The Island 4

Part Four

The auction went a little bit better than usual. A well-known local software programmer bought the twins for $15,500, and his mistress (small m) bought me for $12,000. Nobody ever outbids them when they choose to show up, which we can never anticipate. They left the three of us on the stage, and retired to the bar to watch the rest of the auction.

A nervous young man who had been the underbidder on the Olson Twins, and whom I suspected had been sent to the island as a graduation present by his father, an occasional visitor, made a jump bid to $15,000 for Slave Unit C, and got his wish. He handed a briefcase to the cashier without counting it out or receiving change, and left with his purchase in eager anticipation. Someday he may learn the folly of revealing the limit of his bankroll before Round Two, but for today was the buyer and not the buyee. I could see two of the ladies sizing him up for future consumption.

A distinguished older gentleman purchased our fair mermaid for $12,500, against considerable bidding from the other guests who had begun to realize that the supply of available slaves was growing smaller. Our man in the cage then went for $11,500, to the stern businesswoman who had been the underbidder for me. I recognized her, and was glad that the programmer had brought his mistress with him this week.

Our charmed snake then went for $11,000 to the underbidder of that sale, another harsh Mistress-wannabe who opted to invoke the continuous encasement clause. After paying her bill she snapped her fingers at the two off-duty slaves, and the four of them disappeared into the night.

After a brief pause for drinks, Round Two began. The opening bid remained at $1,000, but the increment level dropped to $100.

It was obvious that a few of the first-timers were concerned by the level of the bidding, which Madame L had never discussed with applicants during interviews on the mainland. The observant bidders had noted where each bidder had dropped out, and hoped to be able to pair off against someone with less money. Of course, it all depended upon the number in their envelope.

Guest number one having already made a purchase, guest number two challenged guest number 12, one of the low bidders, and made the purchase for a mere $4,100. Guest number three bought guest number 14 for $5,100, and guest number five bought guest number six for $5,600.
Guest number eight spent a few minutes looking over the remaining field, and selected guest number 18, a mousy brunette who had not made a bid, and who looked like a spinster librarian and an easy conquest. Indeed, she had  been a spinster librarian, before winning the lottery and vowing revenge upon the male gender that had always scorned her. By special arrangement with Madame L she always received the envelope with number 18 in it, so that she might be picked by some condescending jerk who needed to be taught a lesson. He fell at the $8,200 level, but I knew that she could have trebled that.

In the interest of fairness, Madame requires as part of the arrangement with her to always receive number 18 that she must to submit to bidder number 17, after five bids, if the pairing of the bidders happens to work out that way. Once in a great while she does allow herself to be bought by a lower numbered bidder, if bid upon by a gentleman or a lady who looks interesting. “Research in technique,” she calls it.

Guest number 10 anxiously searched the remaining three guests for another possible ringer, but guessed wrong and fell at $7,100 to guest number 13, who wasn’t a ringer but simply better prepared. Guests 15 & 17 finished up the night’s bidding at $6,200, after which the remaining winners began drifting off with their naked and yoked purchases.

Two “off-duty” male slaves lowered Slave Unit E onto a cart for delivery to his buyer’s cabin, and the distinguished gentleman strapped his mermaid back into her chair (having unstrapped her for his trophy photograph) and rolled and strolled off into the night. The Olson Twins and I followed our buyers down the same path, though whether to separate cabins or not I did not know.

End of Part Four

15.01.08