Kat steps forward

Kat wiggled a bit, thrusting her paddle into the air. The auctioneer noticed her and said, "You're new here. And you look like you have a lot of energy and perhaps no money. What do you think you have to offer as a bid?"

Everyone stared at Kat as she suddenly became the center of attention. "I bid ... me!"

"How's that?" said the auctioneer.

"I bid myself -- you, Mr. Announcer, can have me tonight. That's my bid, a night with me!"

The auctioneer smiled. "Interesting. I can't say I'd know what to do with you. What do you have in mind?"

Kat took a step closer to him. "Um ... whatever you want, I guess? I mean, look at me?" She was starting to get a little confused -- men didn't typically turn down her advances.

The auctioneer laughed again. "Okay, we'll consider the bid. Who has an offer that's higher than this?"

Janette was concerned. "He thinks a night with Kat is worth more than a million dollars?"

Only a few paddles remained in the air. The auctioneer was still ogling Kat a bit, though he didn't seem interested in her the way she wanted him to. Instead, he looked past her and saw Wyatt, who stood quite still, his paddle held high.

"You, sir."

Wyatt stepped forward.

Kayla gasped. "Wyatt," she whispered. "What are you doing?"

Wyatt didn't reply and looked at the auctioneer.

"What's your bid, sir?" the auctioneer said.

"My free will."

The room fell silent.

"Could you please repeat that?" said the auctioneer.

"My free will," said Wyatt, louder. "I offer ... one week of control of my ... my soul, I guess ... in exchange for this elf."

The auctioneer stared back at him. "And what would I do with that?"

Wyatt smiled. "I wouldn't have any say in the matter."

The remaining paddles in the room went down. No one was interested in countering this bid. Kat looked at Wyatt with disgust. "How do you offer a soul?" she spat at him. "I'm offering sex -- which seems worth more than a million dollars, thanks Jan for your comment -- and you're offering a soul?" She scoffed.

The auctioneer smiled at the two of them. "You know each other. This is quite a bidding war."

"Yes!" said Kat. "Think about it. A night with me! I mean ... look at me!" She turned around, giving the auctioneer and the rest of the room a bit of a show.

"Hmm ..." said the auctioneer, not convinced.

Kat took another step closer. She not only wanted the elf, but she wanted to one-up Wyatt. She didn't really know why, but she was all-in now.

"Not just you, Mr. Announcer. Bring a friend. Honestly, I'll do whatever it takes."

The auctioneer looked again at Wyatt. "And you, sir. Explain your bid."

Kayla whispered to herself, "no, Wyatt, don't do it," but he didn't hear her.

Wyatt stepped forward. "If bidding something like my soul is a real offer to you ..." He paused, waiting for a contradiction -- and didn't get one. "Then you know better than I what the value of that would be."

The auctioneer sized up the two of them, Kat and Wyatt. He spoke to the crowd. "This is fascinating! Two friends. One prize. Will it be sex or will it be soul?"

The crowd murmured. It seemed everyone was abuzz with this debate. Jan and Terrence had fallen silent. Kayla, who had been entranced with the elf, was now struggling to understand why Kat and Wyatt were bidding against one another, and with such high stakes.

"This is a difficult choice!" said the auctioneer. "But I have made my decision."