The routine was much the same as usual -- more shoving, more dragging, the barking sneers of the guards and the cowed submission of Sharon and her fellow slaves. Sharon had no time to track their progress as her chain of fellow captives was dragged through the compound, eyes down, at fast march. Eventually she found herself led before an elevated wooden stage set up in another large open courtyard; not the same as the one she'd first come in by, but other than that she couldn't say where. Sharon and her chain of fellow slaves was lead up the wooden steps to stand elevated above the courtyard, and next each slave was detached one by one from the chain and refixed to a ring of blocks along the edge of the platform, facing outwards. When Sharon's turn came, she was lead to the corner, where her legs were fastened securely apart from each other and her wrists re-fixed behind her back. She began to break out into a nervous sweat, but was too afraid to look around for fear of the guard's retributions.
A short while after all slaves were fastened in their places upon the dais, the courtyard began to fill. Not with slaves, Sharon knew with a sinking feeling .. these were the prospective buyers. She heard the voice of the head slaver raise up above the quiet murmurs of the crowd, as he offered obsequious praise to the worthy and gracious patrons of his establishment and hoped they would find merchandise suitable for any of their needs.
Sharon gulped as the slave hawker concluded his introductory spiel, and began to sweat even more as the buyers on the courtyard below her began to mill about, gazing up at her with the same expression one might give a handbag one was considering on buying. None approached her immediately, but it wasn't long before one figure stepped forward out of the crowd, motioning to the slavemaster ..
Wed Jan 15 14:23:11 2003