Flight 118

Chapter Three

Loud cheering rang through the darkness while I sat in what felt like dirt and hay.

I did not know how long I had been kept there. I was by myself in the dark, unable to see anything. The constant cheering in the air seemed to continuously get louder; which just seemed to make me more and more nervous and scared.

Suddenly light cut through the dark. The small globe grew brighter as it came closer, and I could see it was from a candle. The man holding the candle came into focus, and I saw he had two other men with him. Two men who were big and burly.

Scooting back into the cell a little more, I began to beg as they opened the door, "What is happening? Who are you and what are you doing?"

As they came in, they grabbed me and picked me up. Darkness blocked my view as something was pulled over my head.

Despite my struggle, I was taken away. I quickly began to panic and scream, "Help! Put me down! Help!"

After what felt like forever, I felt myself being slammed on something hard. Then I felt something rough being quickly wrapped around me, and what I was now sure to be a chair.

They were tying me to a chair! I began to struggle and tried to get away, but it was useless. The yells and cheers were now deafening. I thought to myself, I must be in the room where I heard all this noise coming from.

A man's voice cut through the loud noise in the room and said,"Quiet! Quiet everyone!"

The noise all at once ceased and a sliver of fear went through me as I listened blindly.

The same voice continued to say, "I want to welcome you all today for the 10th Annual Gathering here in Houston!"

I did not think it was possible, but the cheering sounded again and was even louder than before. However, just as soon as it started, it stopped.

The man's voice cut through the air again and what he said made me begin to panic even more.

"Now, I am sure you all know how this works, but in case you don't, I will go over it again. When we begin, the women will be revealed to you. Those who plan to bid will walk down, in a line, and decide which prize they want to bid on. Once they have decided, they will be taken to the assigned area in which they are to fight, either until one gives up or dies. Whoever wins, once making their payment, will be given escorts along with their woman. Then they can be on their way."

I heard myself whimper softly. They were going to auction me off! There were other women too! There would be fights to the death! Where am I? Who were these people?

The voice said, "If there are no questions, let the women be revealed!"

After a continuous cycle of roaring, there was nothing but silence for what seemed like hours. The thing over my head was pulled off and sudden needles of light blinded my eyes. Then my eyes quickly adjusted. I first saw a gigantic room lit by fire everywhere. The second thing I saw was that the room was full of men ranging from all ages and sizes- and they were all staring at the stage. At me.

I swallowed hard as I stared out at the room. I barely heard the announcer person saying,"-picked up in the middle of nowhere. No family and friends will think of her as missing. A feisty one too!"

I looked to the left and saw five other girls looking out at the crowd with fear, all of them crying. Some noisily, some silently. Some looked terrified, some confused, and some looking truly dejected.

I then looked to my right to see two girls in the same state, four girls with black bags over their head still, and one girl currently being 'revealed'.

I felt a gasp escape me when the bag was pulled off to show a crying girl who I quickly realized was the one with me on the carriage. The one who had also been sent from the plane.

Everything that was happening was pure insanity. Someone had to save us. How can stuff like this be happening and no one knows about it? Like the authorities! Where were they?

I can't be sold, be a slave, or possibly be killed. I was supposed to be on vacation!

I felt a tear fall from my face as I looked out at the crowd, but I quickly stopped crying. I could not show fear. I would not give these people the pleasure of seeing me cry. Whatever happened would happen and I would just need to find a way out of it.

I was quickly pulled from my thoughts, though, when I heard, "Let the bidding begin!"

I swallowed deeply and once again felt myself panicking.

Bidding?! Where the heck did we crash? Something like this did not happen in the U.S. and we had to be there. Right?!

I did not want to become another statistic. My breath started to come out in gasps, as I began to panic. I just hoped whoever 'bought' me would be nice enough to let me go. I internally gave an unamused huff. I didn't even believe that would happen.