a 'Thank you, good luck.' to the purchaser.

    Selah was quickly passed to her new owner, who returned his vice grip to her arm and pulled her in the direction of his wagon. It was about a half a mile walk to his wagon. I seemed to Selah that the man was determined to make her sprint the whole way there. Her feet began to twist in her petticoat trying to keep up. She had to hold on to his arm for dear life so she wouldn't be dragged behind. He was clearly on a mission and nothing would deter his path.

   He hadn't said a word to her until they reached his cart. Selah was completely out of breath and her body was still weak from stress and lack of nourishment. She was practically gasping at this point.

"Get in." two words, was all he said. He didn't even glance her way. He pointed to the back then walked around the front to converse with his partner. His voice was deep and commanding. He listed to his partner all the things they would need to do for the trip.

    Selah walked to the back of the wagon and used what little strength she had left in her body to lift herself into the jockey box. She learned that was the name of the part of the wagon that carried goods and people. The covered wagon could also be referred to as a prairie schooner. The vocabulary card the Madam gave her was already helping her keep her wits.