The Bride Market

Chaptor 1

Part 1- 58 days till my birthday

intro

Alyza slid lazily through the dimly lit corridors of the compound. There aren't any windows in the passages, leaving her with only flickering electrical lights to brighton her way.

The grey cement seems like it is going to start closing in on itself, trapping Alyza in an awkward position as the corridor shrinks. But it doesn't stop, the space gets smaller and smaller until she can no longer move, and then the weight will crush her.
She pushes the image from her mind and keeps walking.

Alyza's POV:

I often wonder why the compound appears so depressing.

Maybe it is so that we would want to leave when the time came.

Even though the compound is so dreary, and it sometimes feels like a prison, many girls do not wish to leave.

Well, who would want to be sold off like a mare to go live with a man they had never met for the rest of their lives. Or, maybe just until their husbands get bored of them.

I reached the far side of the compound, where my friend, Silvinya lives.
I knocked on the steel door.
Knock
knock
...
Nothing, it was silent inside her dorm.

Knock
Knock!
KNOCK!!!

A large thud came from inside the tiny room followed by some dragging sounds.

I thought I heard some swear words, nasty ones at that. But I dare not repeat them, swearing is forbidden to all females.
Tell that to Silvinya.

The door opened and a messy-haired blond girl in a skimpy night dress that shows way too much skin stumbled out.
"Oh my god Ali! You almost scared me to death! I was having a nightmare about my birthday."

Not all girls look forward to their birthdays, especially not their 21st. Because on their 21st birthday they get sold off to the highest bidder to be their slave that they call wife.

"Hey! It ain't my problem that you overslept. It is almost breakfast time! And I genuinely hope you aren't going to wear that downstairs. You might just have one of the male overseers kidnap you, " I commented sarcastically.

"Well, that might be better than being sold to some rich old fatty. Some of the overseers are hot! And between us I might not mind one of them taking off my dress."

"Keep your dirty mind to yourself, Sil. Now hurry up and go get changed!"
Silvinya stuck her tongue out and slammed the door so that she could get changed.

Obviously a little too loudly because I spotted a caregiver heading in our direction.

"Good morning, Miss Howard," I said as sweetly as I could. Miss Howard had an eye for nonsense.

"Good day. Might I ask why you choose to stand outside a dorm that doesn't belong to you?"

"I am waiting for my friend, Silvinya. We always walk down to breakfast together."

"Well, I suggest you make an exception today, your breakfast is getting cold."

"Yes Miss, right away."
I skirted around the caregiver and trotted down to the dining hall.

Caregivers are women those husbands decided they didn't want anymore. They were returned to the compound where they had to be like governesses to the girls. Teaching them and taking care of them.

I walked through the tall double doors into the hall. Long rows of tables and benches stretched out parallel to each other. I found an empty spot at the end of the closest table.