#changing hands

Mina appeared to consider as she pointed the camera at Oscar– or Oliver, as she knew him. The device whirred to life, the lens slipping out from between two sliding planes of metal as the glass eye winked at Oscar in the light.

The camera flashed, and Mina was putting it away in her purse. “I suppose for one so tame it will be worth it,” she commented. “Very well. Fifty-five.”

Oscar covered his eyes too late for the flash, blinded for a few seconds. Even after his time in captivity, his eyes were more adjusted to the dark within the walls and floorboards back at the motel. He couldn’t have prepared for the sudden burst of light aimed right at him when he was stuck staring nervously at the camera’s eye.

“We have a deal,” Thomas said, already taking most of his attention off Oscar. Oscar glanced up, hearing the greed in the man’s voice. Whatever was happening to him was almost over, and soon he’d belong to Mina instead. Thomas solidified it with a smirk and an added “Appreciate your business, as always.”

The transaction had happened so quickly. Too fast, too sudden, much like humans always were. Oscar brushed more tears away from his eyes and his legs wobbled until he fell to his knees on the table. He could try to run now, while the humans were dealing with that precious paper they loved so much, but something told him his luck wouldn’t allow it. He could only watch.

“Keep bringing me little gems like this one and you’ll keep being rewarded,” Mina assured him. The last item to come out of her purse was a thick stack of unmarked bills, provided by her benefactors for just this purpose. “You can let Noriko know he’ll have a good home… in time.” She held out the cash.

That drew a chuckle out of Thomas as he took the money. “She’ll perk right up in no time,” he assured. Then, he idly set the box Oscar arrived in on the table so he could count his money and stash it in a pocket. The box landed barely a few inches away, and Oscar flinched away from it with a startled noise.

Immediately after his reaction, Oscar couldn’t resist the temptation to crawl behind the box, putting it between himself and the towering humans. With an imaginary shield in place, his breathing shuddered and he choked on more sobs. What would be a familiar motel room setting loomed around him, a faraway ceiling and unfamiliar decor pressing in on him.

“Small but cute,” Mina said. “And a good age. Not many get caught in the prime of their lives.”

Thomas almost chuckled. “Some get lucky. Even this one was skinnier when I first found him,” he admitted. After some time feeding Oscar multiple meals a day, he had finally stopped looking skinny enough to waste away, but not by much. “I think we did him a favor, to be honest.”

Oscar looked up then, an incredulous look on his face. As always with Thomas, he only met indifference. His breathing quickened and tears filled his eyes again. As soon as Mina was done pinching his limbs, he tried to scoot himself away from her hands. “S-stop,” he managed to say, his voice quiet and wavering.

Mina gave no sign that she heard Oscar’s plea. “What’s his name?” she asked briskly, pulling away and closing up the pocket magnifier. This time, she withdrew a small black journal that fit in the palm of her hand, quickly opening it to the middle and brushing aside the red ribbon that marked her place.

The pages were worn and covered in tight script from a steady hand. A fountain pen was next to appear from the bag, and Mina looked expectantly at Thomas.

Thomas glanced down, searching his memory. As usual, Noriko had asked the little thing’s name all of one time and then proceeded to call him little baby or something like it ever since. He barely remembered what it was, but he wouldn’t be cruel and pass along the pet name. He shrugged, jostling the little guy on his palm. “Oliver.”

Oscar looked up at Thomas, disbelieving but at the same time not surprised. Thomas had only been in charge of bringing Oscar his food and intimidating him into eating it. Noriko was the one who spent time with him and she’d only asked once.

He turned to watch the pen in motion as the wrong name went into that book, the smallest one he’d ever seen and still too big for him to carry. A protest nearly rose to his throat, but trembling fear stopped it, and instead Oscar covered his face with his hands as more tears came.

“Hey,” Thomas said, curling a finger inward to nudge pointedly at the little guy’s back. His voice lacked any sign of real comfort. “Keep it together.”

“You can leave him on the table,” Mina said dismissively as she closed the notebook. More notes would be taken later on, along with the amount paid for him, and in the future, how much she made when she sold him to her foreign clients. She set the pen down overtop the black leather cover.

This time, it was a camera she pulled from her purse, small enough to fit in the palm of her hand. The development of digital technology had certainly made life easier when it came to documenting the small folk that got themselves caught.

“Wake up, little baby!” Noriko’s cheerful greeting preceded her entrance to the room. Oscar opened his eyes and sat up blearily as the lights switched on.

She had something in her hand. Oscar scooted off of his bed cushion to stand just as Noriko reached his dollhouse cage. Her free hand reached out and the glass front swung wide before he could see what she carried with her. Instead, he was gathered up in a gentle fist.

Noriko lifted him out of the cage and Oscar kept his eyes lowered. He squirmed only a little, aiming for more comfort for his arms. The pressure in the slender fingers around him rose and fell in reaction to it. As he rose, a breeze tousled his messy hair (Noriko never could tame it, no matter how often she scrubbed at it with fruity smelling shampoos).

Held before her face, Oscar had a clear view of her fond smile. A sort of sadness touched her eyes and he waited for the reason. Asking never had any effect. She’d say what she wanted to as if he hadn’t said anything at all.

“Oh, my sweet little one, you really are my favorite,” she cooed. Oscar cringed inwardly. He was only her favorite because he was smaller than most and easier to control

He cringed outwardly when her hand moved forward and allowed her to kiss the top of his head as she’d done many times before. Oscar, locked in her fist, could only wince until the brief gesture was over. His stomach flipped as he suddenly descended.

She lowered him towards what he could now see was a small box, made of cardboard and lined at the bottom with a cushion much like the one he slept on. Oscar could do nothing but watch it come closer until he was released a few inches over the cushion for a soft landing. He pushed himself up to his hands and knees and shook his head, dazed by the quick transition.

He collapsed as Noriko picked up the box again. When he looked up, she was sporting an endeared grin. “Oh, little sweetie. You be good for your new mommy, okay?”

Oscar’s eyes widened in confusion and he flinched. The lid of the box, cut with holes for air, was placed on top of his latest prison. His squeak of alarm died in his throat as she began walking again, carrying him away. He had to huddle in one corner to try to avoid being jostled around.

Outside the box, he could hear Noriko and Thomas getting ready. His prison swayed and jolted as they carried him around or set him aside to pick up something else, but he couldn’t see what was going on.

One name came up, and it drowned out everything else, even the car doors slamming and the engine of Thomas’ car purring to life. They were going to meet her.

Thomas gave a noncommittal grunt in reply as he entered the room hastily. He knew as well as Mina that it was much better for their meeting to be as discreet as possible. “Traffic was on our side,” he quipped once he was inside.

Inside the box held in his hand, Oscar shrank into his corner as far as he could. Thomas was always so casual. His familiar tone with the new human settled ice in Oscar’s middle. The man had done this many times before.

The box suddenly lifted up to eye level and Thomas spoke again. “Nori got a little attached to this one so he might be a little spoiled, but I don’t foresee many problems with him.”

“We can always fix that,” Mina said dismissively. She double-locked the door once more to keep her business private, standard procedure for when she operated out of hotel rooms. It was more low class than she was used to, but whatever got the job done these days.

There was a stylish purse sitting on the small table set to the side of the door, and Mina went over to the bag, slipping an elegantly manicured hand inside. “Let’s take a look at him now, shall we?” she said, her voice steel beneath the deceptive warmth she exuded.

Oscar shuddered, and then let out a startled squeak as the box moved around him yet again. This time, the lid lifted away, bringing more fresh air than the simple holes cut in the top and more light from the motel room’s lamps.

Oscar prepared for a hand to come into view above him, but instead everything outside the box shifted quickly again. He couldn’t stop his tumble as it all turned sideways and then upside down, releasing him onto Thomas’ palm instead. He landed with a quiet breath, and then immediately scrambled to curl himself into a protective ball again.

“Definitely an easier one to deal with,” Thomas commented, almost sounding bored. He’d met Mina enough times to have something of a routine with visits like this; this time, he didn’t even need to hold the little guy down.

“Mm, yes,” Mina said mildly. She withdrew her hand from her purse, a small pocket magnifier pinched between her fingers. “A very mild one compared to your last batch.”

She leaned in close to Thomas’ hand. “He’s small,” she commented offhand as she beheld the curled ball. “There, there, little gem,” she said softly, reaching her empty hand for him. With expert practice, she managed to get a slim finger into his curl. “No need to be so scared, you won’t be hurt here.”

For the first few minutes of the car ride, Oscar stared up at the top of his cramped prison. The holes cut there only let in sparse light, and a rare glimpse of Noriko’s face or her straight black hair. The box rocked from side to side every once in a while as she fidgeted with him in hand.

Oscar looked away as the trip wore on. His eyes stung, an all too familiar sensation these days. Tears brimmed and then raced down his cheeks in time with his breathing. He brushed them away on a sleeve, but then more tears burst forth and he sobbed. He couldn’t stop the despairing emotions from crashing over him.

Noriko never noticed his cries. She talked to Thomas, but Oscar drowned out her words. Their voices were like broken glass jabbing at him.

By the time the car came to a stop, Oscar had curled himself into a tiny, shuddering ball. The tears tapered off as he looked up, his eyes sore and scratchy. He always cried more when he thought he couldn’t possibly have tears left. They always came.

Now, he needed to listen. “Do you want to go in with me?” Thomas asked.

To Oscar’s surprise, Noriko’s voice was tight with emotion when she responded. “Ohh, I shouldn’t,” she said, and Oscar’s box lifted up, presumably to be handed off. “I miss him already, Tom.”

“Aww, Nori,” Thomas chided gently, a smile coloring his tone. “Are you sure you’re okay selling this one? It seemed to take a real shine to you. I’m sure Mina would understand.”

“Nooo,” she replied, drawing out the word. “I know I do this every time, but I’m just a foster mommy, really,” she assured him. “He needs to go to someone else who will love him just as much.”

Oscar shuddered and shrank into himself. His chest ached from sobs he couldn’t let out anymore. He didn’t want to go to some other human. He was nothing more than a doll to them. A scared little pet who was too weak to escape.

“Okay,” Thomas replied, still amused. A car door opened. “Be right back.”

Just like that, Noriko was out of Oscar’s life, and he was out of hers. He couldn’t even see the moment, trapped as he was in the box, but the finality in their voices couldn’t be denied.

Now, as Thomas carried him to his next destination, Oscar couldn’t decide if he wished he could stay with the nightmare he knew. Wherever he went next might be better than Noriko’s coddling and treating him like a toy.

He heard the sound of Thomas knocking on a door and shuddered.