Traffic

Chapter Six

Kelly stirred as she heard muffled voices, waking her from her sleep. She realized she was being carried bridal style through a building. The building was warm and smelled of cigars and booze. She fluttered her eyelids open to see the walls painted a musty brown on the top half and covered in red velvet over the bottom half, creating a very rich and luxurious look.

She noticed Paul was carrying her and decided to pretend she was still asleep. She peeked through her barely open eyelids and saw only pieces of things around her. After Paul exited the hallway, it opened up into a large room with tables and chairs and a smoky atmosphere. Kelly tried not to gag from the smell of the cigars that showed up in almost every man's hand.

The next thing she noticed, was the fact that everyone in that room was a man. All around her, they talked, laughed and held boisterous conversations. That scene came to an abrupt end as Paul walked through a curtained off section behind what looked like a stage with poles driven into it. Kelly grew fearful as she noticed more things about her surroundings.

Suddenly, she was dropped into a chair and felt a hand gently slapping her cheek, "Wake up, sleeping beauty. It's time to fill out your questionnaire."

"Wh-what?" Kelly asked, blinking her eyes open, adjusting to the strange lighting. She then noticed a line of men, gripping women's arms, some women standing alone, and all leading up to a table where a woman handed each a piece of paper on a clipboard and a pen. "Are we here?" Kelly asked, knowing the answer already.

"Yes, Kelly. This is the auction where I'm going to sell you to another man. Don't be frightened, though, because you know what? You've learned well and as long as you keep up what I've taught you, he won't hurt you and you'll be just fine."

Kelly nodded, realizing she no longer wore handcuffs and ran her fingers through her hair, then rubbed her eyes.

"Don't get worked up. You don't want to cry on stage. That won't get any bids and that would make me very unhappy. You don't want to make me unhappy, do you?"

"No, sir," Kelly replied automatically to the question now.

"Good, now let's get in line.

Kelly walked through the line and received her questionnaire, then sat down to fill it out, Paul being ushered to the main room on the other side of the curtain. She was asked questions about her measurements and her favorite activities, then she had to check a box to clarify if she was a virgin or not. Tears stinging her eyes as she filled it out, Kelly checked the box, then stood, handing it back to the woman behind the table.

"Okay, Kelly, number thirteen. Follow Yolanda, she'll get you dressed and all made-up."

Kelly followed a strange looking woman down a short hallway to a door where she was seated and put in front of a mirror. For the first time in a week, Kelly simply stared at herself. She hardly recognized herself. Her hair had been cut by Cynthia to a short bob that hung barely to her shoulders and her face covered in makeup to hide any blemishes.

As Yolanda examined Kelly, she spoke, "You have natural beauty, kid, you really don't need all that gaudy makeup. The hair is nice, though. It could use some curl to it, but it's nice. We've got twenty minutes before curtains, so I'll do what I can with you in that amount of time. Do you want to wear what you have on or change?"

"I'd like to wear what I have on, please," Kelly replied.

"Sure thing, kid," Yolanda replied, snapping her gum before spinning Kelly around and setting to work on her makeup.

Twenty minutes later, Kelly stood in line with around thirty other girls and women and as far as she could tell, she was the youngest. Fear grew in her stomach and she feared what would happen if she was to throw up either before or after she got on stage for her turn. Out of utter fear, she held it down, clutching her stomach with both hands to help ease the pain.

After several, grueling minutes, her number was called, "Number thirteen, Kelly Virginia."

Kelly put on her best game face and walked up the stairs and onto the stage, just like Paul had taught her. She could see Paul in the crowd as she walked toward the 'X' that was taped to the floor where each girl before her stood and where each girl after her would stand.

Kelly Virginia, aged at thirteen years old. Five foot, three inches tall with size 32, D breasts. Oh, this is a surprise! The first one tonight who is a virgin! Bid high, gentlemen, she's not only a stunner, but has yet to experience the touch of a man."

When Kelly heard what the announcer said and saw the men standing to get a better look and calling out numbers, she finally realized what she was being sold as. A new pang of fear struck her and she wanted to scream out and cry, but held it together as best she could for fear of getting hurt by Paul if she wasn't sold.

The gavel fell to the podium a few feet to Kelly's right and she glanced over to see the announcer putting a pile of cash in an envelope and writing something on it. Then she felt someone grab her arm and looked over, suddenly, to see a tall man with a beard and unkempt hair looking at her with a smile on his face. He, like many others, had a cigar in his mouth and spoke around it as he led Kelly off the stage.

"You're all mine now, bitch. Wait until you see what I have waiting for you at home."

When Kelly heard that word, tears made their way down her cheeks against her will. 'Home' was not where she was going. She was going to a prison where she was to be this man's slave. She was bought and purchased, fair and square, and nothing could change that. She was this man's property now, same as a piece of land or a family pet.

The only relief she felt in thiswhole situation, was the fresh air on her face as the man led her to his car,seemingly eager to get her to his house without staying for the rest of theauction.t�JsS���