An Auction

Lucino entered the building with Aurora and she started to look around immediately.

She noticed everyone was dressed in black and there was something different about this party. It felt too boring for a party.

The music was slow and sounded a little bit sad, the lights in the room were a little bit dimmed, and the guests seemed to be having conversations.

It was a weird party.

“Mr. Romano.” A voice called and Lucino turned to see a middle-aged man walking towards him. He got to Lucino and bowed a little which made Aurora wonder if he works for him.

They started to have a conversation that Aurora wasn't interested in. She kept looking around without trying to see if she could finally understand something going on.

“Hey,” Lucino called and she turned to him.

“Come on,” he muttered and pulled her to a table. They took their seats and she noticed everyone was taking their seats too.

She noticed there was a stage that everyone was paying attention to. Aurora wondered what was going on or what was about to happen.

Suddenly the lights went off and she gasped a little. She wasn't expecting that. The lights came on on the stage and there was a man with a mic. He was smiling at the guests.

“It's nice to have everyone here again. Shall we begin?” he asked and Aurora noticed everyone pulling out something from under the table. They were little boards with numbers and letters on them.

Lucino pulled one out too and she noticed what was on it.

“Buy!” was written boldly in block letters and behind the board were numbers, numbers she couldn't tell what they meant but she was guessing they were the numbers of the seats. The boards were glowing too.

She placed her hand under the table too in search of a board and she found one. She pulled it out too and noticed Lucino staring at her.

“What are these for?” Aurora whispered to him due to how quiet the room was. She got no response as he turned away from her.

‘Are we about to play a game?’ she thought as she looked around. Everyone seemed focused.

“Bring out our first item.” the man announced and Aurora waited impatiently to see the item. She kind of figured out it was an auction.

Her lips parted in shock as she saw a man pull a lady out. She was walking on all fours, naked, and a chain was wrapped around her neck which was being pulled from.

“Our first item is going for fifty thousand dollars,” he said and Aurora blinked rapidly as she heard.

Is this a sex trade? A slave trade? Or what the hell? And fifty thousand dollars? Is a person worth fifty thousand dollars?

‘This is insane!’ she screamed in her head.

“Fifty-five thousand.” A man amongst the crowd said, raising his board.

“Going once, twice… “

“Sixty thousand.” A middle-aged woman said which surprised Aurora. Aren't men the only traders? Why the hell does she need a sex slave?

“Sold,” he announced and there were little claps.

Aurora found it absurd and she scoffed a little which Lucino heard but he didn't turn to look at her.

“And our next item,” he said, and another lady was being pulled out the same way the others were. The lady looked different than the other, beautiful, Mexican, and thicker.

“One of the best we have. Straight from the Albanian slave trade. Fresh, hasn't been touched yet.” he described and paused for a few seconds before speaking again.

“Two hundred thousand dollars,” he announced and multiple boards were being lifted which surprised Aurora.

Different prices were called from the guests, and the auction became a little bit loud as people named their prices.

A middle-aged man finally made a purchase at three hundred thousand dollars and she was sold to him.

Aurora noticed the price differences were crazy, the last girl got sold at sixty thousand dollars while she was being sold at three hundred thousand.

She wondered how far the prices were going to go up. Still, she found it insane and wished it would all end.

The auction went on and it kept getting worse. Aurora got curious and wondered if Lucino was going to actually make a purchase.

If he is present then he wants too right? If he isn't just attending the auction for fun right? And why the hell is she his plus one for this?

“And for our final item, the best on the list. She is pure, young, and beautiful. Going for ten million dollars.” he said and Aurora’s eyes widened in shock.

Ten million dollars? Ten million dollars is crazy!

“Fifteen million.” A voice said and Aurora turned to look at the man. The room was quiet, no one said anything.

“Going once, twice… “

“Thirty million dollars,” Lucino said, raising his board and Aurora looked at him.

“Sold!” he announced and seconds later, the lights came on. Aurora had so many questions but she had no idea where to start or if she should even ask.

The guests stood up and were all leaving, just like that.

Lucino stood up too and Aurora did too.

Aurora could recognise some important people in the city but not so much. They all headed out of the building and when they were out, everyone got in their cars.

Aurora looked at Lucino as the chauffeur drove. She needed answers. Why will she be a tool for him for pleasure and he still bought a sex slave? That's crazy! And why the hell is he involved in something like that?

“Hmm… what… what was that about?” she stuttered expecting a response from him but got nothing. He just stared out the window.

Aurora bit her lip and exhaled heavily. She was getting frustrated with the silence.

“You know there is something called a conversation and it is normal to have it. What is this? What was all that about? Why are you involved in something like that? Are we going back home now or heading to another auction? What the hell is going on?” she asked, raising her voice a little and he finally turned to her.

“You’ll see,” he said simply and turned away which made her sigh.

The cat pulled over in front of a building and Aurora noticed other cars too.

They got out of the car and she noticed the area was quiet. More like an abandoned street.

They walked into the building and entered the first room. Aurora furrowed her brows seeing a few people from the party and the girl Lucino bought. There was a huge table in the room with everyone gathered around it.

A middle aged man stood next to the girl and pulled out a knife. He muttered strange words and he slit her throat immediately. Aurora was about to scream but just like Lucino knew, he put his hand over her mouth.

The blood dripping from her neck was collected into a golden cup and Aurora tried to look away but Lucino’s grip wouldn't let her.

“Look at it,” he ordered and Aurora whimpered a little as tears welled up in her eyes.

“It's okay, I am just showing what it takes to be in my life. Now, do you get it?”