Sheath, Part 2

Let me say one thing: "Art goers... suck." and you'll probably see why. We were almost instantly seated, and were told to be quiet. It was a silent auction, and I couldn't blame them, some people have come to blows over the art. I kid you not. Right after that, a schedule was forced into my hand. I was the second artist, right after "Jayson Jackson". Finally the auction started.

The auctioneer was right to business, I kinda liked that. No introductions, no speeches, just business, and business meant he started talking right away.

"This first painting is by Jayson Jackson and is done in his infamous stick figure style." He pulled a sheet off of the painting, which revealed a picture of... a stick figure... riding a stick horse. Stick figures? Stick figures.

"Shall we start the bidding at three hundred?"

Almost immediately someone yelled "Four hundred!"

Then someone else "Six hundred!"

"One thousand!" yelled someone else.

"Going once, going twice, SOLD!!!" that was the auctioneer. Then it dawned on me, my mouth went dry. Stick figures had made one thousand dollars, mine would make even more! They had to, I mean: come on! It's stick figures!

That's when I stopped paying attention, I was too busy thinking about my money. I would be living in a mansion, with a studio that takes up an entire floor! But I did listen enough to know that the next painting made five thousand, and the next eight thousand. Then the others made, sixteen thousand, twenty- seven thousand, and thirty-one! That's too much money! For stick figures! I kinda hated the Jayson guy. Then his paintings were taken off, and mine were taken on. I was so excited!

Then the auctioneer started to talk. "These next five paintings are made by the artist Yukino Pichelli." I blushed. "Miss Pichelli really has no standard art style, but she prefers to dabble in them all, as these paintings will show." What can I say? Art styles are like potato chips, you can't just have one.

"The first piece is called 'The Prey Goes Hunting'" he pulled off the cover to show the painting. It was one of my funnier pieces, it had a deer chasing a hunter with a shotgun. Funny... right? "Lets start the bidding at three hundred?" The room was silent, no one spoke, then Matt yelled

"Three-Fifty!"

Then my Dad jumped on "Four Hundred!"

"Five Hundred!" it was Matt again. Thankfully Dad backed off, or Matt probably would have never talked to him again.

"Going once, going twice, SOLD!!!" almost right after that my next painting was brought out. It was the Japanese Art my Mom was talking about. It was a waterfall, running into a black forest. I was hoping that it would help show life and death, but I don't know if anyone got it.

"This painting is starting at Five Hundred."

Mom almost jumped in her seat. "Six hundred!"

"Going once, twice, sold!" I was happy for Mom, but it still wasn't the money I wanted. My portrait of Bruce Willis sold for seven hundred. My painting of a super using her powers, sold for one thousand. Finally, my pixel art of a dragon, sold for twelve hundred.

I made five thousand dollars... five thousand. That wasn't enough for a month's rent, and worse of all... I was beaten by stick figures... stick figures. My heart beat faster, but I was almost to tears. All that work... for nothing. I got up, and ran out. I didn't even tell anyone where I was going. But I wanted to spit on everyone in that room. I wanted to kill, Jackson! But I didn't. I went home, and went to sleep. That was all I could do.