Promise of a New Life

tw: sex trafficking

With a gentle nudge, the door creaked open, revealing the mess within. John wrinkled his nose. The overpowering stench of cheap perfume only made it worse, a poor attempt to disguise the smell. Taking a deep breathe of the stale, but far superior, air in the corridor, he stepped inside the dingy room. Bare except for a bed, it was typical of any ‘hotel’ in this part of the city. The peeling wallpaper glowed a shocking red beneath dim fluorescent lighting, whilst the hideous decorative carpet attempted to hide numerous stains. Only the bed seemed out of place, an island amongst a sea of cigarette butts, gaudy colours and filth. The dark grey sheets were simpler in contrast and far cleaner than the rest of the room.

As they should be, John thought. He had heard his mother complain about washing them enough.

Eager to retreat to his room, he hastily shoved two beer bottles into the black plastic bag. After checking under the bed and disposing of three condoms, a tissue and a full ashtray, he removed the sheets and replaced them. His eyes swept over the floor for a final check and then he left, dumping the dirty sheets in a wash basket at the end of the corridor. Stepping out into the back alley, he lit a cigarette whilst shoving the bin bag into the overflowing waste disposal. He allowed himself a few moments of quiet in the midnight air before stamping out the embers of the cigarette and stepping back inside.

As he made his way through the narrow corridor towards his family’s area of the building, he smiled, thinking about his brother giving him his pay check. There was nothing like the feeling of money in his hand. It gave him a sense of power, power over others. Living where he did, he was aware of what people would do for money and how easy it was to control them when you had it. Unfortunately, he was also aware that he would most likely spend it all in one night out with his friends, overestimating how far his wallet reached and drinking away the night before ending up in the bed of the first girl in the street to catch his attention.

But not tonight. For a short while at least he could feel the pleasure of going to bed with a stash of notes stuffed beneath his pillow. 

As he approached the kitchen, the smell of stew cooking hung in the air and he hoped his mother had remembered to cook something separate for him and his brother. His father had used to insist upon a different meal than the one made for the girls, but his older brother was softer and less likely to discipline her. Unfortunately for John, this meant the quality of food had swiftly declined and his mother could simply put in down to tiredness without repercussions. Despite this, his steps quickened as the warm scent of vegetables and meat grew stronger. The door to the kitchen appeared on his left and he stepped quickly inside. A girl of around sixteen or seventeen pushed past him in a hurry and his brother, sitting on a chair at the table, stared hungrily after her. John rolled his eyes and went to the stove to serve himself.

His brother ran the place and could entertain himself as much as he wanted for all John cared, but he certainly did not see the appeal of mixing work and pleasure. He preferred to go somewhere else where there was still some element of mystery and where he hadn’t wiped the stains of past men from the bed frame.

John’s thoughts turned from the girl and onto food. He dug in greedily, devouring the bowl in under a minute. Looking up, satisfied, he saw his brother staring at him intently.

“What is it?” John demanded. “I have had a long day and do not need someone staring at me as though I am some whore on the street that you want to buy.”

“You might want to remember that I pay your wages,” he growled, “but forget that. I am just making a final decision. You are ready. I have one task for you to complete and then I believe it is time for you to join the family business.”

John raised an eyebrow. “Oh.”

His brother smiled. “Well, it is clear you are experienced enough to deal with the women, if I know anything about how you spend your evenings. And I thought you might wish to make some more money. It will be more exciting than cleaning rooms.”

“I’m sure of that.” John felt himself grinning. Finally, he would earn more money and be given freedom to deal with some of the business himself. Power was hard to resist once given a glimpse of it and he had always felt a hint of jealousy at the way his brother was so quickly obeyed.

John realised his brother was looking at him expectantly and he made his expression more serious.

“What do you want me to do first?” he asked.

John’s brother drew a scrap of paper from his pocket. “Go to this part of the town to the west. I want you to find some new girls there. A few of ours have gotten pregnant. You should find some quite young, and pretty of course. There is poverty there and it shouldn’t be too difficult to find what we need.”

John nodded, taking the paper. Pregnancy and growing old were two inevitabilities that his father had often complained about. However, there were always more to take the empty places and so it was never a problem for long. Perhaps now it was a positive. John would get to travel and have a pick of what he found.

His brother stood up, brushing crumbs from his trousers. “I left money in your room. Try and be back within three days.” He paused then nodded, satisfied, and left the room.

Twelve hours later, John was on his third bus and was nearing the slums that his brother had directed him to. He had rarely left the city and so looked out of the grimy windows with interest. However, slums full of the wretched could only be so interesting when he had seen the worst of the worst in his own home. By the time he arrived, he was so bored he almost ran from the bus.

Stepping out into the busy marketplace, he noticed a line of beggars to his left and smiled. This would almost be too easy.

Over the next few hours, he wove a simple story so many times that he almost began to believe it. Tales of glamour in the big city. The jobs he needed to fill urgently in a new supermarket. Rich tourists who would provide plenty of tips. The drained, soulless faces lapped it up. As soon as he saw the glimmer of hope in their eyes, he passed on his number and hotel and moved on.

Eventually, he booked a room in a hotel and yet, just as he sat down, he almost itched to go out again. It was exhilarating to see the effect his words had over people. A few promises and a girl would be at his mercy, her eyes wide, wrapped up in his lies. Their desperation made them easy targets and once John felt them completely within his power, it was a feeling like no other- to know that someone would do anything you asked.

John lay back in his bed, filled with anticipation. His brother would soon see his success and he would be able to feel in control for the rest of his life. The power he could wield with a few words amongst the vulnerable filled him with such confidence that he almost felt that no one would ever threaten or question him again. He drifted to sleep, and much like many girls lying in their beds that night, he dreamed of the endless possibilities that lay before him.

After a day of inquiries and endless promises he did not intend to keep, John once again stood by the bus stop in the town centre. Four thin girls stood in front of him, their meagre possession clutched to their chests and their eyes full of desperate longing. As the small bus came to a grinding halt, pushed them forward.

“Quickly now. The sooner you are settled the better.”

The girls hurried aboard, but one got their dress caught on the doorway. Caught up in her own thoughts, she turned and looked down at the trapped cloth in confusion. John felt a flash of impatience.

“Hurry up.” She looked at him blankly. John was now sick of the wide eyes of these women, and almost felt a sense of disgust at their stupidity. How easy it was to manipulate those with nothing to lose. Grabbing her shoulder, he dragged her inside, pressing some notes into the hands of the bus driver. Ignoring the sound of fabric tearing, he forced her into the nearest seat.

“You need to be quicker from now on. I am doing you a favour here but you must co-operate. Jobs can be filled, you know.” He stared at her until she nodded. He sighed. She was nothing now, a slave to her own dreams of a brighter future. Sitting down beside her, he checked that the other four were close by before staring out the window. As the bus trundled along the dismal streets, he felt a sense of relief to be leaving the town so filled with despair. Leaning back into his seat, he noticed the girl frowning at her torn dress.

“We shall get you a new one, don’t worry about that.”

She turned to him with a tentative smile. “I have always dreamed of wearing a lovely dress. But mostly, I would like to become a doctor. I always tended my family when they were sick and when I have enough money from the job, I can travel to a place in the south where they let you become a doctor for free. I will be Dr Jane Doe.”

John almost laughed. Her dreams were more ridiculous than he had imagined. He had also once imagined being a doctor as a child and shook his head at how foolish he had been. A small part of him pitied her, that she had not learned sooner the cruelty of the world.

That will come soon enough, he thought.

Too weary to be angry, he allowed her ramble on.

“Is the big city very exciting? I imagine it is beautiful, all the tall buildings and foreigners from far away places. I think I will love working in a supermarket. So many different foods. It will be so exciting working with all the other women. I will be free to do as I please. As much as I will miss my family it will be nice to have my own apartment. Perhaps I will meet a nice man, that would make my mother-”

“Shut up!” John’s patience had worn thin. The girl cast her eyes down immediately and John realised his hand was raised, near to her face. He lowered it and turned away, trying to get the sound of her voice from his head. And yet it lingered, gnawing at his chest. He felt nauseous and leant back in his chair, staring grimly from the window.

By the time the bus arrived back, all of the girls were asleep. John was wide awake, still fighting the painful feeling in his chest. In a hurry to be far from the girls, he shook them roughly awake and herded them from the bus. After a brief walk, they arrived at the ‘hotel’ and he ushered them down the corridor and into a small dormitory.

“You must stay here. Give me your passports so that we can get you some new identification for working in the supermarket.”

Trust plastered across their faces, they handed across their passports and sat on the mattresses, looking at him expectantly.

“We will find you work soon, once you have paid off the debt for the bus ticket and your board. Sleep now.”

Where it had once felt exciting, the lies now felt bitter on his tongue. He locked the door behind him and strode away. A drunk prostitute staggered into him as he turned a corner and he grabbed her wrist.

“Watch where you walk!” he commanded, the fog of anger filling his brain. She blinked, cowering before him. Seeing her fear, he tried to recall the pleasure he once had from it but now it gave him nothing. Dropping her wrist, he pushed past her and walked as swiftly as he could until he had slammed his bedroom door behind him. He sat on his bed, breathing heavily, until weariness dragged him down and he felt asleep.

The next morning, wiping sleep from his eyes, John walked down the corridor to where he had left the girls. Unlocking the door, he saw three curled on the mattresses. Panic filled his chest. Where was the other girl?

Turning, he saw his brother walking toward him, breathing heavily.

“So, you are back. Couldn’t have picked those girls better myself brother. I especially liked that brunette… so I showed her my room.”

He smirked and John felt a wave of relief. He had not, at least, lost one of them already.

“Now,” his brother continued, “we should introduce these girls to the rest of the women.” He entered the room and threw open the drapes. The three girls were already awake and huddled up against the wall. John stared as his brother stroked their cheeks one by one, tensing as his hand gripped Jane’s chin.

“Now, we have offered you the chance of a lifetime and once you repay the debts, we will get you working in the supermarket. Until then you need to earn your way here. Your friend is already fitting in nicely.”

He turned to John, but his attention was on Jane. Staring intently, John felt overwhelmed as he looked at her and the memories of what she had said on the bus began to play over in his mind.

“John.”

John turned, trying to shake off the swirling thoughts in his head.

“That one’s all yours.” His brother walked away and John met Jane’s gaze. He smiled.

A week later, he entered his room, where Jane sat, wincing in pain, her hand pressed to her stomach. She looked up in shock, before recovering slowly.

“I just wanted to know,” she began hesitantly, “when the supermarket job may be ready?”

John sighed.

“How was your last customer?” he asked.

“Fine.” She trembled slightly and he looked away, attempting to ignore her searching gaze.

“Have I not earnt enough yet?” she continued. John gritted his teeth, suppressing his impatience.

“Listen. I love you; you know that. I will do anything for you and I’m working hard to find you that job. But you still have debts to be paid so expect to be here for a while.” John ran his had along her face. “I will always protect you, but you need to trust me.”

Jane bit her lip, a tear running down her cheek. John was growing tired of her questioning and longed for the simple girl who had followed his word blindly.

“Do not cry. You should be grateful after all I have done.”

“I am, I am. But when will I be allowed to go?”

John thought back to his mother, shouting at his father. The memories of the yelling and wailing flooded back and finally the image of his mother on the ground before his father.

With a sudden movement, his hand rose and he struck her across the face. Jane cried out, clutching her cheek.

“This is your new life now,” John said. He left the room, stalking off down the corridor.

John was unaware of how long he stood outside, but the longer he did, the worse he felt. Jane’s words of hope from the bus still circled in his head and he strode up and down the alleyway, inhaling deeply from his cigarette. The guilt, twisting within him, slowly built up until he slammed his fist into the wall, with a shout of pain. Over his voice came a cry, far higher pitched. He was used to such noises, but this felt familiar. He rushed inside to see the corridor crowded with women.

“Get outside and do your job,” he snarled, as they backed out of his way. At the end of the corridor, John saw his brother standing over a whimpering shape. As it lifted its face, he realised it was Jane. He ran over as his brother hit her again, with a small metal baseball bat.

“Why were you with the police?” he yelled and when she only sobbed in reply, he hit her again, on her arms, and then legs, keeping well clear of her face.

“What are you doing?” John cried. His brother turned and John saw that he was red-faced.

“I saw her, speaking with a policeman. She is one of yours, this should be your job. You should be thanking me.”

John looked down at her face, her pleading eyes pinned to him.

“You love me,” came the weak whispering from her bloodied lips.

“Shut up, bitch.” His brother hit her again, slamming the bat into her ribs.

John looked at her, curled up on the ground, a pathetic mess. She had disobeyed him. He turned away, as her cries echoed down the corridor behind him.