I couldn't hear anything but a gentle ringing in my poor ears, my face was laying against ice-cold metal, chilling my cheek to the point where it almost went numb. It felt like I was laying on a giant pile of rock-hard snow.
It didn't heat up - even under my body it remained cold - therefore it was extremely uncomfortable, like when you're trying to fall asleep but someone keeps putting a cold Popsicle to your face and leaving it there, making it sting. Or something along the lines, I was in no mood to think of anything good.
I slowly came to more and more, I could hear commotion going on around me, the sound of metal scratching up against each other, strange clicking and low hissing sounds. They were all a blur in my mind, mashing together in a weird symphony. I was still a bit dizzy.
Slowly, I sat up at last, holding my head as a rush that wasn't pleasant hit me like a rough wave, kind of like when you sit at a computer too long and stand up too quick. My vision eventually retreated back to me as my hearing cleared up.
The bells ringing in my head had finally stopped, now going silent.
My eyes widened and I quickly scampered backwards as far as I could once I saw exactly where I was, and honestly, that wasn't far to begin with. The cage I was put in was tiny, there was barely any room to move around on the ground freely. Plus the fact I was still wearing my school backpack - a black pack with white splotches and some green lining - did not help the whole space thing either.
The thing that startled me the most was the inhuman, hideous alien faces that were crowded around the stage that I, and what seemed like a few other prisoners, were placed on. I let out a soft whimper, quickly grabbing the fur-lined hood on my big, poof-y camouflaged jacket and pulling it over my head before I huddled up, hoping to appear so small that I was not noticed.
All I really remembered was walking home from my bus stop after a tiring day at school, then there was a sudden jab in my neck - sending tingles throughout my entire body - and then I was out cold, hitting the ground like a ton of bricks. I was surprised my cheek or anything else had not bruised from the collision. Maybe I hit my head roughly on the ground and that was why it hurt so much. I wasn't clear on the details.
"Hey... You okay there?" A sudden voice whispered from beside me, startling me so badly I almost jumped out of my skin.
I looked over, tears streaming down my face. The owner of the voice was a male, quite obviously. His face was slightly blurred because of the tears, so I had quickly wiped them away the best I could. He was a young man, probably in his twenties, a small beard and black hair. His eyes were a beautiful blue, and he looked some-what muscular. Attractive in my opinion. I was only eighteen, and I had certain ranges I wouldn't pass when it came to other people, but I would for him, if he was younger than I believed.
"..Y..Yeah... A... a bit scared is all.." I whispered back, unsure if the beasts that seemed to be waiting for something could understand me. They were mingling with one another instead of looking in our direction. "..Do you... know where we are?"
"..No, not really, but it looks like this is an auction of some sort... I mean, the group of those... things, the market-like scene... Definitely an auction.." He extended his hand out to me through the bars of the cage, "...My name's Marcus. What's yours?"
"...Aubrey. But, do call me Bree.." I smiled, getting ready to stick my hand out to shake his before a sudden roar broke through the air.
It must be time for selling.
I instantly fell quiet, quickly hugging my body to myself before one of the creatures opened the cage door and practically hauled me out with ease by my arm like I weighed nothing to him, and I still had my damn heavy ass backpack on. I let out a small hiss of protest and pain, but nothing more. I didn't want to make the beast angry, I could tell he could kill me with a single blow, or at least shatter every bone in my body if he hit me.
Instead, he seemed to be holding me in place. I looked over, seeing Marcus and three other people were being held the same way. One of the others was a female, looking to be in her twenties as well, the other two men were a bit more thin and lanky, not looking anything interesting unlike Marcus, now that I was able to see him full on and not all crouched down.
Eventually, they all let go of our arms. I rubbed the spot the strong, iron-like grip had me and I bunched up, trying to hide from the burning eyes that stared at us. I wanted to talk with Marcus so I could be comforted, told it would all be okay in the end, but the large warriors stood between us, a strange looking spear-like weapon in his hand. I looked to the ground, not knowing where else to look.
When a larger creature stepped up, the ones that seemed to be guarding us all left, at least that's what was believed. They seemed to just take a position somewhere, almost seeming ready for something, what it was I did not know. But I had a bad feeling. They were the only ones dressed in full-body armor... Yup, I had a really bad feeling.
The creature began to speak in a language that was completely foreign to me and I clearly did not understand it, even if I tried to. It sounded interesting though, the gentle clicks and growls that would come after every word, if it could be called that, that he made. It intrigued me greatly.
He made a gesture to the first person in the line, one of the other males that didn't look all so strong. A spotlight appeared on him, to show which he was talking about. He must have asked something to the small crowd, because he seemed to look around, as if looking for a reaction from them. He was silent, they all seemed to be judging the shorter male, deep-sunken eyes flicking about over his body, examining him without touching.
Nobody seemed to want him it appeared, Hell even I could tell just by the way their weird mandibles twitched and how some held up their heads and looked away, giving a low growl.
That was when a sudden flash happened, and the man's head went flying off. The decapitated body fell to the ground. It was shot from the bystanders that pulled us out of the cages earlier.
I understood this, almost losing my lunch all over the floor at what I had just witnessed. I was thankful I didn't, who was to say what they'd think? This, though, it was either get bought, or you'd be executed- seeing as the ones that weren't chosen must have been useless to the beings, and the others could see it, so there was no point in keeping them around.
I stared at the body as the light vanished and the body was dragged away by the bystanders, I was in shock, not being able to remove my gaze. They returned a few moments later to their posts, looking ready to kill once more. I wanted to wail, scream, call for someone to help me, awake from this nightmare-ish dream...
I was going to turn into a servant, and these beings didn't look friendly at all, they would probably either beat me to near death if I did something wrong, or they'd be merciful and let me off with warnings, or just give me the worst lashing of my life so I understood not to disobey them...
I was hoping for a gentle master, but that was if I was bought... I didn't want to die if I wasn't bought. I was going out fighting if that was the case then, damn it! Better with honor than not at all, like cattle that didn't have a choice in the matter.
The tall creature began to speak again, the next light appeared on the other female. She winced, probably more from the light than anything. Three arms and shouts instantly called and howled out from the crowd, the creature looked as if confused, then, he nodded, saying something else to them, that made two more hands shoot up and cry out something. One of the previous hands shot up and called out another thing, it seemed to satisfy him enough and he nodded, pointing towards the winner and gesturing him to come up it. A collar was placed around the woman's neck and she was put back into her, apparently mobile, cage, being wheeled off by her new master. He seemed very pleased.
I gulped, keeping my hood on to help hide me the best it could. I was so small compared to all the creatures, standing at only 5'6", all these beasts loomed over me threateningly.
I took a glimpse towards Marcus, he was standing tall with pride, looking ready to take death it seemed if he wasn't chosen. Which would be pretty hilarious and weird if he wasn't - look at him! He's radiating strength and everything else that any Master would want in a servant!
I steeled my nerves the best I could and I removed my hood, brushing a hesitant hand through my golden-brown hair. It earned me some interested glances from the creatures below, especially from one that had long, like really, really long dreadlocks, deep black colouration on his reptile-like skin from what I could see, and a massive scar down the left side of his face and one across his bare chest.
I tried to keep my mind on other things, but I could still fell his eyes burning holes in to me, along with all the others that glanced in my direction. There were murmurs of something in the crowd before it fell silent once more, nothing besides the sounds of the market place around them sounded.
Suddenly, the 'auctioneer' began to speak, auctioning off the other male. No-one took him, not seeming impressed by him one bit, Hell even I would have guessed it. This time, the beast that had took him from his cage shot his head off. How lovely. I've never seen people die right in front of my eyes like that before. Really made me want to puke.
They did the same thing they did with the other, dragging off the body to some place I was sure I didn't want to know. I was scared shitless, it was slowly coming to my turn just after Marcus. I needed something to happen. At this point, I did not care if a trap door with any hell that could be imagined opened up beneath me, the staring and the sounds were almost to much for me to bare.
I fucking hated being the center of attention. It froze me in place, made my heart quicken, made me wish I could die on the spot so I didn't have to feel it anymore. I just wanted this to all end.
It was Marcus's turn. Even before the alien spoke, hands quickly shot up and screeches and loud guttural clicking noises could be heard loudly through the crowd, nearly breaking my damn eardrums in the process.
They must have liked his stance, how he looked, the strength he seemed to give off that would be good for many things around the home, had they chose him for that. Eventually, the tall creature came to a conclusion and a strong, muscular alien had claimed him. The beast was huge, very huge, standing at almost 8'6". It was startling. It even took a glance at me and roared, mandibles flaring out, making me jump a little bit with fright, stunning me more by the shockwave it seemed to produce. He let out an amused trilling sound before hauling away his prize.
This was it. My stomach was tied in multiple knots and I couldn't take it anymore. I fiddled with my fingers in my jacket sleeves. Then, the light shone down on me and I let out a soft squeak at the sudden brightness I was met with. And just before he began to speak, I did something that may have been extremely stupid to do.
I fucking yawned, it took even me by surprise, but near the end, I let out a cute, puppy-sounding noise. A sound I apparently always made every damn time that happened. I cursed myself for it now, wishing it wasn't a habit.
All eyes were on me in that very moment. I hid in my jacket, scared out of my wits, eyes impossibly wide. The beast that was hosting the auction began to speak once more, and almost every single one of the creatures that were staring at me held up their hands, maybe they.. liked the noise I made? My heart was racing a million beats a second, like a hummingbird's wings, feeling like it was going to burst out of my chest like a tiny baby alien that had made its home there and was ready to move on for it was getting to big to stay inside of me any longer. Honestly, I wish that happened, I think death would have been better than being one of these things servant.
The alien being was about to call on one; he was very muscular and just as tall as the one that took Marcus, looking to be much more wicked in a way, when suddenly, the beast that had been staring at me the entire time called out something in a deep, low, somehow mesmerizing and melodic growl. Everyone else slowly put their hands down, looking defeated in a way.
It was obvious; he had won me and no-one wanted to challenge him. Whatever he bet, it was higher than the others prices, or whatever they did to get things... I felt my heart calm down as the male slowly walked towards me once he collected the collar from the auctioneer, seeming to examine me before he placed the collar around my neck, He was almost too gentle for what he was, unlike the others who forced the neck brace onto their slaves and pushed them harshly back into the cages.
"..." I was going to say something, my mouth hanging open, but no words could be produced and I was pushed into my cage by the male. He gave me a calculating look. His eyes were a beautiful amber, with a slight tinge of red on the outside. I eventually slid down and sat on the cold metal flooring, looking to the ground as the door closed and I was beginning to be pulled out of the market place.
Well shit. At least I got what I was hoping for- someone gentle...
Probably...