The next day it was Anne and Rae's turn to leave, for sale at the lady-market. Anne was in the parlor and Rae was brought down from upstairs when the truck arrived.
She looked around her. So many memories from her brief residence here, they would be added to the other experiences of her condition; her old life seemed dull and gray in comparison. She wondered who would buy her this time, or if she would be left in the dark for the jaguars.
Mr. Jones snapped the end of the leather strap onto the ring between Anne's legs. It wasn't necessary, but he had come to enjoy doing it and this might be his last chance.
When Anne walked in front with the leash between her legs it penetrated into the cleft, exciting her into making little sounds as she walked. And making her wet; she couldn't help it, that's how she was.
Even on the short path to the truck she felt the leather inside her. When they reached it, he detached the leash and wiped it on her rear.
Rae got in the cage first; as she bent over, Anne kissed her behind in playful homage. Their hands were bound, so Mr. Jones lifted her hips and slid her in.
Anne was next. When she bent to the entrance he slapped her; but not too hard she thought, more of a male love-pat, before hoisting her legs up and pushing her inside. Oh, good; the rug was there. These simple pleasures meant so much to her now. She remembered how fussy and hard to please she used to be before her training.
Rae began kissing her while Mr. Jones started the engine; Anne lay on her back for the journey and opened her legs.
They entertained each other this way for the entire trip. Anne thought she tasted some of Mr. Jones' seed in Rae, but said nothing.
The exercise left her a little tired when they reached the market and were unloaded. They followed their owner to the now familiar row of stakes.
Rae was suspended as usual by her bracelets from one. But at a word from Mr. Jones, Anne was spread between two of them to display her marks and open her for inspection.
Rae smiled at her and blew Anne a kiss as they hung a short distance apart and waited for buyers. The journey had been a short one, and it was not yet noon. The cool morning air began to revive her.
A native girl wearing only a loincloth - that revived her spirits too - approached with a water bottle and a bowl of corn porridge which she fed to Anne with a spoon. Thirsty from her exercise and the drive, Anne drank deeply from the bottle. Almost too much, as it turned out.
Another did the same for Rae. Soon Anne was herself again and she looked around her. Not many girls for sale here today, just her and Rae and a few others a distance away.
She heard a familiar voice and looked up. Francesca's boss Georges approached and shook hands with Mr. Jones. He wanted to buy her.
Jones nodded and said Rae was part of the deal.
Not a problem said Georges, pulling out his checkbook, how much?
The two men quickly came to an agreement. Georges' chauffeur William unhooked them from the stakes, fastened their hands behind them and attached a leash to Rae's collar.
As he moved to do the same to Anne, Jones pointed down at the ring between her legs. Georges laughed and told William to put it there. He took both leashes in hand and led the pair to a small cabin near the edge of the field, sometimes used by customers to try out a girl before buying her.
It was dark inside behind curtained windows; but as her eyes adjusted Anne saw a bench and a low table, the only furniture on the earthen floor.
At a command, they both lay down on their backs. Georges told William to stand guard outside; he would return for them in the afternoon.
Neither of them in the mood for lovemaking, the two girls awaited developments.
After a few minutes Anne felt something crawling on her; she looked down to see a large scorpion on her ribs walking down toward the moist space between her thighs. Then another, smaller; and several more in its wake like a family outing.
She lay very still, not making the slightest movement while they feasted on the rich liquor she exuded in her fear. After they dined they crawled up to her breasts, found nothing useful there, and left her alone shaking a little.
An hour passed in silence, then another. After she did not know how long, she began to feel the need to relieve herself. At first just a feathery sensation below her belly, it grew over time in urgency.
Soon it dominated her thoughts; she could think of nothing but the discomfort, and the impossibility of dealing with it here on her back.
She looked around to see if there was a chamber pot or a latrine opening in the floor of the cabin; no, nothing. Soon she would disgrace herself and have to lie in the muddy result till help came.
Just when she thought she could hold out no longer, there was a noise at the door and Georges entered. Anne forced a smile at her new owner as she stood up, grimacing and tense to contain herself.
Possibly he understood. In any case, he led the two girls out on their leashes to a sandy area near the jungle and let them squat.
Anne blessed him silently from the bottom of her heart.
When they were done, he told them to stand. William held an open box up for him; he took a bunch of brightly colored ribbons and tied them to Anne's neck. No black ones, that was good. Removing a large pink bow, he put it in her hair.
He explained. Francesca had recently left his firm; she and her husband Thomas were now partners with Teri at her brothel. They were here as buyers at the lady-market and Anne was his wedding present to them, more versatile than a toaster.
He drew a gift card from the box and attached it with a hook to Anne's steel collar, led them into the cabin and told them to kneel. He would return with the lucky couple shortly. Anne wondered for a moment why he did not attach it to her ring; but it might get wet there, this was best.
Anne cringed to see more scorpions scuttling across the floor in search of food. One even began to climb her thigh; the door opened a moment later and they vanished back to their nests.
The sudden light blinded her and she closed her eyes, so she could not tell if her former owner and Thomas showed surprise on seeing her. But she opened them when Georges told her to stand; the curtains had been pulled back and sunlight filled the room.
Georges presented his gift to the couple, and they accepted it with their thanks. Anne could not read Francesca's expression. Was she pleased to have her former lover back in her possession? Perhaps she would rather have a toaster.
Thomas unhooked the card from Anne's collar and read it aloud. None of the other offerings at today's market were suitable and they were glad not to return empty-handed.
Georges offered to take them all back to the city. In return they invited him to dine with them that evening.
He would be delighted.
They arranged themselves in his sedan. In front, William drove with Anne between Georges and himself. In back Rae nestled between Francesca and Thomas.
Georges began to explore Anne before they reached the road, stroking her breasts and belly as he did at their first meeting two years ago. She noticed that a thick absorbent towel had been laid on the seat beneath her. Mustn't stain the upholstery.
Soon she heard little noises in back. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves but the the driver William, who kept his eyes on the road. Wise, but she wondered if he liked women.
Midway on the journey they stopped at a roadside cafe. Rae went inside with them, and Anne was left with William.
