I waited patiently for my future to meet me. The car was even bigger, the closer it got. The car came to a stop, the road dust billowing around the vehicle, concealing the driver further. The colonel called out with his big, booming voice, gathering us in front of him. I ran with the rest of the women, though we all knew it was really me he wanted. The other women were mostly too old now. Most held a sentimental place in the Colonel's heart, but others were just kept for doing hard work. Men were hard to find as slaves. Few men allow their financial situation to become so bad they have to sell themselves. Usually, it is the wives and daughters who are sold.
In the Big Before, this kind of treatment would be seen as monstrous. Young girls and women of all ages were sold. Now, it was simply a Tuesday.
The man finally came into view as the rolling dust settled. His height was the first noticeable feature. He had to be well into six feet tall. The next thing was how he held that height. His steps were firm and confident, but he somehow managed to float towards me.
He's staring right at me.
I take a mental picture of his face before averting my eyes. We aren't supposed to look at the masters, and certainly not in the eye. That's how you become blind. You don't need eyes for what they want with you. It's probably better you don't see, anyway.
His face is surprising. He looks in his thirties. His hair is long and black, tied in a messy updo, on top of his head. He already has five o'clock shadow darkening his mostly pale cheek. He is very handsome.
The man began to pace back and forth, pretending to show interest in any of the other girls. It seems a game they play when they want to buy us. They pretend to show interest in any of the rest of us, then casually strolls to the one he does want. Then, he will look her over with stark intensity and offer the smallest respectable bid he can.
The man walked back to me, a small smirk playing on his lips.
"I want this one," the man growls, his voice more gruff than anticipated. "I can give you 28."
I look up, eyes catching the mans. This is far too much for me. The colonel will not take kindly to this joke and will take it out on us. I feel my body brace and flinch in fear.
"I beg your pardon?" The colonel sputters to the man.
"28. I want her. I don't want to play any games about owning her. This is the max I can offer for her." The tall, dark haired man pulled out his wallet and began handing over watermarked pieces of paper. The old money no longer exists. Now people make their own form of bartering. The water marked papers are vouchers for clean water. I'm not worth 28 of them. I'm not even worth ten water vouchers. This man has a plan involving me, and I may never know what it is because he's too dumb to pay the correct price.
The colonel always seems angry because he's confused. I don't know if he's actually confused. But he certainly seems that way. The 28 water vouchers were placed in his hand, his mouth agape with shock. He continually looks from his hand to me, to the man buying me, then back to his hand.
The man touches the side of my jaw and gently presses, tilting my head to one side, then the other.
"Yes. I want nothing less than you. You will be perfect."