The auction

The auction room was full of business men of all kinds. They were all very rich and powerful, very greedy, and they flaunted their money as if it were tissues. These men ruled the world and made the rules. They only wanted to be among the most proficient and successful people and have decided that anyone that doesn't meet their standards were useless. To them, if you didn't have a certain amount of money in your bank account you were not even human, you were just an animal. This is the fate that has landed Ari who finds herself in chains and being sold to the highest bidder. Despair was seen in her eyes as everyone watched this poor girl. Her only crime was to be born poor and now she must pay the price of the rich.

And so begins the auctioneer, "Here we have a real beauty. Her name is Ari and her parents were the poorest of the poor. They couldn't even scrap a mere coin to save their lives. It is too bad that they could not achieve success to prove their humanity. But now, fortunately for their daughter, she will be sold to the highest bidder and be offered a new home under a caring master. Who will be the one to win? The bidding starts at 4000."

"5000." said one bidder.

"6000." said another.

Many kept pushing the price up. At first by the thousands and eventually they reached the ten-thousands. It then rose to the millions, ten millions, hundred millions.

"Wow," said the auctioneer, "who would've thought she was this popular, this woman!"

Ari just stood there in silence. What could she say? She was being sold to these disgusting men who had more money than there were people in the world. To them, she was just a play thing.

"200 million."

"300 million."

"600 million."

The bids kept rising and rising. The money was so much that none of the people who were going to be sold could even imagine a small portion of it. Ari, despite not showing emotion, was now shocked at how much they were willing to pay for her.

"1 billion."

"10 billion."

"50 billion."

"100 billion."

This seemed to be the limit as nobody was attempting to outbid. The one with the highest bid was none other than Ardit.

"Wow, Sir Ardit, one of the most richest people in the world whose estimated bank account goes up to the septillions. He has the highest bid for this young woman. Who will be brave or foolish enough to outbid him?"

Everyone started murmuring. That was so much money, even for these rich people. In fact, it was too rich for Ardit himself. Why would he put so much money for a woman? The last time they saw him bid on a slave, he paid a maximum 500 million, but he was now putting nearly half his money on this woman.

"110 billion." The crowd gasps as they turn their heads and see Bashkim. He was actually one of the lowest rich persons there, but considering the bid, he was still so powerful. But compared to the elite, he was nothing but a little man whom they can step on. But he was so brave as to dare challenge Ardit's bid. Everyone started talking how foolish this Bashkim was.

"120 billion." said Ardit.

"130 billion." outbid Bashkim.

"150 billion."

"175 billion."

Ardit's eyes were widening. He could not believe this young brash man who didn't even have half the money he did. "200 billion."

"Wow," said the auctioneer, "is Ardit serious? Who has ever bid this much for a slave. This is amazing!"

"225 billion." responds Bashkim.

"300 billion."

A great silence was heard. It is true that there were people who bid on slaves onto the billions, but Ardit was going overboard.

"Incredible! Ardit really wants this woman. Well, I think we can now declare this his victory and-"

"500 billion." says Bashkim.

"I can't believe it! The young Bashkim wants 500 billion! I don't ever recall anyone in the history of slave bidding ever going so high for a single slave woman! This is unprecedented! Well, Ardit? Will you up your bidding?"

Ardit sat there, shocked and amazed at the same time. He was outbid? At this ridiculous price? Even though he had so much money, he knew how much a billion was worth, and 500 billion was even too much for him.

"Ardit will not go any higher? Amazing! Well, I don't think we need to wait any longer. Bashkim is the winner of-"

"One trillion." says Ardit.