Auction

May, with the smile of a collector unveiling his treasures, raised his glass.

"Friends, the culmination of the evening has arrived. We will not auction simple garments, but the very essence of this night. Each lot is a unique opportunity to own a fragment of this fantasy." His gaze swept over the girls. "Let the bidding begin!"

"First lot: Lara's top."

The bids flew. Lara, pale as wax, felt that every number shouted was a whip crack. When the imaginary hammer fell, her fingers—numb with panic—untied the thin threads at her back. The fabric triangle fell at her feet. She handed it over to the winner with her eyes lowered, crossing her arms over her bare chest in an instinctive, pathetic gesture. The cold air made her skin crawl; with only her miniskirt and thong left, she felt a thousand times more exposed than she had minutes before.

"Second lot: Cloe's top."

Cloe held her breath. Upon losing her top, her trembling hands untied the knots on her back. She handed over the garment with a glassy stare, becoming completely naked from the waist up. The blush of shame burned her face and chest; only the mesh miniskirt separated her from total nudity.

"Third lot: Cloe's miniskirt."

Cloe felt the ground disappear from under her feet. The bids were an aggressive buzz in her ears. Upon unzipping the miniskirt and handing it over, she was left completely naked before everyone. She shrank into herself, using her hands to cover herself uselessly, while silent tears streaked her face. She had nothing left.

"Fourth lot: Lara's miniskirt."

Lara, seeing Cloe's fate, knew it was her turn. As she removed the mesh miniskirt, she was left with only the thong, feeling the stares like needles on her skin. She was ashamed of her voluptuous body, of every curve that now seemed to scream under the harsh light. Next to Cloe, they formed a brutal contrast: a blonde and a redhead, both reduced to the same staggered vulnerability.

"Final lot: Magi's mermaid costume. The shells and the tail!"

Magi, from the water, watched in horror as the others were stripped. She felt every garment that fell as if it were her own. Upon leaving the aquarium, the air hit her wet body. May unbuckled the tail with expert hands, exposing her legs and her intimacy all at once. Then, he removed the faux pearl shells, leaving her chest completely bare.

She was left completely naked, trembling next to Lara (who was only in her thong) and Cloe (who was completely naked). The three formed a trio of humiliation: total nudity, pending nudity, and ritually consumed nudity.

May raised a toast.

"To the generosity of our benefactors!" he said, as the guests applauded.

Magi didn't see smiles, only the teeth of predators. She felt the cold, the shame, and the echo of the bids branding themselves onto her memory. Her body was no longer hers; it was a memory that others would take home.