The Escape
1030 Words
Even the auctioneer stuttered before clearing his throat and adjusting his collar as though the sudden bid had drained all the confidence from his body.
"I... believe the bid has been claimed”
A wave of murmurs immediately swept through the audience, spreading from row to row like a dangerous rumor that nobody wanted to say too loudly.
The atmosphere had changed.
Moments ago, the crowd had been excited but now they looked afraid.
"Who the hell bids like that?"
"It has to be him”
Lilian listened as whispers drifted through the room from every direction while nervous glances were exchanged between men who moments earlier had seemed untouchable.
Some called him The Ghost while others called him The Reaper.
She didn't know what either name meant, but she could see the fear behind them and understood instantly that they weren't nicknames people used out of admiration, they were warnings and whoever he was, he had just bought her.
Two men dressed in black suits immediately descended the stairs from the upper levels of the auction hall, their movements perfectly synchronized and their expressions completely unreadable as they crossed the distance separating them from the stage.
Neither even looked particularly interested in her existence.
When they finally stopped in front of her, one of them extended a hand and spoke in a calm voice that somehow sounded more threatening than a shout.
"Come quietly”
Lilian remained frozen because her body simply refused to accept how quickly her life had stopped belonging to her.
The man didn't repeat himself neither did they threaten her instead, both men carefully lifted her to her feet and guided her away from the stage as though she weighed nothing at all.
As they escorted her through the crowd, Lilian turned her head one final time and searched the highest row of seats where the mysterious bidder had been sitting, but the shadows still concealed his features and all she could make out was the outline of a man whose presence seemed larger than the room itself, she never saw his face.
The men guided her through a side door and into a corridor so silent that she could hear the distant hum of electricity hidden behind the walls, while each step echoed softly against polished marble floors that seemed to stretch endlessly ahead.
Without warning, one of them reached into his pocket and removed a strip of black silk, “Blindfold her”
Lilian immediately stepped back.
"No, wait, I—"
The protest never had a chance to finish because the cloth was already wrapped securely around her eyes, plunging her into complete darkness and stealing the last sense of control she had left.
After that, time became impossible to measure, she didn't know how long they drove…ten minutes, maybe an hour or longer.
The interior of the vehicle smelled faintly of leather and mint while silence settled heavily between everyone inside, leaving Lilian alone with her thoughts as every turn, every stop, and every bump in the road fed the anxiety tightening inside her chest.
Eventually, one of the men spoke.
"She doesn't look like much, fragile”
The other answered immediately, “Doesn't matter, he said she comes untouched."
A knot formed in Lilian's stomach.
"And if she runs?" the first man asked
"Train her”
The response came so casually that it sent ice through her veins.
"But not a scratch," the first man added, “His orders are alive, unharmed and still pretty”
Lilian wanted to scream.
Instead, she remained completely still because some instinct deep inside warned her that any reaction would only remind them that she existed.
Eventually, the vehicle slowed before coming to a complete stop.
The men immediately took hold of her arms again and guided her forward, leading her up several steps and through what sounded like large glass doors while the air around her changed almost instantly.
Everything felt cooler, richer and cleaner.
A voice crackled through an earpiece somewhere nearby, though the words were too muffled for her to understand.
After a brief pause, one of the men nodded.
"Yes, We'll leave her”
A second later, the blindfold disappeared.
Lilian blinked repeatedly as soft golden lighting flooded her vision and replaced the darkness she had grown accustomed to during the journey.
The sight waiting before her stole her breath.
Polished marble floors stretched across a massive open space while a curved staircase wound elegantly toward an upper level, and an entire wall of glass overlooked a city skyline glowing beneath the night sky.
Everything about the place felt impossible, so beautiful, expensive and untouchable like a home built for someone who lived above ordinary people.
More surprising than the luxury was the absence of security, there were no guards standing nearby and no servants waiting for instructions, just her.
The two men released her arms before turning toward the exit without another word.
Seconds later, the glass door clicked shut behind them.
Lilian stood motionless in the center of the room.
This was his home?, the realization should have terrified her instead it gave her an idea because beautiful prisons were still prisons and she had no intention of remaining inside one.
The moment she was alone, she began searching for an exit quickly and quietly.
Every door she found was locked and every possible escape route ended in failure, but still she kept looking
Eventually, she discovered a narrow window hidden behind long sheer curtains near the far side of the room.
Unlike everything else, this one wasn't fully secured.
The lock felt loose beneath her fingers, her pulse immediately accelerated and slowly she pushed it open.
The gap was small and barely enough but it was enough for her.
Cool night air rushed inside and brushed against her skin like freedom itself and she climbed immediately.
One foot found the windowsill while her fingers tightened around the frame overhead, her heart pounding so violently she could practically hear it echoing through the room.
Just one more movement, a little higher.
Just enough to….
"Need a hand escaping?"
Lilian froze instantly, the voice came from directly behind her.
- Writer
