I looked around the room. Damn them. Only three hours ago, I had been walking down Rodeo with my best friend Angie and now… I shook my head to rid myself of the thoughts. If I don’t think about it, it isn’t happening, right? Shutting my eyes, I leaned back against the iron bars with hope that I would soon wake from this nightmare.
But, when my eyes opened, I realized it was reality, not a horrible nightmare. The room was still very dim-lit and I had to strain my eyes to see two other cages near me. Angie sat in one, staring at her bare feet in deep thought, while a young woman I didn’t recognize sobbed softly in the other. What was going to happen to us?
I heard a creak and immediately knew the door was opening. Light poured in and I blinked, squinting my eyes against the light burn it caused. A tall, thin man stepped through the doorway and looked at us with amusement on his lips. I opened my mouth to speak but shut it again when I saw there was an older man standing behind him with curiosity. They both entered and neared our cages.
“These are the only pups I have left,” the thinner man spoke. I looked up at the two of them in fear. The other man stood over six feet with raven black hair. He had broad shoulders and looked well fit, intimidating me more.
“How much they going for?” the stronger man asked. I looked over at Angie and saw tears dripping down her cheeks and suddenly, I felt angry. Who were these men and what were they doing with us?
“Three a piece sounds fair,” the thin man replied as he went over to the strange girl’s cage and tapped on the iron, shaking her up. She squealed from fear and backed away from him as far as the bars would allow. “What’s the matter, little pup? Scared?” he teased the girl. I glared at him and bit my lip. “You have reason to be!” he shouted, shaking her cage again.
“Leave her be!” I finally shouted at him, the anger rising from the depths of my soul. Both men turned to me immediately. I saw the thin man was angry and immediately, I shut my mouth and glared up at him.