The People Traders (14 page)

He fell silent, waiting for her to respond. As Karen had listened, tears began to fill her eyes. In some ways she hadn't accepted Assam's ramblings that she'd never go home. Her own plans had kept her spirits high, such as escaping, seeking retribution from the men who'd raped and beaten her; that all seemed stupid and naive thinking now. She felt sorry for Debbie, even though the girl was a prostitute, she was still entitled to choose how and where she lived, no woman should be a prisoner for life. Now she found her life was really to be the same, just dressed up differently. Debbie may be able to convince someone to help her, men will fall in love with her and she'll use that power. But in her own case this won't happen, the man will have bought her, own her, and have no intention of letting her go.

"You're very quiet," Saeed eventually said.

She looked across at him, tears trickling down her cheeks. "What's there to say about your so-called plan? Did you know I'm eighteen on Friday? I'd saved up for three months to buy a dress. There was to be a party in the church hall. All my friends would have been there. I was even going to bring my boyfriend for my mum and dad to meet," she stopped for a moment, rubbing her eyes. Then she continued, her voice low and shaking. "Now I've nothing. Assam threw away what few items I had in my bag, photos of my mum and dad, my sister. Assam even ripped the chain off my neck. It had a cross attached to it that my grandma gave me when I was confirmed and he stamped them into the ground. I'm dressed like a tramp and have been raped, besides being told that my boyfriend was paid to seduce me. Or, according to Assam, teach me how to perform in bed. My only future is to become someone's plaything until I'm too old or he's offered a sexier, younger girl. Then what happens? I suppose if I'm still attractive to men, I join Debbie, or like Jane, have my throat cut. What do you want me to do? Fling my arms round you and thank you for saving me from a brothel?"

He shrugged indifferently. "Nice speech, Karen, I'd clap if I wasn't driving, but let me give you a few things to chew over in your room when we arrive. Forget home, forget your family, memories are a luxury you now can't afford to have. On Saturday night you'll be sold to the highest bidder, have no doubts about that. Remember this man wants you enough to outbid everybody else. He'll expect loyalty, a girl capable of accepting his love and will give something in return. It's not ideal I grant you. I suppose you'd visions of falling in love with a boy, getting a house, having children, your choice. This man is the same; you are his choice, and he's taking you into his home, where he'll feed you and clothe you. He's rich enough not to expect you to work in the kitchen but that I can't be sure of; anyway it's certain you'll want for nothing. Maybe he'll let you bear his child, who knows? As for you thinking he'd change you when a new younger model came along, that's up to you. Give him love and respect and men look no further. These men are not fickle, flitting from woman to woman. Those sort use the brothels. What I'm saying is a woman's age is not detrimental to these men because they're looking for companionship as well. However, give him problems, mope about thinking of home everyday, don't respond to his affections, and you risk losing everything. Then yes, he may dump you with Debbie, he may slit your throat like Jane, but that's up to you, Karen, you alone."

She sighed to herself; to her it was obvious, that as with Assam, he was trying to make her accept her fate, so he would have an easy life without resorting to beating her. She could well understand it was easier and more lucrative if the girl being sold was unblemished and not obviously difficult or aggressive. So she decided to bide her time, see just who this man was, then, when he believed she had accepted her life, she was determined to retaliate, how... she'd no idea, but she would never accept having her freedom taken away.

By now the car had slowed and they turned down a narrow street in a town they'd entered a short time ago. He parked outside a weather-beaten house, paint peeling off a door built into the wall. Saeed inserted a key in the lock, pushing the door open. Then he returned to the car, released the handcuffs and again demanded she leant forward, placing her hands behind her back, before reattaching the handcuffs to her wrists. He was taking no chances with this girl. Slipping the belt around her neck, he practically dragged her though into the house, slamming the door quickly shut behind them. They were in a small courtyard, a central entrance in front of them with windows around to two floors. The ground floor windows had fancy curved vertical bars, the upper ones similar but not so elaborate.

"This house dates from the seventeenth century. It was then used as a prison; I've converted it but retained some of the features. You'll notice every window is barred. The only entry to the house is from this courtyard and with eight foot walls, escape is perhaps not impossible, but improbable. Your room is on the top floor." He gave her a moment to look round and then pulled on the belt. "Come, it's time you were locked up, there will be a hot drink waiting in your room for you."

They went quickly through the hall and up some narrow stairs where Saeed opened a door, urging her inside. He took her over to the bed and told her to sit. Pulling a chained leg iron from under the bed, he attached it to her ankle, then removed the handcuffs.

"Use the pot under the bed if you want the toilet. Your chain will just reach the dresser where there's a bowl of water for washing. You've travelled a great deal today; you're probably tired so I'll bid you good night." With that he slammed the door closed and she heard the lock click.

Completely shattered, she drank the warm drink, washed her face and collapsed on the bed. Within minutes she was asleep.

CHAPTER 9

Karen woke when the door opened and an old lady, followed by Saeed, came into the room carrying a tray. Saeed dragged a small table and chair from the far side of the room and placed it close to the bed, then the old lady put the tray on the table. "You will eat everything and completely finish your drink my mother has prepared. I don't like waste. Leave any and you only get half the amount tomorrow," Saeed demanded.

While she chewed the large roll filled with cheese, Saeed settled down in an easy chair watching her, saying nothing. The old lady waiting at the door came over when Karen finished the last of the roll, checking also that she'd finished the hot drink completely. Then, after nodding to her son, she left the room. Saeed stood and walked over to Karen, who was still sitting at the table. He carried a baseball bat and hit the table hard, startling her.

"Listen and listen well. I know all about your past, your self-defence classes and other so-called training. In this house you'll be restrained with an ankle iron at night and where you sit during the day. When I move you from room to room your hands will be handcuffed behind your back. You'll do as you're told without delay and never answer back. Keep to these rules and we'll get on, break them and I'll lay about you with this bat. You'll at the very least be badly bruised, maybe have a broken bone or two, either way you're no good for sale in that condition and I'm not prepared to feed you for weeks until the bruises are gone, or the bone's healed. I'll take you immediately down to the local brothel, it's the pits, and their clients pay little and expect a lot. A broken bone or two is the norm and you'll be worked at least ten hours a day, maybe more if they are busy. Do we understand each other?"

"Yes I understand, I'll be no trouble," she replied.

"That is good, but there's one more very important point to remember. You'll be searched regularly, by my mother. Try to hide something on your person, be it just a pin slipped in the hem of your clothes and I'll treat it as a weapon you intended to use on us. Believe me, a threat like that to my elderly mother, or even me, whatever you're worth in good condition, would be meaningless. You'd be beaten within an inch of your life, then taken out into the desert and left to die. Death that way, without water and shade from the afternoon sun, would still take many hours. Enough time for you to contemplate your stupidity."

At that moment Saeed's mother came into the room carrying a tray, which she placed on the table. Opening a waterproof sheet, the mother laid it out on the bed then went over to her tray. Picking up a razor and bowl containing shaving foam, she stood waiting.

"Now we have an understanding, my mother will begin to prepare you for the sale. She is very experienced and after first removing your body hair, she will work oils into your skin. By Saturday your skin will no longer be white, but golden, similar to light sunburn, hairless and silky smooth. You will also smell very nice. My clients like their girls presented this way and even in their home, both shaving and oiling of your skin will be a regular part of your preparation for your owner’s enjoyment, so you always look your best. When she's finished, unlike my other girls, you will be allowed to sit in the lounge downstairs. I will give you a book to read to help pass the time. After a light lunch you'll be brought back up to this room and my mother will apply more oils. You will then be taken into the garden for some fresh air, but out of the sun, as the oils at first can react and burn you. Finally, after dinner and before you're left alone for the night, very light oils will be applied once again."

He watched her for a moment, she was listening but she seemed to be struggling to keep her eyes open. Saeed smiled to himself. With his mother in her late seventies, himself overweight and unfit, he was determined not to be caught unawares with this very capable and fit girl, so he'd added a sedative to her breakfast drink. Now he could see it was beginning to work, her reactions obviously slowing down fast. Reaching down, he unclasped the leg restraint, then looked up at her. "Remove your clothes and lie on the bed," he demanded.

Once Karen was on the bed his mother worked quickly. First using a razor, she expertly removed Karen's body hair, followed by hair removal cream for shorter hair on her legs and arms. Waiting a short time she wiped it off then turned Karen over onto her face, doing the small of her back and legs. Finally she stood away, satisfied. Saeed had, in the meantime, returned to the chair, holding the bat in one hand and gently tapping the other hand with its tip, carefully watching Karen all the time. Seeing his mother had finished, he sat up. "Go in the bathroom and shower, Karen," he shouted. "It is important you use much soap and wash yourself well."

Karen had lain quietly while Saeed's mother had worked on her, but now her head was spinning as she tried to sit up. She was not able to understand what was going on around her. She could hear someone telling her to go and shower, but try as she might, and acutely aware if she didn't, Saeed would use the bat, she couldn't. Her legs didn't seem to want to work. Then someone was at her side helping her up, and moments later she began to get herself together with the shock of cold water cascading over her body. Then it was switched off and Saeed's mother was at her side with a large sponge, lathering Karen's body with lots of soap. She rubbed her all over vigorously, before turning the shower back on and leaving her alone. After a few minutes Karen came out from the bathroom, still dizzy and holding onto the door pillar. "I don't feel very well; can you help me please?" she asked.

His mother, dried her down with a large towel then helped her back onto the bed, placed small bottles at her side and poured a little on her tummy before working the oils into every part of Karen's body. The sweet smelling oils made Karen feel even more light-headed and detached from what was going on.

Eventually the mother stood back then turned to her son.
"I have finished,"
she said in her own language.

Saeed stood and walked over. Looking down at Karen he could see she was asleep.
"I think we may have overdone the sedative, mother, perhaps at lunch we should reduce it to half. Today, rather than take her directly downstairs, I'll leave her here for a time and let her sleep it off,"
he said to her, in their own language.

His mother nodded her understanding, passing him the ankle restraint and placing a sheet over Karen's body to keep her warm.

***

Karen awoke an hour or so later, she felt cold and, at first, wasn't sure where she was, then everything came flooding back as to what Assam had said. She lifted the sheet in trepidation, looking down at her body, and couldn't believe what the woman had done, making her feel decidedly exposed and embarrassed. Tears began forming in her eyes; everyday that went by, the direction of her future, as some sort of sex object, was becoming more and more a reality and she didn't like it. She decided it was getting close to the time when she must make a bid for freedom before she was locked away in some man’s house, or was sent to a brothel. However, much as she wanted to do that, she knew she was in a strange country, couldn't talk the language, and would have no idea where to go. This problem was highlighted even more, because since coming to Saeed's house, she was feeling sleepy and lethargic all the time

A short time later Saeed returned with his mother to find Karen lying on the bed. Her mind had been drifting, trying to plan, but was still coming out of the effects of the drug, so everything she thought about seemed jumbled up and hazy.

"Are you feeling better, would you like to come downstairs?" Saeed asked.

"Yes I feel a lot better, thank you for asking. I suddenly felt really dizzy and wasn't sure what was happening. Do you have something for me to wear, I'm really cold even under this sheet?" she asked.

The mother bent down, unclasping the restraint round her ankle, then when Karen sat up she handed her a thin cotton shirt and clean knickers.