Page 225 of Vile Boys

“It won’t work,” a girl in the back says.

I turn my head to look at her, her face hiding behind a curtain of messy hair.

“Neither of us is getting out. Once you’re in here, you’re in here until you’re sold to the highest bidder.”

My skin begins to crawl.

This place … it’s a human auction.

And I’m going to be sold.

CRYSTAL

Several guards step into the cell, and I crawl back against the wall, their guns pointed at our faces.

“Out. All of you.”

I can’t let them do this to us.

I have to fight, just like how Blaine taught me. Even if you don’t have a knife, use whatever you can find.

One by one, we move to the door, but when I pass the guard, I lunge at his weapon.

Everyone shrieks as I grasp it.

BANG!

A shot is fired into the floor, making me tiptoe, but I refuse to let go.

“Motherf—”

SLAP!

I’m knocked to the floor, a harsh handprint on my face, and I touch my skin where he hit me.

“You fucking bitch,” the guard growls as he grabs me by the hair and drags me off the floor.

The others cower near the wall in fear of being shot by the otherguards.

“You think you can just take my gun?”

“Let. Me. Go,” I say through gritted teeth with the little bit of courage I have.

He laughs in my face. “You’re about to pay a hefty price for that.” He shoves me toward a hallway. “Get up. You go first.”

I only walk because he makes me.

Behind me, the others follow suit, their heads bowed between their shoulders, courage waning with every step.

When we get to the exit, I feel frozen to the floor.

Twenty, if not more, men all stare at me from their chairs in the back of the room. All hiding behind masks, as though they’re afraid I might tell someone what they looked like.

And they’re right.

“The rest of you, wait here,” the guard growls at the people behind me, waiting in line for their turn.

Then he focuses his attention on me. “Don’t speak. Don’t fucking utter a single syllable. Just stand there and listen to what the seller tells you to do.” The guard pushes me toward the stage. “Now get up there.”

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