Chapter Two
Heidi
Our trial comes two days later. We have not had a lawyer nor does it appear
that we will have one. As we stand before the judge, there is no jury as well.
Greg is by my side, wearing a dirty denim shirt and cotton trousers. He holds
my hand as the judge peers down at us.
"From the evidence submitted to me, I must find you guilty of theft against the
people of Algeria. I sentence the two of you to twenty-five years of hard
labor!"
Greg gasps and I grab his arm to keep from fainting. Twenty-five years! I
can't believe what I'm hearing!
"Your Honor," Greg is saying, "please! Have mercy on us. I don't know how the
ring got into my wife's purse! There has been a terrible mistake."
"Yes, I hear that a lot," said the judge. "I will waive the sentence if you
repay double the amount of the ring's value. Seven million dinars."
"Why, that's almost $100,000! I haven't got that kind of money!" I look at
Greg and his expression is one of disbelief.
"There is one other alternative. "Your wife will stand at auction with the
proceeds to repay the value of the ring."
"Auction? What does that mean?"
"She will be sold to the highest bidder for one year of servility."
'Oh, no! That's impossible!"
"Wait, Greg," I cry. "One year against twenty-five. I don't want to spend
twenty-five years in jail! One year doesn't sound too bad."
"Heidi, you don't know what can happen. There must be another way."
The judge rapped the desk with a gavel.
"I have given you two options. Either pay the seven million dinars or allow your
wife to stand at auction. Unless you do one or the other in five minutes, the
two of you will be taken to the prison where you will spend the next twenty-five
years."
"Greg, please!" I plead. "One year can pass quickly. Judge, I will stand at
auction!"
Greg
When I heard the sentence of the judge, my heart was in my throat. Twenty-five
years! Then, when he offered the opportunity to disregard this by having Heidi
stand at auction, I was immediately skeptical. This sounded too easy.
Servility can mean a number of things but Heidi seemed so anxious to avoid the
long prison term, I couldn't see any other way. Hopefully, a kind person will
be the high bidder and she will simply have to perform household duties for a
year.
The Judge
"Yes, your Highness, it has been arranged. Yes, they have agreed to the
auction. It will be tomorrow in the market at 3:00 P.M. Yes, I have one other
female to auction; an African woman from Kenya who was arrested for
prostitution. Very well, I will make arrangements for your arrival."
Heidi
The policewoman comes for me the next afternoon. She places leather cuffs
around my wrists and locks them together with a short piece of chain. Kneeling
down, she then places similar leather bands around my ankles. These are joined
with a somewhat longer chain but it is still difficult for me to walk normally.
I am led out of the cell.
Placed in a waiting car, I'm driven a short distance to an area in the city that
appears to be an outdoor marketplace. Booths surround a large square where
shopkeepers are busy selling their wares. In the center of the square stands a
small stage and upon it is a sort of wooden "T". A large crowd has gathered
around the stage.
The policewoman pulls me out of the car and leads me toward the stage. I look
around for Greg but I can't find him. As we reach the foot of the stage, I am
led up a short flight of steps and look our over a throng of at least 100
people. There is a lot of talking back and forth as they look up at me, and
point and gesture animatedly. While I am engrossed in this scene, I barely
notice that my hands are being unlocked and raised over my head. Before I
realize it, I am attached to the "T" by short links of chain. The crowd grows a
little noisier while I stand there somewhat in dismay. With my arms stretched
high over my head, the prison dress rides up and I fear that I am completely
exposed. I wish now that I hadn't shaved my pubic hair. I really feel naked.
A short time later, another woman joins me on the stage, her hands and ankles
chained together as mine were. She is black and wears the same type of cotton
dress that has been given me. A look of resignation is in her eyes and she
stares at me with obvious sympathy. Following the woman is a brute of a man,
dressed only in leather trousers and boots. His face is hidden behind a hood
with only holes for his eyes to peer through. His upper body is massive and
covered with hair. The muscles in his arms are as big as my waist. He is
brandishing a thin cane.
The crowd is really noisy now and seemed to surge forward around the stage. I
am beginning to get really nervous and I start to tremble. Matters grow worse
when the man kneels in front of me and spreads my feet, chaining them to bolts
set in the floor of the stage. He stands and his face is only inches away from
me.
"Put on a show for me and it will go easier for you."
While I am trying to figure out just what he meant by that cryptic sentence, he
grasps the top of my dress and gives it a tremendous jerk. The material parts
easily and in an instant, I am naked. I gasp and cry out while the throng
cheers and shouts words that I can't understand. I squirm, trying to find some
means of covering myself but it is fruitless. My legs are spread wide apart and
there is no part of my body that is hidden from view.
The hooded man turns and addresses the audience after he spends several minutes
signaling for quiet.
"Prisoner number One has been found guilty of theft. She has been sentenced to
one year of servitude to the highest bidder today. The court has set the
minimum bid at 1 million dinars."
There is silence now from the crowd. I am still squirming and blushing, aware
that my tits are bouncing up and down as I do so. I finally see Greg standing
a short distance from the stage. The look on his face is one of despair, which
causes me in turn to sob in desperation.
"Come now," the hooded man is saying, "who will bid one million for this comely
lass?"
There is still no word from the throng. I begin to wonder if I am going to have
to serve twenty-five years in prison because no one will buy me. A curious
thought, as I stand nude before hundreds of strangers.
"Whip her!" comes a cry from the crowd. Several more take up the chant. "Whip
her! Whip her!"
The hooded man turns and walks around behind me. I can't believe that he would
actually whip me. I try to follow him by turning my head. He grabs my hair and
flips it over my shoulder, baring my back.
The cane strikes me just above the cheeks of my ass and for a moment I am
stunned at the impact. Then the pain surges through my brain and I drive
forward, my body vibrating in anguish. A second blow strikes and I scream at
the top of my lungs while I jerk and heave in a futile attempt to dispel the
pain. Again I am struck. My screams are even louder while everything grows
hazy and nausea fills my stomach.
"Five million dinars!"
The voice sounds like it is coming from a million miles away. The crowd, which
had been cheering madly, grew deathly quiet. The only sounds were my heavy
breathing mixed with mewling sounds coming from deep in my throat. I have never
been beaten before and the experience left me stunned. Through heavy eyelids, I
could see Greg with tears running down his cheeks as he turned and started to
walk back out of the crowd. Taking his place and coming toward the stage was a
tall, bearded Arab dressed in a long purple cloak with a white turban.
I am grateful that the punishment has ended and curious about this man who has
just purchased me for a year. As I am released from my constraints, I stagger
and almost fall. The Arab who has just bought me catches my arm and leads me
off of the stage. As I look back, the black girl is having her arms raised over
her head, taking my place before the ""T".
Greg
The police release me the day after the trial, after telling me that there is no
reason to detain me any longer. My wife will satisfy the judgement of the
court. I learn that her auction is to occur the next day at the city
marketplace.
When I arrive, there is a huge crowd already gathered and I stand at the back.
The stage on which the auction will be held is 50 yards away and empty.
Everyone is talking spiritedly and the atmosphere is one of a country fair.
Finally, two cars pull up near the stage and Heidi is taken from the first. A
black girl follows her up on the stage; the two of them manacled and shackled.
I press my way forward. There! There she is! Wait! What are they doing? Why
are they chaining her arms over her head? What's he doing to her feet? Oh,
God! I don't feel good about this!
Please! Let me by! I'm sorry! Wait! Oh, my God! They ripped her dress off!
Oh, God, Heidi! Jesus, she's beautiful! Oh, I bet she's fit to be tied! (A
horrible pun, but I couldn't resist). Oh, the bidding has started. Everyone is
so quiet. Oh, she sees me! Heidi, I love you! You are the most gorgeous
creature on earth!
What are they saying? Whip her? NO! NO! NO! OH, GOD! OH, JESUS! OH, HEIDI!
NO! NO! Wait! Someone's Bid! I think I'm going to be sick at my stomach. I
can't watch anymore! Oh, Heidi, what have we gotten into?
