Dystopia Pt. 01

"Learn this lesson well, all of you. You are not people! You have no rights! You are large, semi-intelligent, pack animals. You disobey and you will be punished. You bite the hand of your owner, and you will be put down. Never forget this!"

Turning back to the man pinned against the wall, she barked, "Take him to the post, and bandage that wound. He has a lot more suffering to do, and I don't want him dying before I get to have my fun. The rest of you line up, and the next one who gets ideas will be fed to the dogs!"

Isla and the other slaves quickly lined up as best they could in the cramped space and stood there as a worker walked to each of them and attached a metal collar with a thick padlock to their necks. The collars had a leash welded to it that ran to a chain that connected them all together in a long line. The last tiny thoughts of escape disappeared like the last flicker of a candle, as escape was now impossible without everyone trying to escape. This was it, she was going to be sold one way or another, there were no more slave traders headed to rougher parts of the world, she was already at the brink of humanity. If no one here bought her, she would be sold at discount to a work farm, where she would be dead soon.

'Perhaps death isn't such a bad idea,' she mused to herself as she felt her extremities go from chilled to numb now that her core was exposed to the frigid air. The slave chain was marched out of the room, and down a long dark hallway she thought must run the length of the building. They were brought into a small large laundry room where on a raised floor, large cauldrons had been sunk, and warmed by fires beneath them. Isla gaped at the room, with memories of her home in Dallol. The last of the laundry girls scurried out of the room and the slaves were brought to the largest cauldron.

"First half, get in. Scrub." Said one of Regina's workers with no expression on his face.

The first eight people on the chain stumbled into the cauldron and cried out as the heat shocked their flesh and the harsh chemicals used in cleaning burned the cuts and blisters on their feet. They quickly grabbed nearby rags and used the murky water to scrub their flesh clean of dirt and offal, their skin reddening from the process. When the first group had finished they exchanged places with the second, and the cleaning began anew. When they got out they dried as best they could with the nearby blankets and sheets before they became hypothermic.

They were quickly herded from the laundry to a large room that was best described as a 'ballroom.' Beautifully shined dark wood floors had rows of leather covered pews that smelled like they had been oiled just minutes prior. Heavy red curtains covered the walls providing a luxurious feel and heavy insulation. The room was interspersed with raised braziers, each lit and pumping out heat. The pews were all full of men and women, most of whom were dressed well and were healthy. They were all listening to Regina as she addressed them from the front.

Isla marveled at the room before her chain was jerked and she was forced to continue walking. She and the rest of the chain were led to the head of the room where the ends of the chain were fastened to the wall, securing them in a line facing towards the crowd. Isla felt her face flood as she realized every prospective owner here was viewing her in her most raw form. She quickly stared at the floor as Regina finished what seemed to be a well rehearsed speech, complete with dramatic flair.

Chapter 6

Emil pulled off the main road and into a graveled parking lot in front of a large brick building, that was surprisingly well maintained. It was just a simple brick building, but the stone had been washed, and the mortar maintained. Brick was a great building material, and it was awesome in the cold but good mortar was prohibitively expensive to buy since an important ingredient was only mined in the frozen tundras far to the northeast. The cheap stuff worked ok, but it was mostly made from mud and had to be replaced every season or so, which was so labor intensive it was a waste of time on a building this big. The auctioneer must have at least a dozen slaves to maintain this place.

'At least she probably gets 'em cheap,' he chuckled to himself.

Walking through the double doors, he took stock of the main hall which featured simple wood floors that had been polished to a shine, and blankets that had been converted to curtains that hid the ugly brick walls. The pews were nice though, they looked like they had been pilfered from an ancient church and were of impeccable construction. They had been re-upholstered in the last few years, now covered in leather he suspected came from his own flock, and oiled to last. He thought the braziers were an especially nice touch, heavy iron bowls and legs he recognized as blacksmith Perrin's work. He did solid work but nothing especially beautiful, like some of the intricate work he had seen illustrated in his history books, but they pumped out enough heat that Emil took off his coat.

He sat on the pews behind a few other people and waited to find out what was going on, since he had never been to an auction before, and listened to the two in front of him talk about muscle density versus height ratios, and various injuries to look out for that could cause problems in the future. He was a little taken aback at the blunt nature of their topic but he agreed that a small slave would eat less, and someone missing too many fingers to frostbite wouldn't be much help to anyone, especially on a work farm.

He didn't wait long, about twenty minutes later a tall woman in white burst into the room with a giant smile that immediately put Emil on edge. 'Never trust a smiling salesman.'

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you all so much for coming to this week's auction! I hope you brought your coin because I just got in one of the finest set of slaves I've ever seen in my life. All fine, healthy, specimens; each with decade's worth of service in them. Without further ado: your slaves!" As Regina finished her little speech, she turned and waved dramatically at the procession of naked men and women that were led into the hall. They had all been chained by the neck and attached in a large string that was then secured to the wall.

Immediately the patrons rose from their seats and approached the merchandise, appraising the height, weight, body fat, musculature, teeth, feet, hands, and any injuries perceived or otherwise. The two that had been sitting directly in front of Emil had made a beeline for the two men with the most muscle. A woman in a dress with a very low cut top was apprising the men and women, obviously looking for qualities best found in a brothel. The remaining patrons were browsing the same as Emil, as if they had work that didn't require a specific type or build of slave.

Emil walked down the line looking at the slaves thinking about how hard it would be to feed and house them. There were seven male slaves in line that looked promising. Two of them he dismissed outright because they were bigger than he was and he didn't want to have to fear for his life every night. One was looking past his prime, and another was disguising a curved spine as a slouch. Emil wasn't a healer by any means, but he had read about rickets when he had been learning about vitamin deficiencies for his mother; without expensive foods, that slave was a ticking time bomb.

The three remaining were all very promising. Just the right size, young enough to do some heavy work, and healthy. The women he had no interest in, chances are the Madam would pick those up. The only concern was, both the Madam and the two men from the work farm were both interested in the same slaves as he, as was another man he guessed was a rancher from down south. They all had deep pockets and Emil was concerned that the bidding would quickly get out of hand and he couldn't keep up.

"As you can see here they are the finest slaves on this side of the Mississippi! So let's start the bidding shall we? Please take your seats."

'Finest this side of my ass. If they're so fine, why are they all the way out here instead of in some lord's manor?' Emil thought sarcastically. There was something about this woman that rubbed him wrong. Maybe it was the way she decorated the hall to appear wealthy, or maybe it was the blood on her boots. Either way...he was wary.

"This first slave is a fine young specimen, good muscles, good teeth, sharp eyes. I'll start the bidding at five gold."

The rancher from south raised his hand in an indifferent manner, agreeing to the amount.

"Five gold, excellent, can I see six? Six gold? Si- thank you ma'am. Do I see seven? Seven gold?"

Regina continued in this manner with Emil bidding nine gold, then eleven, sure that no one would outbid him. He was disappointed when the work farmers bid fifteen gold, winning the auction by knocking Emil out of the race. He simply couldn't afford an investment that large.

"Congratulations, sir!" Regina said making a note on a small book she had. "On to the next item. A woman still very much in her prime, and perfect for household chores. She can cook, clean, sew, mend, tend flock, or any number of other tasks! We will open the bidding again at five6t gold."

The rest of the auction went very much the same way, with Emil bidding and losing on three other males. There were three slaves that received no bids at all. Two women, and a man. The man was too old and frail, as was one of the women, and the other was obviously overweight. Emil wasn't sure where she came from, but her light skin and thin wrists suggested that she had never done any real work in her life, and her weight either meant she'd been the daughter of someone wealthy, or had some sort of gland problem which would be problematic later in life. All three of them looked like they would collapse under a stiff breeze, no less the rigors of life on a ranch.

The auction concluded and the winning bidders went up to the front to collect their merchandise. The rancher purchased a set of full hobbles from Regina on top of the bid, but the work farmers and madam had brought their own.

Emil pulled his coat back on, and wandered outside to his truck, thinking,'Great, now I have no apprentice,and no slave. How in hell am I going to make it through winter?' He hadn't been home in over twenty-four hours, his rabbits were probably popsicles and his goats had probably eaten through the fence.

'Maybe I can head back to town and see if I can convince the Tanners to let me have their son for the winter. Good strong kid, he'd really be able to help out, and I can pay him in hides rather than coin...'

Emil heaved a long-suffering sigh and kicked the tire on his truck absently, knowing deep down there was no way he would be able to convince the Tanners to part with their son for an entire winter. Especially with Tanner senior out of commission for the next month or two.

Emil turned around and headed back inside the auction house, to talk to Regina. Maybe she had some slaves on her own personal contingent that she would be willing to part with. For a nominal fee, of course...

He approached the front of the room just as the madam was chaining up her last purchase and leading them all outside to the covered wagon and horses he saw outside. If he didn't live so far away he would have considered selling the truck. It was very valuable, and horse drawn wagons were way cheaper to repair.

'Ha! Who am I kidding. I love that truck. Best worker on the ranch,' he chuckled at the thought.

Regina looked up and saw him standing there, as she closed her book. She smiled broadly, showing every one of her teeth.

"Hey! Thank you so much for attending the auction, I'm sorry we didn't have what you were looking for in stock." She said, in a cloyingly sweet tone. "Perhaps next week when I get my new shipment in."

"Well, that's what I wanted to ask you about. I really need a hand now. Is there any chance that there are any other males that you would be willing to part with? I'm sure you have a sizable group yourself," Emil asked, trying hard to be polite especially since this was all new territory for him. Last thing he wanted to do was piss off someone who could raise an army in a few weeks.

"Sorry, but my kennel is not for sale. In fact, I'm actually down a slave from a little accident this morning. Wish I could help."

"Thanks anyway," he sighed.

He looked over the three remaining slaves on the chain, and considered the overweight female. She was healthy, obviously. Judging by her hands she was unused to work, but he could fix that. She could certainly do chores around the house, freeing up time for him to focus on repairs. Maybe she could even take care of the rabbits, and if she was at all intelligent, the goats too. He hadn't considered a woman, initially, because he was looking to hire an apprentice, and he didn't want any of the local families to get the wrong idea. If he bought a female slave, though, no one would think twice. After all, she wasn't a person...just a slave.

Pointing, he asked, "How much for her?"

Chapter 7

Isla stood as close to the wall as she could without touching the cold brick. She endured as people came up, poking and prodding her, flexing her joints and looking at her teeth. This part she was used to, but the last two auctions she had been to had at least let her keep her clothes on. She was beyond humiliated. She was grateful when Regina called the bidders back to their seats, but began to panic when they started bidding.

Isla was number seven on the chain, a little more than halfway. She watched as one after another the patrons bid and slaves were sold. It was finally her turn, and her heart stopped. She silently prayed to any deity that would listen to be bought.

"Alright! Next we have this female, perfect condition. As you can see she is very healthy and raw. Perfect for any brothel, and can be trained for indoor labor," Regina proclaimed making eye contact with the madam from the brothel.

"We'll start the bidding at five gold. Do I hear five gold? Five gold?"

Isla's heart dropped as not a single person raised their hand. The madam stared back with a contemplative expression, and her eyes went flat as if she had made a decision, and looked on to the other slaves on the chain. Isla could have started sobbing right then and there. Her brain screamed and railed against the world, clamoring to throw herself against the chains and wail until there wasn't breath in her body, but she couldn't move. Fear and bone breaking sorrow gripped her soul and clamped down until there was nothing left to feel, and she went numb all over.

"No one? Shame. Alright on to the next one..." Regina carried on as if nothing had happened, while inside Isla died. She was as dead as if someone had cut her throat right there and let her bleed out all over the beautiful floor.

She stared at her feet, barely noticing the rest of the auction finishing in a blur. She stared into nothingness as the buyers collected their purchases and left. Now that her life was over, how would it end? Beaten to death for not working quickly enough? Freezing to death, starving to death, eaten by dogs or any number of wild animal? She died a thousand times, each one worse than the last.

"How much for her?"

Isla heard the words and ignored them, staring at her feet, lost in her own little personal world of death.

"Her? You don't want her. She's all wrong for what you need, and would be way too expensive to keep. It'd be better to just visit Madam's Cat-house. She'll set you up right and it'll only cost a few silver."

Isla ears perked up, and she looked up slowly. There was a man looking right at her, with a frown on his face and arms crossed. She recognized him from the inspection, he had completely bypassed her and all the other women, instead focusing on the males. His stance and clothing brooked no nonsense as he looked back at Regina.

"That's not what I need her for, I need help and I need it now," he said.

"Sir, have you ever owned a slave before?"

The man shook his head.

"I thought not. Buying a slave is like buying a tool. You need the right one for the right job. This girl has never worked a day in her life, she's overweight which means she's going to eat more food, and require more attention. Also, I forgot to mention this earlier, but she's a new slave. Sold herself to pay a debt. So she's gonna try to run, fight back, and cause whatever mischief she can. I hate to miss out on a sale, but I'd rather sell you something you could use."

The man considered this for a minute. He walked back over to Isla and grabbed her wrist, pulling her arm out straight from her side. He squeezed, feeling the bones in her wrist and hand, then continued up her arm over her bicep and shoulder. He rotated her arm straight up and then back at a very awkward angle. She strangled a cry as her shoulder felt like it was about to come loose from her neck, until mercifully he let go. He then had her touch her toes and pull her knees up to her chest, while he felt her calves and thighs.

He turned back to Regina, "Five gold."

"Are you really sure about this? She may have good joints, but he has no muscle. If you buy her I will not-"

"Please," Isla whispered, screwing up her courage as for a last ditch attempt. "Please buy me, sir. I'll work really hard, I promise! I'll do everything you tell me to, and never make a peep!"

Regina backhanded her, snapping her head to the side. "Shut up." Regina turned to the man, "See what I mean, she doesn't even have the most basic of training. It should be automatic by now, a slave should know never to speak without being spoken to. Are you really sure you want her?"

The man stared at Regina his face a mask of stone. He slowly counted out five gold coins, and handed them to her. Then he thought about it and handed her a sixth.

"For manacles," he said.

Regina nodded and made a small notation in her book. and walked to Isla and hobbled her with a set of manacles she had located nearby. Unlocking Isla's collar Regina handed her to the man with the same giant smile she used the entire auction. "Enjoy your purchase!"

Isla couldn't believe it. In fifteen minutes she went from a sure death to being owned. She never thought the idea of being bought as a slave would make her want to weep with joy, but here she was. She followed the man out the large double doors, making up the entrance to the hall, and out into the cold to a truck with a red sign emblazoned on the front. Opening the door the man stuffed her in, and then crawled in the other side. The truck roared to life, and he turned and looked her over making sure she was ready and then rumbled down the road. She leaned forward and looked in the mirror, watching the brown rectangle of a building recede into the distance, and for the first time in weeks, a small smile crept over her face.

They drove for about twenty minutes before stopping in a small town. The man got out of the car and locked it, leaving Isla alone and shivering, in a locked car, naked and shackled. She began to get nervous, now that the fear of being sold to a work farm was over, she began to wonder how her Owner would treat her. Would he be kind or cruel? If she displeased him, would he sell her or just kill her?

The reality of the situation began to sink in. This was it. He was her Owner and not just for a few weeks. This was a permanent arrangement. He could kill her without a second thought, especially out here where her value was only what he placed on it. A slave for trade had an inherent resale value, which made the traders take care of them lest their value decrease. An Owner on the other hand would not resell, and would not treat her with the same courtesy. Isla realized that her situation may have just taken a turn for the worse. She resolved to make sure she never gave him an excuse, and to be as pleasing as possible. She rubbed her cheek idly, feeling the heat from her last mistake.