I remember the before times. Before I wore an aged flour sack to show my social status—to show I am a slave.

Not many people ask about the before times. You were either alive for it, and don't want the reminder, or you were born after, in which case you will never understand. But the Big Before was a time no one appreciated enough.

I was in school. I remember school. I remember the alphabet. I memorized it during the Big Before. My teacher was very impressed. It was kindergarten. I also remember counting. I understand numbers better than most people my age. I can do math, too. It makes it good to know my worth. I know it now. I'm expensive.

The colonel is a man who enjoys wearing an all white suit. He isn't really a colonel. He never even joined the war. But no one worries about the Before rules. He just liked the title. So, everyone knows him as the colonel.

The colonel owns me. He likes a good investment. He said there was something about my face. My face always seemed strange. This part is too large. That part is too small. But he said I was going to shape up before I realized it. He said I'm old enough now. He'll either keep me, maybe allow me to be a wife some day, and give me something that looks like freedom, or, he will sell me to the highest bidder. He knows my worth.

I have no name. No real name, at least. I remember what I used to respond to, but no one calls me that. I might be the only person on earth who knows my Before name. Now, I'm a serial number; a series of numbers to allow people to know my basic history.

I am unextraordinary. I have no great skills. But we are trained, from the moment we become slaves to the last breath, slaves are trained day in and day out, how to beat please their masters. This is in the good hope we will become married and be able to move out of slavery. But it doesn't often happen. The other owners never truly accept the slave as their own. And, the owner being married is ostracized because he could have married from the elite class. So maybe it really is only for true love.

But today is it. I knew it was coming. I saw the books. The colonel wanted to give a showing of us, to see if any of us are worth being sold. And, I can already see the client. His car is large and gray, and kicking up dust down the dirt road. He's coming here. He'll see everyone else, but he's here to see me.