Disclaimer: Cassandra Claire owns all except for the plot!

"We will have the rest of the money by the end of the month, I promise! So please just give us a bit more time," Maryse begged as she reached out for me again. Tears were in her eyes and a frantic, almost desperate look morphed her once proud and regal features to something less. Something that I see in all the other faces of our neighbours who live in this poverty stricken dump.

All the houses, if you can even call them that, here are so close together that you can stand outside the entrance of your own and reach out to touch another. The houses themselves are old and decrepit, and are always needing repaired. Our house is made up of a single room in which we sleep, eat, and live in. All five of us, now that Alec has already been auctioned.

Our 'kitchen' is an old wood stove that also serves as our only source of heat and a small, round table that can barely fit two people. The rest of the house is just a dirt floor during the day, and at night there are cots placed out wherever we can find room to sleep. As for bathrooms, forget about it. There are a total of four outhouses for all of this neighbourhood to use, two for the women and two for the men. For water to drink, clean, and cook with we have to walk out a ways to one of two places, the well or the stream. Its not much, but its what I, along with many others, call home.

The man who was holding me back just sneered at Maryse, jerking me back by the handcuffs that were tightly sealed around both of my wrists. I was no doubt going to have scrapes and cuts from where they viciously dug into my flesh. "You've said this before, and it happened again. I thought you would have learned by now, what with your other mutt already sold," the man jeered at Maryse.

My blood boiled just hearing him talk that way about Alec and to have him treat Maryse like this. The bastard isn't any better than us and yet he looks down on us as if we're scum! I would have knocked him off of that high pedestal of his, wanted to in fact, but Izzy and Max's fearful faces stopped me. Fighting him would only make matters worse, and they have already been through enough.

"Let's be reasonable here," Robert said as he brought his wife to stand behind him. Maryse gripped his shoulders as her sadness turned to bitterness and hate for the the man who continued to jerk the metal confines around my wrists unnecessarily. I would go with him peacefully and quietly, if only he would let me say goodbye first. The man just laughed, "Reasonable, huh? I'll tell you what. You can have your boy back when you buy him at the auction, if not then I'd say goodbye now." Izzy's lip trembled and her body shook with rage as Max held onto the edge of her tattered skirt, tears visibly streaming down his face. I gave her a look, telling her to keep quiet, and that everything would be alright. We both knew the last part was a lie, but she remained silent all the same.

My shoulders grew less tense at my slight victory, Iz rarely, if ever, listened to anything I said. She was a spite fire. But my win was cut short as the man started tugging me toward the door now. I glanced back and could see a large black van with metal bars over the windows waiting outside for me. The back door was open, revealing two long benches lining the sides of the van, boys and girls of all ages were already in side, their faces all showing the same thing. Fear. Complete and utter fear.

I glanced back at the only family I had ever known, and my heart broke seeing their faces. "Its alright," I said even as I was being forced away from them, "I'll be fine, I promise." I bit back the tears that threatened to spill, whether it was from the emotional pain of leaving my family or the sharp bite of the handcuffs digging into my skin as I four for just a few more seconds, I had no idea. I could feel a warm, sticky liquid on my hands now. I knew I should go with the man or the wounds on my wrists would be even worse, but I had to have a few more seconds. Just a little bit longer so that I could imprint their faces into my brain. I will never forget them, ever.

My eyes came to Robert Lightwood first, the man who took me in when I was nearly four after my parents died. Robert is tall with large shoulders and a proud jaw covered with a now untamed beard. He was usually cleanly shaven, but when his beard started coming in you knew things were getting tough. His dark blue eyes, almost black met mine and there wasn't a single tear. He wasn't the type of person to cry, to be honest I don't think I have ever seen the man cry, but in that moment he looked sad. He closed his eyes, hard and for a long while before opening them and giving me a curt nod. He knew I'd make it. He had raised me to be strong after all.

Next was Maryse Lightwood. Maryse treated me as if I was her true son right from the start, she loved me no differently from her own, and even now I can still see that. A part of me wishes she didn't love me so much, if only it meant she would feel less pain at my leaving, but another, more selfish part, is grateful for this strength. Maryse's long, black hair was piled on top of her head in a messy bun, tendrils of it were falling out and sticking to her face where her tears fell, and even still she was beautiful. He blue eyes glistened as she stared at me, her hands shook as she clung to Robert. Maryse had lost Alec almost a year ago, and no she'll have to go through it again. I can't imagine what it must feel like for a mother to loose two sons in the same year.

It was easy for me to move to Iz, and to tell the truth I had to if only to obtain some of her strength. Tears sprinkled down Isabelle's cheeks as she stood tall, biting her lip up at me. She is only fifteen years old, yet holds a mature air about her that makes her seem far older. She is tall for her age and is starting to grow small curves. Her full lips were still being worried at when she narrowed her dark brown eyes at me as she wrapped her arm around Max. Her message was loud and clear to me. She wants me to come back to them, come back for all of them, especially Max. I nodded at her and a soft smile formed on her lips before slipping into a frown. Her lips quivered again and her strong resolve slipped a bit, showing her true side. The scared and upset side. Her eyes started up at me one last time, begging me to come back, before she looked down at Max.

Max's small body wracked with sobs as e leaned heavily against Izzy, he probably would have crumpled to the floor without her. Max was small, even for his nine years of age. His straight brown hair hung over his face, and his too large glasses threatened to fall off. His watery grey eyes stared up at me, and he seemed so... broken. A child his age should never have to go through something like this, and yet this is his second time. When Alec was taken Max had been completely destroyed. It took weeks to get him back together. He had been so afraid. Afraid for Alec, for his family, for himself. He had no idea how to protect himself, and I hate to admit it, but none of us can do anything about the auctioning either. We just don't have enough money. I had been left so little after my parents had died, but out of it all I had a small toy soldier. I gave it to Max, hoping it would help him, and thankfully it did. Max looked to it as a beacon. That toy soldier was his hope. Even now Max held that small glimmer of hope in his small fist as fat tear drops raced down his face.

"I promise," I said one last time as Max's eyes met mine, and then I allowed the man to drag me out of the house. I was thrown into the van and the doors were shut with a loud thud. I pushed myself back against the cold metal floor of the van until I reached an empty spot in the van, and then, with the cuffs still on, managed to lift myself other seat with the van jostling us about. The van was too dark to really see anything, just outlines of people. The only thing I had left was my thoughts.

My mind turned to a dark place as i thought of what was to happen to me. When families were unable to pay bills the higher ups come to 'collect', meaning they take anyone in your family they wish and sell them in an auction. The higher ups profit the money, the family is left with one less member and next months bills, and the buyers are left with a new 'pet'. The buyers are always rich people who are bored with life so they find a new 'plaything'. Buyers are free to do anything to us, after all we are their property now, and we get no say. If we lash out we are either sent to prison, or killed, depending on the severity of our actions. The whole thing is a sick and twisted deal if you ask me, but this started years ago and anyone who isn't sold has just about accepted. They don't even bat an eyelash at human beings being sold like animals. If its what society wants, then society accepts. The only thing I can do is pray I get a caring 'owner'.

Author's Note:

Hey guys! So this is a new idea I had, is it a hit or a his? I'm not really sure yet. I'm gonna keep writing a bit more of this, and if enough people like it I might just finish it. Now, for those of you who read my other stories, I am not giving up on those yet, though the Final Pieces is getting really hard to write so that one might be a while. Anyways, let me know what you guys think about this one, thoughts, opinions, questions, and constructive criticism is always welcome. I guess this is bye for now so I love you guys, and thank you for reading!

-Haybell