Sold

For a contest, just 'cause I can

There I was, standing naked in front of him. He twirled his finger, and I spun slowly in front of him.

"She's a fine little thing," he called to the dealer. In any other situation, I might have found his southern accent attractive.

"Ones pretty as she are rare these days, sir," the dealer said, focusing mostly on shining the cuffs he held. "Selling her is quiet a loss." There was a longing in his voice that made my stomach lurch. "I can't refuse an offer like yours, though..."

The potential buyer turned his attention to the dealer, crossing his arms. "She sure is a mighty large sum. You sure she's worth all this money, friend?"

The dealer nodded profusely. "Best one of this lot. Very docile. Complacent. Discipline wasn't too difficult with this one." The way his eyes roamed my skin made me shudder. "She knows her place."

"Alright, I s'pose I can't say no to that. Got the paperwork?"

"Right this way, sir." The dealer led the man, who looked back at me over his shoulder with an intimidating smile, back out the door, talking about how he only needing  few signatures.

I dropped to my knees, arms wrapped around my chest. No, I thought. Just leave me here.

I wasn't the only girl being sold; we all were held in private rooms and buyers were brought in to inspect us. This was my third week up for sale. This man was the most gentle, by far. Others had poked and prodded in ways that left me feeling- No, I couldn't allow myself to think of it. Grimy hands and cigarette lips...

I shuddered. The man looked just like the rich people who passed through my village. Rich people who don't feel bad for trampling little brothers with their horses. Rich people who laugh as they throw little girls into the back of their wagons to be sold.

"Let's go, girl." The deep voice yanked my away from my memories. I didn't recognize the man it belonged to, but the cuffs in his hands were the ones I had just watched get polished. I didn't fight as he wrapped them around my wrists, just hung my head.

He led me out of the little cell I was shoved into a few days prior. A piece of me was glad to be getting away from that dank room. The other was afraid to leave it.

The man was shaking hands with the dealer as I was pushed through the doorway. He nodded at the man guiding me and beckoned me forward. I moved slowly, which earned me a hard shove forward.

"Hey, now," the man said, "don' handle my property so rough."

Property. I'd been reduced from girl, at least human, to a subhuman thing to be owned. Weren't the people farther north fighting for everyone to have rights? If the blacks weren't slaves anymore, why was I?

The dealer gave him the keys to my shackles and left with my escort. I stood in the room, only feet from the door to the outside, alone with my new owner. I hadn't seen sunshine for days. My bare skin longed for it.

I was denied. 

The man stood in front of me, grabbed me by the chin and forced his gaze into my eyes. He just stared for a few moments. The tobacco smell he exhaled made me want to gag, but I didn't dare. His eyes were bluer than mama's hydrangeas.

Without warning, he released me. "You's just about the prettiest little thing. What do they call the pretty things like you 'round here?"

"I-I-I..." I gulped, when was the last time I spoke without crying? "My name is Eleanor Rodes."

"Well, then, Miss Rodes, my name's Mister James, but friends call me Eddie." He rested a calloused hand on my shoulder, piercing my eyes with his again. "Now, if I let you outta them cuffs, are we friends?"

"S-sure." I was afraid of what his muscular arms would do to someone who wasn't his friend. "If you like."

He smiled; it was the same smile that seemed so menacing not long ago. Now, though, it seemed almost friendly. He spun the keys in his fingers for a moment before unshackling me.

I rubbed my wrists, thankful to be free from the harsh bite of the metal. "Thank you, Mr. Jame- Eddie."

"Now, you ain't gonna go runnin' off anywhere if I leave for a moment, right?"

I shook my head vigorously. "No, sir."

He turned on his heel and slid out the door. The sun that peaked through burned my eyes, I wanted to run, if only to follow him into the light.

True to his word, he returned quickly. He held out a bundle, wrapped nicely and brown paper. "For you."

I pulled off the paper cautiously. I didn't have to strip it all away to know what was in it.

Clothes.

I beamed. Underclothes and a dress. "Sir, I- thank you."

"No need, just get dressed. We got some travelin' to do, and I don' wanna be transportin' a girl who ain't clothed."

I pulled the clothes on quickly. My skin was a little raw from being exposed to the hard ground for so long, but I was nonetheless grateful for the soft fabric against my skin.

After I smoothed out the wrinkles, he gave me a wink and brought me outside.

The sun had never felt so good. Suddenly, I missed the sunburn I'd gotten out in the fields so many times. Anything was better than the darkness of that cell.

"You comin', Miss Rodes?" There was no impatience in his voice, just curiosity. He leaned on his horse lazily. I hadn't realized until that moment that I was standing just outside the door. The feeling of the sun beating down on me stopped me in my tracks.

I nodded, walking forward slowly, trying to soak up as much of the sun as possible. When I got close enough, he grabbed me around the shoulders and launched me onto the horse's back. Until that moment, I hadn't even considered where we might be going. A small town surrounded the filthy building all of the girls were being held, but he couldn't have been from it if we were traveling.

"You ever been on a horse before?" he asked as he climbed up.

I shook my head. "Where are we going?"

"You's gonna wanna hold on to me tight, then. Gets to be a little bumpy." He took hold of the reins in one hand and gently stroked the horse's ear with the other. It was kind of a sweet gesture.

When he flicked the reins, only pure luck kept me from plummeting toward the ground. I grabbed on to Eddie for dear life and clung tight. The horse didn't go very fast, I think its master might have guessed that I wasn't prepared for motion, but it was certainly quicker than I could have traveled on foot.

We rode in silence for a few minutes before I realized that my question had went unanswered.

"Eddie, where are we going?"

He glanced over his shoulder with a smile in his eyes. "I s'pose there ain't anyone around to overhear anymore."

I raised an eyebrow, but he was focused on the path ahead.

"You daddy sent a friend," he said over his shoulder. "His friend sent me. I'm takin' you home, Eleanor."

Author's Note

So while this was for a contest, I would still like comments, criticisms, critiques, etc. Fire away.

Reviews

[avant security guard]

really excellent--reminds you of human trafficking--good use of dialogue--moved quickly--no bogging down--surprisingly upbeat--please keep it that way--downbeat stuff just brings me down

[leenalettingitout]

Don't worry, this is just a single story, I have no plans to expand it. I don't wanna ruin it by adding on.
Thank you for commenting, though. I appreciate it.

[louisa]

i love this, it's a really good opening to a story and I want to read more! well done