Out of the Darkness

Chapter 9

The next morning, I was abruptly woken up by a guard hovering over my bed. "Get up," he barked as I opened my eyes, confused. He tore the blankets from my bed, tossing them aside.

"Get up," he barked again, moving to the girl on the cot next to me.

"What is it?" I muttered in a drowsy voice.

"Breakfast," the guard replied shortly, before turning away and walking out of the room.

"Get up!" the second guard yelled from the doorway, demanding us to move faster.

Anna whispered to me with anticipation, "Did he say breakfast?"

I nodded in response and felt a spark of excitement inside me - it had been days since I'd eaten a proper meal.

"Let's go," one of the guards commanded, and we followed him down the hallway into the same large warehouse, but instead of hospital beds, now a large cafeteria was set up. Tables with food and water were set out for us.

I grabbed some bread and butter and gulped it down with cold water. I couldn't help but feel a hint of trepidation. What would happen after this? Why were they feeding us? And why were we being treated so well? I knew these people weren't doing it out of kindness; they had snatched us away, branded us and were now selling us off as slaves. They merely wanted their product in good condition.

I looked around the room and noticed all the fearful and anxious faces of the other girls - they were aware that something was wrong, but none of them had heard Cal's news. I glanced over at Anna, who seemed oblivious to it all as she happily chewed her warm bread. I hated to think of informing her of the impending doom, so instead, let her enjoy her breakfast in peace.

"Line up!" shouted the guard as the last of the girls finished eating.

We obeyed, shuffling into a line, our bellies now full for the first time in ages. The guards looked us over, ensuring everything was in order before directing us out of the room through another door. After walking through a series of corridors, we stopped in front of an intimidating red metal door. It seemed out of place in the neutral colors of the warehouse. Two guards stood holding guns on either side of it.

The guards looked us over one more time, before opening the door and ordering us to go in. The girl at the front of the line was hesitant, but the guard pushed her forward. Then, one by one, we stepped through. As I stepped into the narrow corridor, my head swam after a loud ringing noise filled my ears and made me dizzy. I leaned against the wall for a minute, finding my bearings, before continuing down the corridor.

As I stepped through the exit on the other side, it revealed a completely different world: fresh air, bright sun, brick walls extending around a lush courtyard with neatly cut grass, trees providing shade and flowers giving off fragrances while bees and butterflies floated from flower to flower - it felt like an enchanted dreamscape!

As my eyes wandered over the beautiful courtyard, my gaze fell upon a group of boys who had already been corralled there. A group of guards stood by, keeping watch over them. My eyes widened as I saw Adam was among them. His hair was longer and his face thinner, but his brown eyes still held onto hope.

"Adam!" I exclaimed, not being able to control my emotions at the sight of him, but before he could take a step towards me, one of the guards restrained him.

"Not so fast," the guard warned. Panic filled Adam's eyes as they met mine. "Stay strong," he mouthed to me silently, stepping back into place.

I nodded, trying to put forth a courageous face despite the tears looming in my eyes. I wondered if he knew the truth about what was about to transpire.

"What is this place?" I asked the guard as he guided us girls in another direction.

"This is the auditorium," he said with a smirk. "Where clients come to examine and bid for their 'property'."

The realization that we were about to be auctioned off like livestock hit me like a ton of bricks. "How can they do this to us?" I demanded hotly.

"They can because they have the power," he answered mockingly. "And you're nothing but a pawn in their game."

"We are human beings!" I protested angrily. "We have rights!"

"Your rights mean nothing here," the guard sneered, hatred darkening his features. "You're no better than the dust beneath my feet."

I was seething with rage, but there was nothing I could do. The guard was right. In this place, we were nothing more than objects. We were simply a means to an end, a way for the powerful to exert their control over others.

As we moved towards the front of the courtyard, I couldn't help but notice the various men and women milling about. Some were waiting patiently for the auction to start, while others mingled and sipped glasses of expensive champagne. Their appearance was otherworldly, exuding an ethereal aura. Some were dressed in expensive clothes, others wore suits or business attire. All of them seemed to have a sense of importance and authority.

"They plan to buy us," Anna spoke, her voice quivering with terror. She had just figured out the reason for our captivity.

"I know," I replied in a faint whisper, stepping toward her, taking her hand in mine for comfort.

"There's no way out of this, is there?" Anna questioned, the tears rolling down her cheeks now.

"Together," I answered, as if it was a continued promise.

As we made our way past the audience, their eyes seemed to pierce straight into our souls. It was as if they were evaluating us, judging whether we were suitable to be their slaves. Were we good enough? The thought sent a chill down my spine.

We stopped at a high platform close to the center of the courtyard and found the drill sergeant waiting for us. He was exceptionally well-dressed, his black hair combed back slickly. He scrutinized each one of us as he began his speech.

"Greetings," he spoke in an authoritative yet velvety manner. "You have been selected to serve your masters--an immense privilege and something you should all be proud of."

I could hardly believe what I was hearing. How could this man make serving our so-called 'masters' sound like something honorable? And who were these people that we had never seen before?

"The rules are simple," the drill sergeant continued. "You must obey your masters without argument or delay. If you fail to adhere to this, you will face consequences."

I glanced around to see the other girls, their expressions conveying fear and disbelief alike. We all came from different places and lifestyles, but here we stood, completely equal, bound by obligation to fulfill the desires of these powerful men and women.

The drill sergeant went on to explain the process of the auction, how the highest bidder would be the winner, and we would be shipped off to serve our new masters. I could hardly believe what was happening, and yet there was nothing I could do. I was powerless.

"Remember," the drill sergeant cautioned us. "Serving your masters is an honor that should not be taken lightly."

He stepped back from the stage, and a man dressed in a tailored suit stepped forward with a young woman in tow.

"Here we have Lot 28 in your program book. She is a 16-year-old female in impeccable health. We'll start the bidding at 10,000 dollars. Do we have 10,000 dollars?" The auctioneer bellowed out.

He began calling out prices as eager members of the crowd bid on her. She was paraded around like a prized animal, her worth determined by her physical appearance, vitality, and strength. The bids kept coming in faster, and the air was electric as if all the world had come to witness this event.

"Sold!" The auctioneer announced at last, as an older woman, with a cruel face, stepped forward to collect the terrified girl.

A few seconds later, the blonde girl who had been in the crate with us was brought onto the platform. My heart sunk as I saw the despair in her eyes.

"Lot 32," the auctioneer continued. "A 15-year-old girl, who appears in good health despite a minor affliction. She appears to be mute."

There was a murmur among the crowd. I could hear the ladies and gentlemen in the audience discussing among themselves. Some were concerned about her not being able to communicate, while others argued that it might actually be a blessing, as she wouldn't be able to talk back.

"Can we start the bidding at 5,000," the auctioneer called out, lowering the starting bid to take into account her disability.

As I stood there watching her be auctioned off, I could feel the rage building in me like a volcano. How could anyone treat another human in this way? It was unfathomable. I clenched my fists, my knuckles turning white, as I attempted to control my emotions.

A few seconds later, the blonde was escorted from the platform to be handed over to her new master.

"It's her turn!" the guard barked, shoving Anna towards the platform, her hand slipping from mine.

"No!" she turned to me pleading, tears streaming down her face.

"You can't do this," I shouted angrily, not being able to control my emotions any longer, reaching for Anna. One of the guards stepped forward and firmly slapped me across the face for my insolence. I fell to the ground from the force, a red mark quickly forming on my cheek.

"I can do whatever I want," came the reply of the guard with a smirk, and my heart dropped into my stomach.

Anna was dragged onto the platform and paraded around for all to see. Her head hung down in shame, as their eyes bored into her, and murmurs could be heard among the crowd. Rage filled me at the injustice of what was happening.

"Here we have lot 16. A 17-year-old female, also in impeccable health. Can we start the bidding at 10,000 dollars." The auctioneer continued on with his job, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

Once again, the bids started coming quickly; 12,000 dollars, 15,000 dollars, 18,000 dollars. The auctioneer called for the final bid and a woman in designer clothes raised her hand. Her gaze was cold and unfeeling.

"Sold," he declared.

Anna stood on the platform, tears streaming from her eyes. The shame and embarrassment of what was happening had become too much for her. Her eyes looked at me imploringly.

"This isn't fair!" I yelled out again angrily, only to receive another slap across my face from the guard.

He leaned towards me and hissed: "Fair doesn't matter."

Reality hit me like a brick wall. "This isn't right," I whispered hoarsely, before getting shoved toward the platform. "You're up," he sneered.

I stumbled forward, my cheek stinging from the blows. I felt defeated, and the realization that there was nothing I could do was slowly settling in. As I stood on the platform, everything felt surreal. The auctioneer called out for the highest bid, and a man in the audience raised his hand. He was dressed in an expensive suit, his eyes dark, his expression cold and calculating.

"Sold," the auctioneer announced.

It felt as if everything moved in slow motion as the man approached the stage, his gaze sweeping over me. People were talking around me, but it sounded muffled, like I was underwater. I felt my head starting to swim, as I tried to grasp the enormity of what had just occurred. I had been sold to this man.

"This one is feisty," warned the drill sergeant, stepping forward.

The man in the suit chuckled, "I like them feisty."

He reached out to touch my face. I flinched away from his hand instinctively.

The drill sergeant grabbed me by the arm and forced me towards the man. "Don't be rude now," he hissed at me.

The man took ahold of me, giving me a good once over, like a prized cow. He took in my slight frame and gaunt eyes, and a hint of furry was seen in his eyes. "You should take better care of your stock," the man admonished the drill sergeant, before turning to leave with me in tow.

Before we could exit the courtyard, a commotion erupted in the back. Shouts and screams filled the air as people began to panic. The man's grip on me tightened, and he looked around anxiously. I couldn't see the source of the commotion, but it was getting nearer the longer we stood there. My master kept an iron grip on my arm, as a look of concern filled his eyes.

"Stay close," he ordered, pulling me along as the chaos grew.

As we neared the exit, a group of armed rebels burst into the courtyard, some holding bows and arrows, and others holding swords. The scene erupted into pandemonium. The rebels were fighting the guards, who were also trying to keep control of the captives, who saw this as their chance to try to escape. My eyes frantically scanned the scene for both Anna and Adam, but they were lost in the frenzy. Among the rebels, I briefly spotted a pair of familiar green eyes, before being pulled away.

The man dragged me through the chaos, ducking and weaving through the panicked crowd. I stumbled after him, my heart racing with fear. What had I just witnessed, and why were the rebels carrying bows and arrows, when the guards carried guns? It was like two different worlds had collided, and my mind was struggling to make sense of it.

The man kept pulling me along, and then guided me through a small hidden exit in the courtyard wall. He scurried down a murky hallway, before throwing me into an unknown world. Beyond the tall brick walls was an open field with mountains looming on the horizon. A line of carriages were parked there. The elegantly dressed men and women who were at the auction were hurridly climbing into their carriages, before sprinting away. The man pulled me into an elegant black carriage with red velvet cushions.

"Go!" he yelled to a coachman, after he threw me into the carriage, climbing in behind me.

The coachmen whipped the horses, and the carriage lurched forward, leaving the scene of chaos behind.