A chill runs down your spine as the door to your cage is opened. You don't want to come out, but with your hands tied behind your back, you have no choice. Meekly, you follow the tugging of the leash at your neck. The man leads you backstage. Through the heavy red curtains, you can hear the muffled words of the auctioneer, the low murmuring of the audience.
Thoughts race through your head as you steel yourself for what's to come. What if you'd never gone out that night? What if you'd told someone where you were going? What if you'd been more careful? Thousands of small decisions, inconsequential by themselves, yet all of them had led to you finding yourself in the back of a strange van, hands and feet tied with rope, a bag over your head, tape over your mouth silencing your screams for help. And now, less then 24 hours later, you find yourself here, about to be led out onto the stage and auctioned off as a slave to the highest bidder.
The man holding your leash is talking, giving you instructions. He is smiling, framing it as cheerful advice, as if he's doing you a favor. "...when you're led out, don't struggle, keep the leash loose. Head bowed, eyes down. Follow the instructions of the auctioneer and show the crowd your assets. Trust me, you want to fetch a good price. You don't want to be one of the girls sold cheap to the brothels and 'resorts.'"
Stepping forward, he grabs one curtain and parts it. Through the gap, you can see the auction stage. The lot before yours, a pretty young blonde girl, is being led away, head bowed. Beyond, the crowd of bidders are a sea of murky figures, dark against the glare of the spotlights.
"Now, our next item for sale is one I know you will enjoy..." The voice of the auctioneer calls out to the crowd.
"That's your cue." The man holding you says tauntingly. He tugs firmly on the leash, urging you to follow.
Heart pounding, you shuffle after him, trying to fight the rising panic inside as you step through the curtains and out into the bright stage. It's your turn to be auctioned off...
***
A little while ago, I posted this
picture with the POV of a slave girl being led along in a slave coffle.
and
both suggested doing other scenarios with the same idea, and I thought a slave auction might work pretty well.