Before she could move, he pulled her down with sharp arms. She fell, twisting her ankle further. She groaned in pain.
"Who sent you?" one of the men in clean linen barked.
His voice thundered like he had a personal grudge with them.
They trembled, but none of them answered. What could they say? No one had sent them. They were just passengers on a ship headed for vacation before it wrecked.
"You don't want to talk?" he growled. "Fine! I'll show you how to start talking."
He nodded at one of the guards.
The man walked up to a boy, no older than twenty, and stabbed him clean through the chest.
The boy dropped like a stone.
Everyone gasped. Tears broke out. Cries. Trembling. Panic.
"We're from Australia!" one woman cried.
"Australia?" another man in linen repeated, frowning. "Where is that?"
Lia stared at him, horrified. Her stomach twisted with fear like nothing she had ever felt.
"You were sent to spy on us!" the man in red roared. "Am I wrong?"
"No! We're not spies!"
"Our ship wrecked!"
"We were on vacation!"
Their cries echoed across the yard, panic clear in their voices.
The men looked at each other. Whispered amongst themselves.
"They're lying" one said.
"You don't want to say the truth? We won't spare you!" the man in red yelled.
"I agree."
"How about hanging them?" one of the men suggested.
The others burst into laughter.
"Let's be serious" another chuckled. "Killing them all would be a waste. My household needs servants."
"Get yourself servants then" someone said.
"Slaves are cheaper" the first man mumbled, drawing another round of laughter.
"Can't agree more" another said. "Let's auction them. Whoever gets bought is spared. Those with no buyer get killed."
More laughter. Cruel. Unbothered.
Lia couldn't stop crying. Her whole body trembled. Anna sobbed behind her. The fear was unbearable, thick like smoke in her chest.
She lifted her face and her eyes met with that young man again. That man at the far end. He was young, maybe the youngest. Well-groomed. Quiet. He hadn't said a word since they arrived, but his gaze hadn't left her once.
"Let's start with him" someone barked, pointing at a boy sitting right in front of Lia.
The guard shoved him forward so the men could get a better look.
"Who wants him?"
One of the men nodded. "He looks healthy. Could polish my horses."
He tossed a pouch onto the ground. Coins spilled out.
"He's yours" the auctioneer laughed.
The boy was dragged away.
One after another, the captives were called. The air grew heavier with each passing second. The men either bought or rejected them. More coins. More laughter. Those bought were unchained. Those rejected were killed in front of everyone.
Lia sat, her tears falling again, her heart pounding.
She prayed for God's intervention. Maybe she'd wake up from this nightmare before it got to her or her friends. But the nightmare only deepened.
Then the man pointed at Tomie.
"No please!" Lia gasped. "No..."
Two guards pulled him up. They stripped off his shirt, leaving only his boxers. Lia looked away, crying harder.
"He's hot" one man said with a sly grin. "Damian?"
A man in his mid-thirties scoffed. "Oh please. I've had enough of those."
"Should we kill him then?"
That word kill stabbed Lia like a knife. Her sobs turned frantic.
Tomie was strong. Brave. And gay. If Damian was too, maybe... maybe he'd keep him alive. It was a stupid prayer, but she prayed anyway. She only wanted her friends alive. Just for now.
Damian rolled his eyes and finally said "Fine. I'll take him."
He threw a pouch to the ground. The others roared with laughter.
"Damian never says no to hot men!" one howled.
Lia's breath hitched in slight relief. Tomie had a buyer. He didn't need to die. At least not today.
The men laughed loudly at their jokes, but that man at the far end didn't laugh, not even once. He just watched them like he was there, but not really there.
"That one!" the auctioneer shouted, pointing next at Anna.
Anna broke down, sobbing hard. Lia cried with her.
They forced Anna to her feet, but no one offered a bid.
"No one wants her?" the auctioneer said, frustrated. "Come on, she's beautiful."
"Beautiful women are trouble!" someone yelled.
"They nearly destroyed my household!" another agreed.
"She doesn't even look strong. Pass."
The rejection came like knives. Lia's panic rose instantly.
"She could help with chores..." the auctioneer persisted.
Silence.
"No one?" the auctioneer sighed. "Fine."
And just like that, Anna was rejected. Lia's world shattered when the guards moved toward her. Anna cried quietly as she stared at Lia.
"No—no, please!" Tomie yelled, trying to run toward her.
A guard struck him hard across the face, sending him reeling. One raised a knife.
"Careful" Damian warned. "I paid for him."
Tomie crawled to Anna, but it was too late.
The blade plunged into her chest. She dropped to her knees, blood soaking her dress.
"Stay alive..." Anna choked, her voice barely a whisper.
Tomie caught her, crying as he held her in his arms. But the guards tore him away. One dragged Anna's body aside like trash.
Lia couldn't move.
She just knelt there, pain consuming her whole. She didn't raise her head anymore. She was already devastated. Even when the man pointed at her, she didn't react. She just stayed there like a ghost.
"No one wants her either?" the auctioneer asked as they brought her up.
"She's injured. Look at that ankle" one man said.
"She's useless. Can't even walk."
"What am I supposed to do, wait till it heals?"
Their words stabbed her, but she didn't speak. Lia raised her head, staring into the faces of the men. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks. She closed her eyes, ready to take whatever fate had in store for her. If they were going to kill her... so be it.
"Well then... since no one wants her..."
"I'll take her" a cold voice said from the far end.
The voice cut through the noise. Calm. Final.
Silence fell over the entire space like a graveyard.
Lia opened her eyes slowly. It was him. The quiet man.
The one who hadn't laughed. Hadn't spoken. Hadn't moved, until now. Her weak eyes met his as he stepped forward. He pulled off a slim ring from his finger and tossed it onto the ground.
"This should be enough" he said simply.
Whispers rippled through the crowd.
Lia barely registered it. Her heart pounded so loudly it hurt. Then someone knelt and unlocked her chains. Her wrists fell free. She looked up at her buyer one last time…
And then everything went black.