The young girl

A dark cold room, one old stained, thin mattress sits on the floor. Concrete and red bricks are all around. There's a small metal door with one small window high up. A small opening at the bottom of the door, leaves just enough room for a tray or plate to be slid under it.

A small skinny young girl sits in a corner with her head on her knees. In the other corner, sits a round pail. The girl lifts her head because she hears footsteps walking down the hall. Slightly shaking she waits as they get closer and closer. Wondering if their coming for her. Clanking and stomping as they get louder while getting closer. She watches the door and nothings. Then, she hears another door creak open and then a few seconds later its closed again as the footsteps walk away.

The young girl doesn't know if its day or night. The only light is from the door. There is no windows. She doesn't even know how long she's been here. You can't tell if she's wearing clothes or nothing at all. She's so dirty because she hasn't had a bath yet.

She sits quietly, listening to see if she can hear anything from the other room. For the moment its very quiet, you could hear a pin drop. Putting her head back down on her knees, She drifts off to sleep.

Every time she dreams, its about her having a mother and father and their living in a nice house. She has her own room and plenty of toys and beautiful clothes to wear. She wakes in a start. Now, she hears the crying. She knows what's about to happen and she cringes.

Here comes the loud footsteps down the hall again. This time, their very fast. The door creaks open again and the slams shut. It becomes quiet just for a few moments then, she hears muffled yelling then, quiet. The door creaks open and closes again. Footsteps, then nothing.

The young girl sits back against the wall and waits. She's now afraid to fall asleep. She's tired of the nice dreams she keeps having. Now she just wants to know what's going to happen to her and the other one in the other room.

Time goes by slowly. There is nothing to do but, wait.

Staring at the wall across from her, she sees a spider slowly crawling up the wall, not far from her. She can hear a mouse or two in the walls. She just thinks if only she could be let go. But where is she to go. Does she have a family somewhere? Does anyone know that she's missing? She doesn't have any of those answers.

She's still in her own thoughts when, she hears footsteps. They are a different kind of footsteps. They are getting closer and then, they stop right in front of her door. She can see a shadow under the door. A key is put into the lock and the door is opened. Standing in front of her is a woman, dressed all in blue. Pants and shirt. She walks slowly into the room. Looks right at the girl. The girl tries to become as small as she can, it won't work. She's still seen. She starts shaking and cowering in the corner.

The woman walks over to her, not saying a word. Grabs the girl's arm and stands her up. Then says, " This won't do." Gently walking the girl to and through the door. She heads down the hall to a bathroom. The girl didn't even know there was one. The woman sits the girl on a chair and says, " Don't you move."

Reaching into a cabinet for a few towels, some soap and then, walks over and turns on the water. Filling the bathtub. As the water is running and the tub is filling. The woman walks over to the girl and helps her undress. Throwing the old dingy clothes into the trash. Picks up the girl and sits her into the bathtub.

The girl just bows her head, doesn't say a word. She scared and doesn't understand what is going on. Gently, the woman begins to pour water over the girl. It runs down the girls back. Next, the woman pours water over her head, which causes her to squirm and breath some of it in. The girl begins to cough.

The woman says, " Hush now. I'm not going to hurt you."

Grabbing soap, she suds up the girls hair and washes the girls body. It takes a few times of washing to get the girl all clean. The woman lifts her out of the very, very dirty water. Wraps one towel around her body and the other she uses to towel dry the girls hair.

The woman walks back over to the cabinet and gets out a white dress, a hairbrush and stands there for a moment. The girl is still looking down and not at the woman. She doesn't know what is coming next. Why is this woman cleaning her up and dressing her like this.

The women walks back over to her. Removes the towel and stands there looking at the girl. Not one smile crosses her face. She slips the dress over the girls head and buttons it up. Turns the girl around and begins to comb her hair. It is full of knots, but the girl doesn't say or cry out like it hurts. She keeps her head down and makes sure doesn't look right at the woman.

Once the woman is done. She takes the girls hand and walks her slowly back up the hall. There are stairs going up and they take one at a time tell they reach the top. For the moment its very quiet tell they begin to walk down another hallway. The girl can hear music coming from a room a head of them. There are noises of people laughing. The girl is confused now. She doesn't remember ever being here before.

Once in the entry way all the talking and laughing stop, along with the music. Everyone in the room is looking at them and everyone in that room are all couples. There are no other children there. The girl is really confused and doesn't understand what is going on.

In the middle of the room, there is a small round stage, with two steps. The woman walks the girl over to it and up the two steps. The woman tells the girl, " Be good and just stand there." The woman walks back down the two steps and over to the big stage. Grabs a microphone and stands there for a few seconds.

She begins to speak, softly, " Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We are here to bid on this young girl. Please, be generous. Let's start the bidding at $2500."

One person after another starts to bid on the young girl tell the total comes to, $1,500,000.

Then, the women says, " Sold."