Page 3 of Cardinal

The lingering scent of rancid bile did nothing to settle my nerves. Even though this dingy prison of mine had an attached bathroom, I was pretty sure the acid from all my vomiting the past few days wore away at the toilet's protective coating and embedded the sour scent of bile into the ceramic. No amount of flushing and scrubbing from the cleaning crew could rid the air of the nauseating scent.

Oh, and the lack of windows didn't help my nonexistent grasp of time. The room had nothing but a small closet, a single bed, and an attached bathroom, all dimly lit with a yellow ceiling light. At least it was better than an actual prison cell, but at least prisoners got yard time and natural light.

But I was no prisoner, so I couldn't accept these conditions, hence why my clothes still sat in my suitcase and strewn about it and not in the closet. If I unpacked and settled, it would mean I accepted the situation, that this place would be my new home. All of which I refuse to do because, like hell, I would let this become my new life. I needed to get out of here, somehow, then go to the cops because this was all highly illegal.

I refused to settle, refused to break.

Question was: how long until I broke? How long could I last until it all becomes too much?

The thought of someone touching me in such violating ways made my skin crawl already.

God, I don't know if I can handle it.

Echoes of the pounding door broke my anxious train of thought to look at the person entering the room. Was it mealtime already? Honestly, maybe it was, couldn't tell because I literally have no way to do so.

Unfortunately, it wasn't some worker to drop off my scheduled meal—though I wished it was. "Good to see you haven't tried to do anything stupid." Lady Heral's cruel voice sent a wave of unease through me. "Get up." The clicks of her obscene heels sounded like nails against a chalkboard. "Get dressed in something good, and put some makeup on. You look dead." Lady Heral barked at me, scowling at the sight of my room.

"No." I hunkered myself down into the bed with my arms crossed. "I'm not going anywhere except out of here." I tried to hide my nerves, which crawled under my skin like spiders. "I'm not going to have my body defiled."

A few long strides were all she needed to close the distance between us with her lanky legs. Scowling deeply, her hand shot out and snatched my face. "Too bad you have no choice in the matter, so you better change your tone and get used to it, or these next few years will be hell for you. So, be good and listen, or we do this the hard way where I have to get some help in here to get you ready."

When I made no indication of complying by glaring back at her and keeping my mouth shut, she slapped me across the face and dragged me off the bed by my hair. "I need some assistance in here!" She shouted towards the door before going over to my suitcase and picking through it with a scowl of disgust. "Ugh, I told them to pack you right. How hard is it to pick the right clothes for a whore house."

"Maybe because I'm not a whore. Therefore, I don't have such clothes. Ever think of that, you bitch?" Wow, I have no idea where the fuck that came from. Honestly, I had no idea that side of me fully existed or was capable of coming out to that extent.

If I ever dared to speak like that to my parents or anyone, I'd be slapped across the face, just like now, by Lady Heral, who darted back to me with a face full of fury. Usually, this would be the point where I apologized profusely and held my head down, but guess I wanted to lie in my grave today. I locked my burning eyes right back at her as she glared at me with anger and disbelief. "You better watch that fucking tongue of yours before I cut it off, and that would be a real shame to lose a part that could make you money while you are here."

Another sharp sting bites my cheek before she stands straight up and throws a white dress at me. "You shouldn't talk bad about whores because that's what you're going to be after tonight. You're not even going to be a person. You will be nothing but a set of holes for people to use for their pleasure until your parents' stupid debt is paid, and by that point, you'll be so far gone you won't know what to do with your life besides this. So, better get comfortable and used to it, you fucking brat."

"Get her washed up, dolled up, and into that dress in the next hour. Don't make her look like a complete whore, though, keep it light, keep that innocence for the men to see and break. It'll also get them to bid more." Okay, now the fight in me ebbed upon hearing that last part.

Pooling the blood up in my mouth, I spat it out at Lady Heral, covering her stocking-covered leg with a bloody spitball. "Wait, bid? What do you? Are you seriously going to put me up like some cattle to be sold at an auction?! You can't do that!"

That's so messed up! There's no way this is happening!

Hissing, Lady Heral grabbed my hair and shoved my face into the ground. "I can do whatever the hell I want. I own this damn place and everyone in it, including you. You're lucky you're a virgin. Otherwise, you would have been put to work the very first night. I have lots of men lined up and eager to bid for your stupid unused cunt tonight. Your only saving grace is all the money it will net me."

"You—!" An angry, strangled cry escaped me as I made a lunge for Lady Heral, only to be held back by the workers.

No! Nonono!

I fought the workers tooth and nail; even if it was pointless, I had to try. Every person's worst nightmare, my own included, was about to happen to me. Call me stupid or a hopeless romantic, but I wanted my first time to be special—not like this. I wasn't asking for Mister Right to have my first time with; I was just asking for someone who I was comfortable and willing with.

Everything was for naught, though, because I still ended up on the dreaded stage down on the main floor in a short, skimpy white dress and heels that I tripped over with every step. My useless pleas were quickly silenced by a few more slaps across the face from Lady Heral, who only used my spunk and tears as a further selling point for higher bids from the deplorable men in the crowd.

Waves of numbered signs rose and fell from the crowd as the amount kept growing and growing—my eyes could barely keep up with it all. Combined with the numbers flying out of Lady Heral's mouth, I became overwhelmed easily to the point where I mentally shut down and became numb to everything around me. Lady Heral's voice muffled out to background noise as the crowd became a blur of spots and dots.

Bang!

"Item X483 sold to lucky number 32! Please go claim your item off stage!" We weren't even human anymore. Reduced to being objects labeled by numbers. Livestock were treated more humanely!

Bang!

Shit. When did another bid go by?! I barely even blinked!

Bang!

No! Stop! Stop banging that stupid hammer!

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