The Auction

Chapter Four: The snobby red.

"The auction was devised to make life-long partnerships across the globe. This type of connection is crucial for the development of the world government. All the girls from Sweden are on this ferry. There are hundreds of others with many other girls on them. So what makes you stand out? Your auction dress, of course! This will be the first impression that your future husband gets of you so keep it safe. Interviews will be conducted tomorrow so that vital information may be given to your buyers. Then, Monday marks the beginning of this year's auction. I hope you all know the rules and regulations for your stay here. If not, I shall run through them again. You must NOT, under any circumstance or by any means, sabotage anyone else's chances during the auction. No physical violence will be tolerated. No mixing of colours unless in assembly. No bullying. No home clothes outside of your rooms. No leaving your rooms past bedtime unless accompanied by the matron from your corridor. No disobeying the law. Am I clear, girls?"

"Yes, matron Pennywhistle." We chanted, the room eerily silent as her authoritative voice boomed across the room.

"Now, you may go and settle in your rooms. Lunch will be served in your allocated seating areas at one which is in..." she paused to look at her very expensive-looking gold wristwatch "twenty six minutes. Good luck to you all. You're dismissed."

The room erupted into chatter and chuckles once more. Agnes and Vera grabbed onto one of my arms, tugging me out of the room as most of the other girls rushed forwards. We managed to squeeze through without injury as the rest of the girls spilled out into the corridor with us. We began the unfamiliar trek back to our room which took a considerably longer amount of time.

"Matron Pennywhistle. It does sound very strict, doesn't it?" Agnes commented. Vera nodded, her worry evident on her face. I squeezed her hand.

"Calm down, Vera. In less than a week you'll be in Sven's arms with no other worry in the world." I told her. Her entire face lit up and her eyes twinkled at his name. Her bright blush was back, too. Is this what love does to you? It's quite a beautiful reaction to be so fully consumed by the mere memory of someone. A ball of hope settled in my chest from that day forward that I'd one day experience it for myself.

"Sven? As in Scarlett's brother?!" Agnes all but squealed at Vera. Vera nodded shyly and Agnes grinned from ear to ear. "Now that is something I didn't expect. Imagine marrying your best friend's brother! You guys are best friends, right?" She stopped dead and stared at the two of us in the middle of her babbling.

Vera looked at me. I looked at Vera. We both turned to Agnes simultaneously and began nodding vigorously. An unspoken agreement that we were, indeed, bonded in a way that girls weren't meant to be.

"How about we're your friends too?" I suggested to Agnes. She joined in with the vigorous nodding too. Then, she collapsed in my arms, causing me to tumble to the floor, knocking a timid Vera down with us in the midst of it all.

So there we were, giggling and hugging on the floor of a random unfamiliar narrow corridor on a ferry in the middle of the ocean shipping us off to whoever wanted us, property to be bought. And yet we were the happiest girls on earth. Friendship means everything when you've spent your life alone.

"What are you scum doing in our wing?" A group of six reds stood in above us. The one at the front had her arms crossed and her long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail so tight it looked as though her skin would tear with anymore pressure. She looked disgusted and angered.

"Sorry. We got lost." I tried to explain.

"Of course you did. We all know the poor girls are as dumb as they are ugly. Remove yourselves immediately before I have to get security to do it for you." She snarled.