Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,88

they would have to continue on without the vaccine.

After the stage cleared, I wondered why Father didn’t bid on any of the available Walkers. Plenty of them seemed fine enough, but he remained quiet. Some of the crowd cleared but a few remained. I fidgeted with my coat sleeve and father pinched my arms to keep me still. “Stop fidgeting,” he whispered while grabbing me harder.

A tall and slender woman with red hair strolled towards the middle of the stage. The woman smiled at everyone still in the auditorium and even winked at a few. She wore an emerald gown that dragged upon the floor as she walked.

“Masters and Mistresses, we have an extraordinary treat for you all today.” She gestured towards the side of the stage where a girl that looked to be about half of my very experienced eight years, was being guided into the bright spotlight next to the fiery-haired woman. The young girl had fuzzy hair and a baggy dress that barely hid how skinny she was.

I noticed Father perk up, and I, too, watched with interest. There was something special about this girl, something that caught Father’s attention, as well as the focus of the rest of the room, and I wanted to know what.

“There is more than meets the eye to this little Walker Girl. She’s immune to X.” Several gasps could be heard around the room. Even I knew that Immunity to X was rare, she wouldn't require a vaccine. “She was found clinging to her dead mother and father two days ago in the Walker Zones. It was a very tragic discovery, as you can well imagine.” The woman smiled as she patted the little girl’s head, and I wondered what made her so happy. I looked around and saw that, like my father, everyone seemed to hold their breath at what the woman had to say next.

"Immunity in a Walker is rare, as I'm sure you all know. It shows that she has good breeding. She also will not be needing the vaccine. Because of that, we will start the bidding at five thousand Drachmas."

Whispers and murmurs erupted, and I once again looked around the room to see everyone’s reaction when a thick, meaty hand slapped down on my knee. “Pay attention,” my father hissed. I ached to rub the sting away but didn’t want to anger him further—Father’s anger wasn't to something I wanted to test. So instead, I peered at the sad-looking Walker on the stage .

The announcer clicked her tongue and stared out into the crowd until everyone went silent again. "Let the bidding begin," she said in a sing-song voice.

The woman slowly maneuvered the various amounts of money thrown her way, and as the number rose, I fought the urge to snap my head around to see who was offering each amount.

7,000

10,000

12,000

“Fifteen thousand Drachmas!” my father’s voice bellowed across the room, causing shocked silence to inflate around us. An attendant walked towards him, carrying a metal case, and my father placed the tip of his greasy thumb upon the scanner to unlock it. The box was then opened, revealing stacks of gold sheets. Father waved his arms, presenting the ridiculously large sum of money towards the crowd.

“SOLD!” the woman replied with a clap and a broad grin. The young girl flinched, and I laughed at her skittishness. Girls were so weak.

We traveled to a back room behind the stage. My father was directed to sign a thick stack of papers as he spoke to the woman. “An immune Walker is rare. My colleagues will be jealous,” Father said gleefully.

“Oh yes, you definitely will be the talk of the province. Lackley himself is the only other man within two hundred miles to own an immune Walker.” The woman gave us a broad grin, and I noticed her red lipstick stuck to her pearly-white teeth.

“While you read through the last of the papers, I’ll attach your tag. It’s microchipped, so you’ll know where she is at all time. Some people shave the sides of their Walker’s head so it’s fully visible, but it’s a personal preference, of course,” the woman said while producing a white handheld machine. She walked over to the Walker and forced her to lay down on an end table.

“This will only hurt a bit dearie.” Her voice was overly chipper while she slipped the Walker’s ear through two of its prongs. “ Prepare yourselves, sirs, they tend to scream a lot,” she whispered to Father