Garden of Shadows

We were all pushed into this living room where there were a lot of places to sit. It seemed once we were locked in we were all snapped out of out trance at the locked snapped shut. People started to panic. Some were slamming on the door while other collapsed crying into their hands. I started to panic as the chaos in the room started to rise and I could feel my heart beat going faster with every beat. I started to walk over to the group yelling to be let go at the door but my voice never came out and my body started to shake uncontrollably. I made it to a chair and sat down and cradled my head in my hands trying to pull myself together. I lifted my head up a bit to look at everyone and most of them were in there pajamas like I was while some where in actual clothes, lucky them. They all looked younger than me except for one. There was a girl who was laying on one of the couches and it looked like she was ill. I somehow manged to get up and walk over to her. I sat down next to her and she lazily put her head up to look at me but then quickly returned it to looking down at her chest.
“Are you OK?” I knew it was a silly question but she looked ready to throw up.

“N-no, I-I drank-birthday.” was all she got out before she jerked forward and started to throw up.

I yelled for someone to get a trash can and it was probably a full minute before this girl moved to go get one. This girl getting sick fueled everyone even who were banging on the door. They really wanted to be let out now. I tried holding the girls hair back but she kept jerking around. The girl who got me the trash can was on the other side whispering helpful words into the sick girls ears but I think she would've been better off whispering to a deaf person.

“Hey, thank you for helping. What is your name? I'm Isabella” I said.

“Isabella. My name is Julie. I'm glad you speak English, though it doesn't appear anyone here is from Italy or anywhere near by. They're all speaking English.” She said looking back at everyone.

Now that she mentioned it she was right everyone here was speaking English. I looked at Julie and she couldn't be older than fifteen it seems. I was about to ask her how old she was but the door shot open pushing everyone who was crowding around it to be pushed back or fell on the ground. For a second everyone was about to make a dash for the door but then five men walked into the room and pushed down those who tried to run. These men struck saw fear into everyone. No one moved as they walked into the room they walked over to Julie and I and I was terrified that out of reflex I grabbed Julie and pulled her closer to me in fear they would take her. They didn't take her but they took the drunk girl and the trash can out of the room. They didn't say anything or do anything other than remove her from the room and then the door was shut and we were left alone again. This time no one banged on the door.

What seemed like hours passed and some of the people were asleep while others were wide awake and very alert and would flinch if someone moved. I was curled up in the corner of the couch with Julie I my lap. I didn't talk to her much after the men came in but I did find out she was fifteen and she was here with her aunt on vacation also. I didn't learn too much else about her and no one else was talking to me or anyone. I kept thinking about that man I met and thinking he had something to do with this since I had learned about this “Garden” from him. Damn him. It's all his fault. Those green eyes seemed less and less beautiful by the second. I started to think of scenarios of what I would say to him if I ever saw him again, but then the door opened. This small movement had awaken every single person in the room and caused a lot to stand or coward further into the corner. I shifted on the couch so Julie was now behind me. This woman with pure white hair walked in and walked a few steps in and then a man walked into the room also. It was the man who took the girl away earlier, he has tall and muscular and his face had strong angles making this face look strange. Both of them were dressed in black clothes and even had gloves on. Then the man spoke up.

“Everyone need to form two lines ladies on this side men on the other..Do it now!” He yelled at us.

Quickly everyone stood and formed the lines. From what I could count there were about six men and nine girls including myself. I could tell the guys were all trying to be tough and not show fear but we all knew they were just as terrified as the rest of us. I could feel Julie grabbing the back of my shirt. She's not even the youngest one here I can't imagine how scared the others are.

“Okay ladies will be following me, the guys will be following him.” The white haired woman said as she quickly started to walk away causing the first few girls in line to run after her.

We followed her through this maze like house and we passed many rooms filled with people all looking at us as we pass by. It wasn't until we went down a floor when girls started to be snatched up nearly every time we passed a room. I held onto Julies hand harder every time we walked by a room and I whispered to her to keep her head down and eyes on me. This seemed to work until it came to the last room in the hall when someone tried to take her.

I yelled out “No!” and tried to pull her back to me but the man who grabbed her was strong. Julie started to cry and yell out and was struggling to get free when a voice rang out in the hall.

“James! Let them go now! I don't have time to deal with your shit!”

It was the woman with the white hair. At first I didn't think he was going to let her go but he finally did and Julie and I returned to the line except this time she was at my side. I tried my best to console her but she was so shaken up and I knew my words would only help so much. When we finally reached out destination we were down to five girls. We were brought to a shower room, it looked like a bath house, it was very nice.

“All of you will wash up and proceed through that door and get dressed.”

We waited until the woman left and slowly all of us started to discard out clothes and wash up. It was very quiet the only sound that was heard was that of the water and a few quirt sobs. Even Julie was just sitting there going through the motions of getting clean. No one was embarrassed about stripping down either all of us were just, mute. I felt so helpless being the oldest person there but not being able to do or say anything to help them. I was lost.

The clothes that we were supposed to wear were these pure white dresses though hardly any of them fit us. They were all too big for us. It was awful we didn't even have undergarments to wear. Then these men started to come into the room and take us out one by one. When it was down to Julie and me I grabbed her hand as the man came toward us. He grabbed me by my arm and I tried taking Julie with me but he was so strong I couldn't keep a hold of her.

“Let me go! She's coming with me!” I yelled over and over but it was no use I was taken away.

“You're a thin you I see such a shame you'll be a low price.” The man carrying me said.

Fear struck me as I heard the word “price”. “Price”!? Was I being sold? This can't be happening to me! Then Julie entered my mind. If they were going to sell me then they were going to sell all of us including her! I started to fight and struggle to get away but I waited to long because I thrown into a black room...