I always dreamed when I was younger that I would live in a palace. Those dreams died when I grew up.
I sit squatting on the floor, cup in hand, in a daze.
"Money, please. Can you spare some change?" I beg.
Thinking back, it is a shame how I got here.
I didn't come from riches or anything special and I sure as hell will be damned if I show my face back at my parents house after that last stunt I pulled.
It was a cold winter evening that day, I finally decided that I was going to be going back into college, so I decided to ask my parents for money. I didn't have a job or anything, and my apartment was being taken from me. I swore to my parents that I could make a living, but here I was begging for money.
"Who do you think you are asking for money? This house can't support you. Get out of my house!" My mom screamed.
I grab onto my mother's arm begging.
"Please mama, if I have a two year degree, I can have that start-up job with the company of my dreams."
"We don't care where you go. If you lay your hands on your mother again, I will put you down myself." My dad sternly says.
I let go quickly as if my hands touched a hot iron.
"A start-up job? As if they will take your talentless arse!" She says shoving me. "Your no good for anything. That is why your bar failed!"
"But, mama, I almost did it, I was so close."
"No, you didn't Ezra, you brought shame by taking up that deal, and you will pay those loansharks back cause you won't be dragging this family down. Not in the heavenly father's name, amen." She says before casting a prayer.
She has always been like this. Treated me as if I were an evil incarnate. Why did I think this would work? I should just get a job at a WcDonalds. Surely I would be more appreciated there anyway.
They both push me out the house, throwing me out essentially. All that I have left is the clothes on my back.
I frown and pull out my phone which will cease to work very soon. Because I didn't pay my bills.
I'm sorry Finneas.
The last text I sent to my brother before my phone ceases to work.
I lost my bar. In debt to some loan sharks and my phone will cease to work.
Poor Finneas had to watch the whole ordeal.
Kicking and screaming as I was pushed down the stairs of our tiny house.
My guess is that I will never see this place again. Nor any of the faces of my brothers.
Once I get to my apartment, I put my key in the door only to find they changed the locks.
Damn them.
So I head out on the streets just outside the building.
I spent a week out in the cold surviving on drinking snow and rain, but I was getting hungry.
From no money, now on the streets my life is filled with twists and turns. No friends, no family just me myself and I.
A nonchalant guy turns to me and walks up. He kneels on one knee.
"I can help your situation here." I look up and it's a rugged looking man who could be in his thirties or forties with a slimy smile pressed on his face like a vice.
"And how do you intend to help me?" I gave him a scrutinizing look, skeptical yes, judging no.
"I know place where you can get a job a very simple job actually. You're very beautiful."
It was shady, dodgy, yet considering the incident of them changing the locks on my apartment for missing rent, I had nothing. Not like I had anything of importance in my apartment anyways.
"Okay. But I am hungry." I state, hoping to get food and run away.
We head over to the little cafe, Johnny's Little Cappuccino.
'Isn't this place associated with the Italian Mafia?'
My eyes widen as I follow him inside.
________
The walls were a pale yellow and the tables a dark wood. At the white and brown counter was the register and a shy looking person trembles while tending it.
The entire space felt homely and warm as the lights were bright. It felt safe.
The previous discomfort I felt while following him fades away and very soon I place my order of a cheese croissant and a warm sugary chamomile tea.
"So what exactly is this offer?" I ask sipping on my tea.
"It is for modeling as we think you can pull it off. With some training of course."
He looks down at my cup.
"So, do we have a deal?" He smiles.
'This tea tastes strange.'
"I, um, I don't feel so well."
Then my vision blacks out.
________
When I wake up I am in a dark area.
I shuffle around and find that my arms and my legs are bound and I can't move my arms very well.
A small squeak was all I could manage through my gag.
I stop and listen, calming myself down. If there is anything, I need to find out where I am.
"The B____ thought she could run away from her loan, didn't pay it off and now look, she is going to make back all the money she owes us."
'Crap, the loan, I forgot it was due I should have asked for help with that, not like it would have worked anyway though.'
My eyes then widen. Then that means they plan on selling me!
I can't be sold!
But then again, I am useless any way else and nobody will miss me at home other than Finneas.
Only the glow of my wisteria purple eyes fills the room and from that light, I can only make out the shadows and few shapes.
"Once we get her into Canada she should be on the next flight to Russia on the private plane, right boss?"
'The boss? Wait is it that big man from the corner of the room reading that magazine? The loan sharks are part of the mafia?! I got myself in way bigger trouble than I anticipated.'
"Those rich a__holes won't be able to resist. She's got it all slender body, a slender but delicate nose, white hair, and those purple almond doe eyes of hers. What might not be appreciated is how dark she is. But her one feature can be overlooked. She's one of those very rare lab rats made for breeding that the government installed in the population. Can't believe we got our hands on one."
'Breeding? Mama told me that the government stole her and Papa's genetics and manipulated it until they made me then gave me back when they were done and implanted me in her.'
A wetness runs down my face.
I can't speak Russian, watch, some old decrepit man might buy me. At least I would be rich, but at what cost?
"This party better be good, and we better get our money's worth or else it's going to be sex work in her future. Say boss will there be other women there?"
"Yes, but none as exotic as our catch here." The boss says. "This second one will be the other bid, plan on starting the bidding for the blonde for a million. The girl in the back, probably for half a billion. White hair and purple eyes are rare traits." He puts an emphasis on the are.
'Half a billion? Fifty million?'
That is an exorbitant amount just for me.
I resign to fate.
They will get more than what they gave me. Two million receiving fifty million. I have been scammed!
I take in the information, first they put me in a box bound and are taking me to Canada to a private airport. This means that they can take me in without scanning and they won't be able to see that I am kidnapped. Next, I am on my way to Russia. Supposedly it is a massive party going on where rich guys who would be able to to afford the steep fifty million dollar price they put on my head.
'Somehow, mama, I have gotten in more trouble than I bargained for, and now my family has been made shame of even more than before.'
I can hear my mother now:
"Ezra Magnolia White. How dare you. I wish I sent you away when you were born."
I measure time in breaths; two thousand three hundred and forty breaths.
The road all of a sudden becomes bumpy and I lose my train of thought as well as how many breaths I took.
"What's with that big crate in the back of your vehicle. Guns aren't allowed in Canada."
"Get the metal detector then!" The lackey growls.
The other man grumbles but complies.
"Huh, no metal. Open it."
'Finally, I am free.'
Getting ready to relish the moment I squirm and wiggle in the box, but I don't budge.
'No, my body fell asleep. I can't move.'
I try and yell from my gags but it holds tight.
"See, nothin' in there.
'What?'
Then the car bounces so I can only guess that he has gotten back in the car. I feel the reviving of the car and we are on the move again.
I'm doomed!!!!
From then on the ride is quiet and I start to feel sick, so I close my eyes and try and sleep the nausea away.
When I wake up a bright light accosts my eyes. My eyes finally settle and I look to my right and I am sitting on a seat in a plane.
I begin to stretch and the pins and needles come to life all over my body.
A buff man then comes and stands at the left of my seat.
"So this is the product?" He whistles checking me out. "Didn't get to check her out properly. Shame she will be sold off though, especially to those damn Russians."
This must be the boss. I shiver from his gaze and look down at my bound wrists.
"Awe she looks scared." Says a ragged man.
The man from earlier who led me into the cafe pops into view and with a snarky smile.
"Well boss, we will be getting our money's worth."
Maybe if I throw a tantrum that will keep them from getting their money's worth.
That was my idea until the man with the snarky smile places a collar on my neck.
"That should be good."
"Hmm!" I panic.
The man then tuts.
"We can't have you panicking now can we?"
Then I am injected at the neck by the collar.
The first thing I realize is I can't formulate any noises and I feel surprisingly calm and my body heavy and warm.
That is when I realize that there is nowhere to run.