The Monocle's Eye

Chapter 1

 It was cold. Frigid even, in that dark room where dim and yellow light was all that illuminated the cloaked faces of all those that lurked around us. They swarmed up to the line in groups of five when their number was called, and their half masked faces were only visible to the lips, of which were often cracked and pink. Magnifying glasses were held up with the pudgy hands of the elite, while on some specimens, you might see the flash of a monocle catch the dim light of the room when the cloak's hood rode up a bit. The enormous metal chains weighted heavily on my wrists, their cold gray metal only making me shiver more under the scrutinizing gaze of those who examined me.

"Group 9," the auctioneer called briskly, and the group around me broke, returning swiftly to their seats, their murmurs barely hear over that of the other groups, making way for the next group to approach. "And remember," Called the auctioneer, his cheerful voice the very weapon in which he might press the price higher. "She's one of a kind, I tell you, a specialty never done or seen before. Never again will any one of you have a chance to possess a set of eyes like the ones you see here today, and she'd fetch mighty high price with just her arm." It took all I had to maintain my face, and keep my emotions clamped safely in their cage. I heard the click of the door swing open, and glanced up slightly to watch as a new cloaked figure entered. At first it was little more than a late customer, but then as I watched the door, it shut firmly on it's hinges, letting the customer alone.

I watched as faces turned, and the customer swung themselves down the large wooden staircase alone, conducted gracefully to a seat alone, on which was labeled, group 11. But heads kept turning, gasps escaping, and even as group ten was called, and the door watched tensely, the mystery visitor remained alone. I was a prize specimen, and my minimum price, was set at two million, so the smallest group was five members, and most were around ten. Yet this cloaked person entered in a blue cloak, not the standard black, and sat alone. "Group 11," The auctioneer called, a slight questioning tone in his usually commanding voice. The blue cloak rose and slipped effortlessly down the aisle.

"Dearest customer, do you wish to wait for the rest of your group?" Asked the auctioneer finally. The blue figure swiftly turned to face him, and conducted with a soft but firm feminine voice, "I am alone." The audience erupted in a combination of gasps and laugher. The mysterious woman approached now, and I caught the flash of a gold rimmed monocle under her blue cloak, which I could now see was fastened with a large gold and silver pendant, framing a large ruby that exceeded the size of the tip of my thumb. She took little time, and examined almost entirely my face, giving little attention to what all else. I was clad in a white silk gown, made so thin that it was quite see through where it press upon my torso.

I watched as a piece of her black hair fell from it's holdings, obstructing her view. She reached up and pressed it behind her ear, displacing the cloak as she did so. But she performed the motion carelessly, and in the process, I saw her eyes. The breath was knocked from my chest as I stared at her face. It was smooth and soft like satin, white as the snow, but in her black lashed eyes, sat a large purple orb, that seemed almost like the shallow and clear water in the sun. In the opposite eye, beneath the golden monocle, sat a large red orb, of which had no pupil, but instead pulled it's red and orange lines inward to a point, and seemed to crackle in my vision like fire. I saw a smirk trace the smooth red lips of the girl, and her purple and red eyes seemed to stare so relentlessly in my eyes for that moment, I felt as though there was nothing left inside me unknown to her.

She turned as swiftly as she approached, and seemed more to pour up the stairs than walk up them, her small hands visible as they hung out the large sleeves of her cloak. "With this, the auction shall commence, starting at 2 million, cast your bids."

"1 million 2 thousand," yelled a group.

"3 thousand."

"3 thousand five hundred."