I look around my sparsely decorated bedroom for the last time with a sigh. Excitement courses through me at the thought of finally being on my own for the first time. Leaving my alcoholic mother behind will be both a relief and hard at the same time. I will be able to take care of just myself and not have to worry about her anymore.
Growing up in a tiny farm community being the town drunk's daughter was not an easy life and I am looking forward to starting fresh at college where no one knows me. My grades won me a full scholarship to Columbia University in New York City. Luckily my mother's most recent boyfriend took me under his wing, even after he stopped seeing Mom, and bought me a nice used car for college. It will take me two days to drive all the way to New York City and I close my door behind me with a grin. Mom is still passed out from last night when I drive away from our rundown apartment above one of the many bars on Main Street.
My mind wanders as I drive down the freeway towards my bright future. I have never dated anyone before, thanks to my mother's drinking, so I am hoping I can meet a nice guy at school. I don't know who my father is but since I look nothing like my mother with my bright red curly hair and bright green eyes I can only assume I look like him. My mother is also quite tall at almost six feet while I am barely five feet and very petite whereas she is curvy and busty. Thankfully, for a redhead, I don't have one freckle but instead have flawless ivory skin.
I stop my first night, after driving for about nine hours at a Holiday Inn right off the freeway and take a long hot shower. The hotel has a restaurant right on the premises and thanks to Greg, my mom's old boyfriend; I have a credit card to help with expenses. He insisted on helping me, since he always wanted a daughter and can't have children of his own.
I sit at a corner table and order a burger with fries and a glass of sweet tea. There are only a couple other people in the restaurant so it is nice and quiet. After eating I go back up to my room and go right to sleep so I can get an early start.
Early the next evening I am driving white knuckled through New York City traffic trying to find my way to school. I manage to make it to the apartment I have been assigned for my first year without mishap and breathe a sigh of relief. Broadway Hall is supposed to be only for juniors and seniors but Greg pulled some strings and managed to get me a room here on the thirteenth floor with the best views of the city. It is also said to be the quietest housing the college has even though it is co-ed.
I park in the parking ramp and start the long arduous process of carrying my stuff inside. An hour later all of my suitcases and boxes are finally in my room that I share with another girl. She was just heading out when I brought my load in and introduced herself before hurrying away. I spend the next couple of hours unpacking my stuff, making my side of the room feel like home. Greg gave me a bunch of things to take with me, a new comforter set, throw pillows, posters and stuff for the walls. My car will for the most part stay parked in the ramp since I can just walk to classes.
The next few days pass in a blur of activity with orientation and tours of campus, finding all my classes and making friends with people in the building. I also spend some time exploring the neighborhood finding stores, restaurants and stuff.
The night before my first day of class my neighbor across the hall invites me to go jogging in central park with him. I have been jogging through there during the day but was too busy today to get to it and gladly accept. Being a small town girl central park makes me nervous because of all the crime that takes place there. We jog side by side just as the sun is setting as my mind wanders to my classes tomorrow. I am so excited to get started! Suddenly my jogging partner veers off to a trail I have never used before because it not well lit and open but goes through dense trees. Reluctantly I follow him, trusting him to keep me safe. Just a few seconds on the trail I am grabbed from behind and a sweet smelling rag is thrust over my face. I struggle to no avail as within seconds I can feel myself fainting away.
I come awake slowly feeling confused because I cannot move my arms and legs at all. There must be a blindfold on my eyes as well since I cannot open them. Forcing myself to be calm I listen carefully and can hear traffic around me distantly. I must be in a vehicle as well because I am rocking slightly from the movement. Judging from the motion I must be in a truck of some sort. There are no voices at all and I somehow feel like I am in an enclosed space all by myself. I begin to cry, terrified at what is to become of me as the hours tick by ever so slowly. Suddenly the rocking motion stops and I hear an opening noise before someone rather large picks me up and throws me over their shoulder. My gag stops me from screaming although I try to moan as loudly as I can.
The person carrying me completely ignores me as I am carried for several minutes before being deposited on a bed. My arms and legs are freed and my gag and blindfold are removed as well. The light is bright as I squint to see that I am in a room with at least twenty other young girls who look just as terrified as me. I see pity in their eyes as I gaze around trying to get my bearings.
"Get her washed and inspected now. She has to be ready in just an hour." A black man states coldly before leaving the room. An older graying man takes me by the arm firmly and leads me into another room where another man helps him strap me to some sort of medical table. No matter how much I struggle it does me no good. My running pants are removed as well as my panties before they strap my legs to stirrups. The older man sits on a stool between my legs after washing his hands and putting on gloves. I beg and plead but am completely ignored. He pretty much gives me a vaginal exam even taking swabs like a real doctor would.
After he is done with that he takes a blood sample as well before I am led into a bathroom and ordered to take a shower. Too scared not to do as I am told I wash thoroughly and dress in the bathrobe they have left for me. They lead me into a large open room that has a stage set up on one side where they make me stand, all by myself, while the other girls are standing off to one side wearing bathrobes as well. They force six other girls up on the stage with me but they look much younger than me.
Soon the room fills with men of various ages; most of them look like wealthy. My heart starts to race as terror fills me when I finally realize what is happening. These men are here to buy us! I was inspected to make sure I have no diseases and to see if I am a virgin or not. My guess is that the other six girls are also virgins and we are being sold first. I can only hope that I can somehow escape after I am bought. I lower my gaze to the floor in shame as the many men eagerly check us out. Suddenly my robe is ripped from me and I am made to stand center stage completely nude. Not wanting to show them my shame I stand tall and keep my arms relaxed by my sides.
One at a time each girl is auctioned off and is escorted off the stage to her new owner until I am left all alone.
While several different voices start to bid on me I keep my gaze focused on my toes, too frightened to look at any of the men in the crowd. Soon there are only two voices bidding and they sound angry. It takes much longer for my bidding than it does the other girls which just makes me even more scared. Too soon the bidding stops and it seems one of them has finally outbid the other. My robe is draped around my shoulders before I am practically dragged across the room.
"Release her!" a deep voice with either a Scottish or Irish accent commands coldly. The hand gripping my arm tightly suddenly releases me. Not able to stop myself I look up to find the source of that voice and find myself caught in the icy blue gaze of a very handsome man. He has to be at least six foot six with huge muscles and black hair. I would guess him to be in his mid thirties somewhere. He is wearing an expensive suit and doesn't look like he has ever been dirty a day in his life. Slipping my arms into the sleeves of the robe I belt it tightly around my waist as I color a deep shade of crimson, unable to hide my shame any longer.
"Come Alexandria." He states, his voice warming slightly as he addresses me. Knowing now is not the time to try and escape I meekly follow the man that just purchased me for more money than I will ever see in my lifetime. He confidently strides out of the large room and down a long hallway to a waiting limousine that is parked in a dark alley. He motions me into the car first and too soon we are driving away into the unknown. I hide in the far corner of the seat, keeping my eyes downcast as I feel him gazing at me.
The limousine stops at a private air strip where a huge plane is waiting to take off. As soon as my bare feet hit the pavement outside the car I am fleeing towards the trees on the far side of the parking lot. I hear feet pounding behind me and before I have gone a dozen steps I am tackled from behind. My handsome new owner rolls me over underneath him and pins my wrists above my head painfully.
"Going somewhere?" He asks me in an amused tone.
"Please let me go!" I plead with him as I try to squirm out from under him. "I was supposed to start college!"
"Sorry beautiful, but it seems life has other plans for you." He states calmly. "Come, it is a long flight."
He stands up and grabs my hand gently yet firmly and leads me over to the plane. I am crying by the time he buckles my seat belt as the plane is moving quickly down the runway.
I sit next to the window but silent tears flood my cheeks as I lean my face against it in anguish. He sits next to me quietly while I release my emotions quietly. After my tears dry up I gaze out the window at the rising sun shining between the clouds as the plane rises above them. If my situation wasn't so tragic I would actually enjoy the view here above the clouds. It is like a whole new world up here. I have no idea how long the flight lasts but it seems to last forever until the plane finally starts to descend. It is completely dark by the time we land and I cannot see anything except the lights along the runway. I still wish to escape but I now know that he will catch me if I just bolt.
Meekly I allow him to lead me to the waiting limousine. Still in my robe I shiver from the cold temperatures outside as I try to curl into a ball in the far corner of the seat. I hear him sigh before he picks me up, wraps me in a blanket and holds me gently on his lap. Something tells me not to struggle, to take advantage of his tender mood. Within minutes I am warm and feel myself falling asleep in his arms. I try to force myself to stay awake but feel myself slipping away anyway, despite the fear of the unknown exhaustion is setting in. The sound of the car door rouses me from slumber and as he carries me from the car I catch a glimpse of my new home. It looks like a castle, but that can't be right can it? Too tired to care I lower my head to his chest and fall right back to sleep.
