The Rosey Thorn

Chapter 20

Lincoln’s house was a mansion. Iron gates around the entire house and land. Men were posted at the gates checking every car that went through, men that were at the bar. Guards even checked underneath the car with mirrors. Their guns nestled by their side, but their fingers rested on the trigger ready for anything.

I went to the side of the house looking for a way in. I went to the darkest side where it was the least patrolled, and before I could climb over, I tested it. If Lincoln was anything like El Toro, these fences could be electric if anyone was trying to escape.

I tested it by throwing my engagement ring at it. I thought I lost it but learned that El Toro confiscated it the day I was taken. I managed to take it back a couple of days before I escaped. He slept in my room, and after he fell asleep, I searched through his clothes and happened upon it-unaware he even had it.

I tossed the ring and, unfortunately, the fence wasn’t electric. Damn it. I need to find another way to fry the ring. I don’t want to look at it anymore. It’s just a painful reminder of what I could have had. It now holds an awful memory. I picked up the ring and climbed over the gate.

Quietly making my way to the mansion, I found the back door unguarded and picked open the lock. I went in and silently closed the door. I entered an empty laundry room and listened. Hearing nothing, I made my way out.

I took out my little knife as I made my way down the hall. As I got close to the end, I could hear the laughter of men. My heart was going crazy, beating wildly of being caught. I have gotten lucky so far. I gripped my knife tighter as I peeked around the corner. I breathed a sigh of relief when all the men had their backs to me. They were seated at round tables with women from the bar serving them drinks. Next to their drinks were paddles. One of the men lifted the paddle up and there was a number on it, an auction paddle.

I looked beyond the soon-to-be drunk men and saw a high-rise stage. More than likely, the girls will be brought out one by one to be sold for a night, the way El Toro did.

An African-American man in a gray suit walked on stage and said in a booming voice, “Gentlemen, welcome to the Auction of the Lilies. You’ve read the description of each lady, and tonight you will see them. You will not be disappointed. Lincoln always provides the best. Bidding for each lady starts at $10,000. Gentlemen, enjoy.”

So, he’s not Lincoln. Instead, he walked over to a podium and called out the first girl. A short brunette wearing a blue dress and silver heels steps out. She looks so scared and frightened by all the men staring at her. She looked like a gazelle in a room full of predators ready to devour her. She stood in the middle of the stage looking down, and the bidding began.

These dirty men went crazy. Raising their paddles up and down, trying to win their prize. It was disgusting.

“Sold! For $90,000.”

A group of bikers roared with excitement as they looked at their prey. Poor girl. She was escorted off the stage to the back. So, I followed.

I followed her and her escort to a room upstairs, leaving the girl alone. Strange, he didn’t lock the door. Quietly making my way to the door, I pressed my ear to the oak door to listen before I went in. Hearing nothing, I went in. Sitting in a chair, the girl was weeping softly. Closing the door behind me, she looked up startled.

“Who are you?” She wept with a slightly foreign accent.

“I’m looking for someone,” I say. “And I’m hoping you know her. If you help me, I can get you out of here. You want that, don’t you?” She nodded. “Do you know Cielo?”

Her eyes flashed with recognition. “She’s here,” she says, wiping her eyes. “She’s in the second to the last room on the right. She will be auctioned like me and the others.”

“What’s your name?”

“Mandy.”

“What happens after the auction, Mandy?” I asked, moving closer to her.

“We come back here to our rooms and wait for the ones who bought us. More than likely we will be drugged, but sometimes we aren’t. Some guys like us to remember what they do to us. It’s so horrible.”

She puts her head in her hands and cries again. “Shh,” I said, soothing her. “I will get you out, but first stay here. I’m going to check on Cielo.”

“Who are you?” She asks with a shine in her eyes that was filled with hope. Hope that I’m her savior and was going to free her, but what do I tell her? I’m not the same Rose I once was. Who am I to Cielo now? She has no family; they are the ones who sold her. She became a sister to me while we were caged. Then it hits me.

“I’m Cielo’s sister,” I responded. “Wait here. I’ll be back before the auction ends.”

I went back into the hallway and a booming voice shouted, “Sold!” I quickly moved down the hallway before I was caught and entered the room, Mandy told me.

I peered into the bright room and saw a girl facing the wall. I shut the door behind me. I slowly approached the girl. Her dark hair went straight down to her lower back. She wore a sleeveless black dress with spaghetti straps. Once I got close enough, I softly spoke her name. “Cielo.”

Her back strengthened and she turned. It’s her. She started to cry as she launched herself, hugging me. “You came for me,” she cried.

“I told you I would. I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner.”

She pulled away, rubbing her eyes. “At least you came.”

“Not soon enough.”

I walked to the window and looked out. It's dark out which provides enough cover to sneak Cielo and Mandy out, but how many other women are there? “Cielo, how many women are here?”

“Just twelve including me.”

“Okay.” I began to think. I can’t sneak out twelve women unnoticed. The auction was still going on and if there’s no woman on stage, then it's game over. I came up with a plan that’s going to cost a lot of lives, but it doesn’t matter. I’ll get over it.

“Cielo, listen to me. The auction needs to continue. Just go with whatever happens.” She started to argue, but I stopped her. “I’m not leaving.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to make sure no one leaves.”