People Trafficker (18 page)

Then without another word he walked up to Natasha and turned her round so the back of her faced him. The girl hadn’t understood just what he had been saying and Sammy stared wide-eyed as he raised the belt, bringing it hard down across Natasha’s bare bottom. Not expecting it Natasha screamed, then suddenly began to choke and vomit.

Sammy panicked, shouting at him to cut Natasha down before the vomit stuck in her throat and choked her to death. But Salem ignored the warning and turned Sammy round. She knew what was coming, gritting her teeth as the strap hit squarely across her bottom, but it was far harder than he had done to Natasha.

Sammy, although expecting it, screamed with the stinging pain. She tried to struggle free but only succeeded in taking her feet off the ground, nearly pulling her arms out their sockets.

Salem had moved up behind her, his mouth close to her ear. “Now you know what a punishment will feel like don’t you?”

“Yes…” she stuttered, tears running down her face.

“I’m glad you know that, Sammy, because for your outburst, without my permission to speak, you’ve earned a visit to the punishment room. But you’re already in here, aren’t you? Already strung up, your knickers at your feet, your bottom and legs exposed awaiting the strap. What are you going to say to stop me carrying out your punishment?”

Suddenly she was very scared, realising that the strap across her bottom was just a taster. He was threatening to punish her just for shouting out. “I’m sorry Salem. I really believed Natasha was going to choke to death. You have to believe me, I was worried for Natasha but I promise I’ll never shout at you again.”

“Oh, I didn’t realise you had Natasha’s health on your mind, perhaps I’d better check,” he replied walking over to Natasha. She’d stopped vomiting and only tears were running down her face. “No, Sammy, your outburst was unnecessary, Natasha is perfectly all right.”

Then he returned to Sammy, turning her round to face him with a hint of a smile on his face. She’d relaxed a little believing she’d escaped further punishment.

“You know my father would never accept verbal apologies the same as me, Sammy,” he began, at the same time re-rolling her shirt up which had slipped back down covering her bottom, stopping it again just above her hips. “They don’t have any value you see, and the one who apologised then believes you’re soft, laughing behind your back.”

“Please, Salem, I’ll not be laughing or think you’re soft.”

“I know you won’t, Sammy, do you know why that is?” he asked grasping her hips.

“Because I’ve apologised and promised never to speak out again?” she answered hoping that’s what he wanted to hear.

“No? It’s very simple why you won’t be thinking it, Sammy, because your punishment goes ahead.”

Her eyes went big, her mouth dropped open as he turned her round once again. She began begging him not to hit her. But her begging was turned into screams of pain as the strap first hit her across the top of the legs. This was quickly followed by a second a little lower, then finally a third one across her already sore bottom.

Salem put the strap back into the box and walked out of the barn. Both girls were left tied up, Sammy sobbing uncontrollably, the pain intense and already a pool of urine spreading around her feet. She’d begun urinating with the shock to her body, during the punishment. Natasha could only look on at her distress, unable to go and comfort her.

A man and the woman entered the barn after a few minutes and let them both down. After the handcuffs were removed; they were stripped of the soiled clothes and taken naked into the house through the back door and up to a bedroom. Off the bedroom was a small bathroom where they were left to shower. When they came out of the bathroom, the bedroom door had been locked. There were two bowls of stew and two glasses of water left on a side table with a t-shirt for each of them laid on the bed.

For the rest of the day they were left alone, neither spoke much, both still very shocked over their ordeal in the barn.

A woman came early evening and brought more food taking the empty soup bowls away. She never spoke even when Sammy thanked her for the food.

The next morning the girls were woken and sent into the bathroom. A woman brought clothes for them to wear. Very short flared skirts, knickers and crop tops. After they’d dressed they were both taken in to see Salem. He looked at each one of them stood in front of him. He lifted Natasha’s skirt looking at the red mark on her bottom from the strap.

“Does it still hurt, Natasha?” he asked.

“Yes a lot.”

“So have you learned from the experience in what to expect if you step out of line?”

“Yes, I promise I will do anything you ask of me.”

He then went to Sammy and lifted her skirt, rubbing his hands over the red marks on her legs and bottom, noticing her flinch.

“So, Sammy, are we going to see a repeat of what happened with the old lady?”

“No never, Salem.”

“That is good, what else have you learned?”

“Your word is law, speak only when spoken to.”

“Then you have learned a very important lesson haven’t you?”

“Yes, Salem. You will have no problems with me I promise.”

“As my father said, promises mean nothing, only actions have meaning. Remember that.”

He moved away and stood in front of them. “Now we have an understanding you are free to roam inside the house. Go outside without my permission and you will return to the punishment room. Natasha, go with cook and give her some help. Sammy you stay.”

When Natasha left, Salem took a seat and looked up at Sammy stood there. “I would think for the moment you’d prefer to stand?”

“Yes please, I’m still very sore,” she replied.

“Find the cook after and ask her for some soothing cream.”

“Thank you I will.”

He said nothing for a short time, reading an article in the paper. Sammy just stood there afraid to move until he said she could leave.

“It seems all you girls have caused quite a stir,” Salem suddenly said. “The British government is stumped, not knowing what’s happened to you. But you see, Sammy, no matter how much they look, or who they talk to, they will never find you. This country is effectively closed to foreigners and in the area we live, full of marauding gunmen. So you must forget all about your past life, there is no chance of a rescue. You are, to all intents, already dead to the outside world. So we now come to what is expected of you. Your role besides light housework is to keep me company at night. When I retire around eleven to midnight you will join me, returning to your room a short time later. Sometimes I’ll want you to stay all night. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes I understand.”

“When you’re not with me, you will look after Natasha as a sister, or if you prefer, her best friend. It will be harder for her coming to terms with never going home. For you also I think? But she’s very young and will need help. I didn’t expect two girls, so only one room was made ready. You will both keep this room spotless, you will put nothing in the drawers or wardrobe I haven’t given you, or allowed you to wear. I will personally check the room regularly and if I find anything in the room I don’t know about, you will be taken immediately to the punishment room. As you now know I never accept apologies or promises, it will always be punishment. For the time being you will share a bed with Natasha. Both of you will shower before bed and prepare yourselves for me. No nightclothes will be provided; Natasha must, like you, get used to no longer being a child from today, and always be available. Have no illusions for Natasha, because she’s young, it has no bearing on her ability to please me. The girl’s future and yours is for my personal pleasure alone, or together, in either dancing for me and my friends, or as I said joining me in my bed.”

He fell silent for a moment, allowing her to understand her role. Then his voice changed, far sterner. “If either of you are found, or I hear that you have been with another man, be it in an effort to use the man to escape or just lust, expect no mercy. You will receive ten lashes and immediately be sent to a public brothel. There you will work as many hours as they can get out of you to pay me back. In Natasha’s case she will be sold to a children’s circle. Don’t even try to think what would happen to her there, but she will be lucky to survive six months. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Salem, I understand.”

He nodded. “That is good, because later you will explain all this to Natasha. You may despise me at the moment, because of your punishment or your new role in life? It is understandable but necessary that we start as we mean to go on. You will normally find I’m not a hard man, if you keep to the rules. We have television, books and the internet, which you may use under supervision. We will celebrate your birthdays, Christmas and other religious festivals. Natasha will still need education, so I will arrange that she is educated here in the house. Both of you will be taught my language. You will want for nothing and have nice clothes, which I will allow you to choose. We have a large swimming pool, I like to swim and I suspect both of you do too. Shortly, if I’m satisfied with the progress of you both, as a reward, I will allow you to use the pool, besides sit out in the sun. I can understand you’d rather be at home, but the day you were abducted your future became a lottery. No matter what, you were never going home again. However, either or both of you could now be in a brothel pleasing a great number of men. You’re not, and you should be thanking God you have only one man to please in your life. Think about that. Do you have any questions on what I’ve talked about?”

“Just one.”

“And what is that?”

“If either of us become pregnant, what then?”

He looked at her carefully. “What would you want to do, Sammy?”

She stood there trying to think what she would want. It was such a simple and practical question to ask him, but he’d put the onus on her to answer and she didn’t know how to. After all she couldn’t even visualise having to sleep with a man old enough to be her father every night, let alone have a child by him. But if she told him what she really felt, would she be taken to the punishment room?

“You seem to be having difficulty in answering your own question. If I told you I’d like children, would that help?”

She gave a weak smile, deciding to answer the only way she could. “I’ve always wanted to be a mother. Perhaps not at this age, I wanted to live first. But if I became pregnant, I would want to keep my baby.”

He seemed satisfied with her reply. “Because of the soreness from the punishment, I will not be calling you to my bed this week. Now you may go and have cream put on your bottom and legs.”

“Thank you Salem. I know you don’t think much of promises, but both of us will be no trouble for you, and I do realise how lucky we are to come to such a beautiful house to live. I’ll work hard to please you.”

“We shall see. Actions always speak the loudest.”