John was sitting on the edge of the pool table and Lindy was attending his lower member. He motioned me over. “We are taking you to auction.” “What?” “We are taking you to auction. What are you, fucking deaf?” I tried to form the question without using any forbidden words like but or why. I could only stand there looking at him like an idiot and opening and closing my mouth. Finally before i could commit a real sin, Benny grabbed my arm and drug me away to the back room slamming the heavy metal door behind us. Automatically i walked to the center of the room and held my arms up for the chains there. He gave me a scathing look and shooed me to the back of the room and the stash he kept back there. I watched him roll the joint after lacing it with something that i didn't care about. At that moment i would have let him fix me. “Its only for a month Raven. John wanted to sell you outright but i argued for you and you are a damn fine earner. Probably the best we've ever had. Edward loves John, but he loves money more. You stay. It'll probably be just like the other times. You'll go to DC or Baltimore or New York a while. This time will just be longer.” He fired the joint and passed it to me. I took a deep drag and exhaled slowly, letting the smoke clog my lungs and cloud my brain. I passed it back with a trembling hand. “That's not all. You have to go visit your Granddaddy. Jackson will take you.” i shook my head in stubborn negation. Sold i could handle. Killed i could handle. Forced to see Granddaddy? That i could not handle. “Can't you do something?” He looked at me sadly. He shook his head. He held his hair back and showed me his maimed ear. “Raven, does it look like I can do anything?”
