Ill-Fated Journey

It was my first date. He was two years older, and I couldn't tell my mother. She'd totally freak out! She had me at fifteen and harped on the dangers boys present practically every fricking day! It was my life, and just because my sperm donor turned out to be a complete loser, that didn't mean everybody was like that. No one told her to sleep with him. She could at least give me that much credit!

I, at least, was still a virgin. I just wanted my first kiss, that's all, and Brian didn't go to my school. It was just a quick hook up at the movie theatre. My friend Malika was even tagging along. So, you see, I was completely safe. I knew what I was doing. I got straight A's, I wasn't bad, but Malika was right. I was getting old before my time. I needed to act like a kid every now and then.

Why did my mom's words haunt me while I stood waiting? I don't know. But suddenly, I felt like I should go home. He was late anyway. It was time to go in, and it looked like I was gonna be stood up. I guess Mom was right after all—boys really are a waste of…

"There he is!" Malika exclaimed excitedly in my ear. "Giiirrrl, he is hella fine! Too bad that Kesha ain't here, he'd make her hella green!"

I blushed at her words and stood straighter to greet him, pushing out my meagre chest to look more womanly.

"Sorry, I got caught in traffic. Were you waiting long?" Brian apologized as he greeted us.

"Not really," I replied. After all, I thought, what's thirty minutes when you're waiting for a hot piece?

"I got my dad's car today, so I got to be real careful with it," Brian told me then paused as if he just had an idea. "How about I give you a little tour? It's parked around the corner!"

"But the movie's about to start…" I began when Malika yanked me to the side.

"He wants to give you a tour, let him!" She whispered furiously.

"I can see it after the movie." I hedged.

"Did you come here for the stupid movie or for his fine ass? Just go!" She berated.

"I don't see why this is so important!" I hissed, not liking being bullied into anything.

"Guys are stupid for cars. If he thinks you like cars, he'll like you more." Malika explained as if she was talking to a simpleton. I hope she remembers she likes to copy from me. I just might put some wrong answers after this little talk.

"Fine." I agreed with a huff and sauntered back to Brian with a false eager smile. "I'd love to see it."

We walked to his Dad's car, and he gushed about the model, transmission, paint, engine, and some other stuff, but I zoned out and barely heard him until he asked, "So what do you think?"

"It's great!" I answered a little too enthusiastically.

"You know nothing about cars, do you?" He stated, catching me in the lie.

I shamefully shook my head.

"Do you even care about all the stuff I just said?" He asked.

Again, I shook my head.

"At least one of us is honest," Brian muttered under his breath, but I heard the words anyway and looked at him puzzled. "Let's go see the movie." He declared, suddenly guiding me back to the theatre.

For a first date, I was disappointed. I expected more…I don't know…something! Brian was cute. Let's be honest, he was fine! But I felt nothing. After the initial excitement of "OMG! A HOT GUY ASKED ME OUT!!!" I sat next to him bored out of my mind. To make matters worse, the movie was total crap!

"I wanna go home," I whispered to Malika. I wasn't feeling this date. My little rebellion wasn't all that it was cracked up to be.

"What about your first kiss?" She prodded.

I glanced at the sexy chocolate goodness sitting on the other side of me. Was he worth it?

"I think I'll pass." I murmured.

Malika looked at me like I had lost my mind. She opened her mouth, then shut it, then opened it again as if she couldn't quite find the words to express her shock. Her next words shocked me, though.

"Can I have him?"

"I don't think it works like that 'Lika!" I whispered quickly.

"Of course it does. You don't like him. I have a brain, so I do!" She said it as if switching dates was a normal thing.

"What am I supposed to do? Tell him the date is with you now?!" I asked.

"Yes!" Malika answered as if it's perfectly reasonable to give a guy a different woman than who he asked for. "Just ask him how he feels about me." She suggested.

This is crazy. I thought but did as she asked.

"Brian?" I whispered, poking his broad shoulders to get his attention. He leaned down, giving me his ear, "Malika wants to know if you like her?"

That sounded strange even to my ears, and I was the one saying it! Brian frowned, and even in the dark, I could see his face turn from friendly to…not so friendly.

With a cold look in his eyes, he said, "Both of you?"

"What?" I was confused for a second before I caught on. "No!" I corrected and not quietly enough as people started shushing me into silence. "No," I repeated quieter. "She likes you… I don't."

"Was this your plan all along?" He asked coldly, staring at the screen.

"No!" I blurted out, again too loud, and continued softer, "I thought there would be…more. I don't feel…anything."

"What did you want to feel?" He asked softly as he turned to face me.

"I don't know…something?" I whispered.

"This is just the first date." Brian murmured as he caressed my face. "You're young, innocent, you'll learn."

His words made no sense. I liked his gentle caress but still…nothing!

A sharp poke from my left side reminded me of Malika's presence.

"So," She whispered furiously, "you changed your mind, didn't you?"

"No." I corrected. "But he's not eager to switch."

"I see," Malika said and pursed her lips as she turned back to the screen.

"You see what? What is it?" I asked.

"He likes 'em light," was all she said, and I wanted to slap her.

It was a constant thing with her. Whenever I got something, she would blame it on that. I got good grades—the teachers liked me 'cause I'm light skinned. I got picked first for plays—it's because I'm light. I came first in the spelling bee—I'm light! She blamed the complexion of my skin for everything when she didn't have her way.

"Maybe he doesn't like pushy bitches!" I replied fuming.

I wanted her to slap me so bad just, so I could have a reason to tear her stupid braids out! But we sat in our seats just staring each other down because we both knew that if either one of our mamas caught us fighting, we'd be dead!

Malika stood, and I did too, and the patrons of the movie theatre knew there was going to be a better show than the one on the screen. Brian pulled me away (much to the rage of the cinema patrons), saying, "Maybe I should drop you guys off."

Being in total bitch mode, I suggested, "She can take the bus!"

"It's no problem. I can drop her off. Then take you home." He suggested to ease the tension.

"Thank you, Brian!" Malika purred, pushing out her cow udders. It was the one thing she had that I was totally jelly of.

I narrowed my eyes at her, and even though I didn't feel that way about Brian, he was still my date. The bitch had no respect!

I sat stiffly in the front seat while Malika sat in the back. I didn't speak to her the entire trip home. She got out and thanked Brian, giving him another view of her over-inflated boobs while totally ignoring me. I did the same, sticking my nose in the air like she had a bad smell.

"Will you guys be okay?" Brian asked as he drove off.

"We'll be fine." I ground out, and strangely enough, it was the truth. It wasn't the first time we almost came to blows, and in fact, we did once before and got our asses handed to us by our moms. The next week, however, it was like the fight never happened.

"Good," Brian said relieved. "I don't want to come between you too."

"You won't…" I replied good naturedly. It never took this long to get to my house. Malika and I live on the same street. "Where are we going?"

"Our date got cut short. I feel robbed." He grinned clutching his chest. "I'm taking you for a little do over."

Panic set in, but I covered it, saying, "I kinda just want to go home. After the fight with Malika…are you speeding?"

"Does it feel like I'm speeding?" He asked over the roar of the engine.

"Yes, you're definitely speeding! Stop now!" I ordered.

"Okay." He replied simply, pulling into a driveway. He pressed a remote, and the garage door opened.

He barely stopped the car, and I was already out. I was about the head to the closing garage door when strong hands lifted me off my feet, but before my scream could come out, a needle was shoved in my neck. What scared me the most wasn't how fast it all happened, but the fact that Brian wasn't anywhere near me.

I woke up in chains and not the blinging kind. Also, there was a Latina next to me, rapidly firing off her Hail Mary’s. I had no idea where I was, except it was in a vehicle of some kind. How long was I out? I don’t know. Where was Brian? I don’t know, but something told me he was unharmed and had something to do with this.

Oh my God! My mother! She was probably losing her mind! I was her only child, her reason for doing all that she did, as she constantly reminded me, now I wasn’t home from my supposed movie hang out with Malika. Oh shit, Malika! She was going to be in a world of trouble because of this! Then my brain finally got around to me and it said “Stupid, you’re in chains! I think you have more pressing concerns!”

Right! I interrupted the Latina’s prayer’s asking, “How long have we been here? Do you know where we are? Can you speak English?”

She started to cry murmuring in a mixture of Puerto Rican and English “Si, I don’t know but I want to go home! The men…they have…”

“What?” I asked innocently.

The vehicle stopped and when the door opened I realized it was a container. Bright sunlight greeted me, and now I had a new problem – I needed to pee.

“They’re awake.” One man said tiredly. He wasn’t even wearing a mask. I was black despite what my skin tone and eye colour said so I knew when you went out to make a hit with no masks, you expected no survivors.

“Knock Ms. Lopez out.” The man complained when the Latina wailed as they touched her. “Those fuckers almost ruined a good product. At least this one’s still intact. Are you gonna make a scene or come quietly?” He asked me.

I showed him my chains and he said, “Those stay on.”

“I need to …use the bathroom.” I whispered.

“Good,” He chuckled, “you know your place. What’s the magic word?”

“Please.”

He laughed. “Where did he find you? How old are you?”

“Fifteen.”

“Seriously? I thought he lied. Especially when the virginity thing checked out.”

“What?” I asked in shock. How the hell did that check out? I wondered.

“Come I’ll show you where you can go.”

As I stepped out of the trailer, I saw I was in a busy port. There were workers rushing everywhere but they ignored my chains as if they were an everyday occurrence. I wanted to call out, but something told me they would continue to ignore me.

“As you can see, screaming for help here will get you nothing. They know who they work for and it’s not you!” He told me as he took off the chains.

I finally looked up and got a good look at him. He was average height with non-descript brown hair and hazel eyes. He looked like he could be a little league coach. Completely harmless. I wondered if his family knew where he was and what he was doing.

“Up through there.” He pointed, and it was to a ship. He took me to the captain’s quarters and handed him some money. “See that this one gets there undamaged. You’ll get the rest there.” Turning to me he said, “Be good and you’ll survive the journey, act like Ms. Lopez and using the bathroom won’t be so comfortable.” He tossed the chains on the narrow bunk beside me. “Smooth sailing kid.” Then he shook hands with the captain and left.

“The bathroom’s through there.” The captain pointed gruffly and when I had finished and returned to the room he was waiting with the chains. He eyed me strangely then stooped down, shackling my ankles to the cot.

He narrowed his eyes at me and left. I sat docile on the cot probably wondering the same thing the captain was. Why wasn’t I trying to escape? For starters, maybe I was in shock and it hadn’t sunk in that I had been abducted. Secondly, all of this was happening in broad daylight! I know I was picked up at night, but it was almost noon now and there were so many witnesses, yet no one would help and thirdly, no one was hiding their faces!

My only way out was to carefully plan my own way out. Rescue would be too late for whatever they had in mind. It was already getting too late, I thought, as I felt the ship move beneath my feet. First, I didn’t even know where I was and now I was leaving wherever the hell here was! Strangely, a meal was brought to me as though I was taking a cruise.

“Eat it.” Came the gruff order from the sailor that brought it and I did, as he stared at me.

As I chewed my vision became blurry and I began to see two of the sailors and both were smiling. I collapsed into my remaining meal with the final stupid thought. “Do you feel abducted now?”

It was dark when I came to. Dark and extremely cold. My teeth started chattering loudly as I searched for some way to get warm. I was slammed in the wall suddenly and realized that the ship had stopped moving.

The sailor that poisoned me returned with bundles of what looked like thick furs I rushed towards them in my haste to get warm. I threw it on haphazardly while he undid my chains. Soft fur boots were placed on my feet and I instantly felt 100% warmer. Warm now, I could finally think and glared at the sailor “What did you do to me?”

“Nothing.” He said in a disappointed tone. “Apparently I can’t afford you.” He complained bitterly.

“What do you mean, can’t afford me?” I asked.

“Exotic look like yours, catches a high price. And a virgin too.”

“High price?”

“What did you think was happening here? You think you're on some fancy cruise?” He replied angrily in an Irish accent. “They’re selling you, you little cunt!”

“Selling me? For what?” I gasped.

“What do you think?” He replied impatiently. “To some rich prick could have your little virgin cunt first and when he’s …”

“Sean!” The captain called from the doorway. “See to your duties.” He said and held his hand out. As Sean walked past he placed the chains in them. “Come.” The captain told me and walked away expecting to be followed.

But now that I knew my fate I wasn’t so docile. I backed further into the cabin trying in vain to blend into the wall.

“Sean always talked too fucking much.” The captain replied irritably. “Your price goes down if there are signs of damage. You can come quietly to a somewhat peaceful life or you can go painfully to a very undesirable death. Choose now!” When I still didn’t move he added “If you go to the buyer bruised and he doesn’t want you. I’ll give you to the crew. That’s thirty men before selling you as a prison whore.”

I stepped off the wall and walked towards him, being raped by one was preferable to thirty and maybe if I was lucky the number would be zero. I went quietly to deck and was led off the ship by the captain who took me to a huge fur covered man who had a black Land Rover waiting.

“If the package disappoints…” The beefy man said in what sounded like a thick Russian accent.

“Have I ever?” The captain replied smoothly in his upper crust British accent, putting his hand out.

The Russian sneered at it before putting the money in his hand. As the captain turned to go he ordered “Wait!” Then pushed back my fur hood to peer at my face.

He was ugly, and he smelled were my first thoughts and if this was my buyer I would die in those meaty fists. I wanted to throw up just being near him. Thankfully my stomach was too empty to complete the deed. After being pawed and not throwing up, I heard him declare “Will like this one.”

The captain smiled and went on his way and I was left with the monstrous Russian who ordered “Get in.” as he opened the back of the Land Rover. I wasn’t bound and thought I could run out at first chance, but his next words stopped me “I wish you would try. I could blame sailors but how will I explain the money? Ah! Maybe I get a taste when he’s finished.”

He wasn’t the buyer! I wanted to jump for joy that my fate had been delayed then he spoke again “Will reach in four hours. I think you sleep now. May not get it later.” He chuckled laughing at his own crude joke.

I stared out into the scenery. I was in Russia and from a brief glance at the port. I was in no man’s land. Unlike the hive of activity, I left in, I arrived in silence. It was either closed for the night or the ship wasn’t supposed to dock there. I looked around for homes and all I saw through the window was snow and ice.

“You would never be leaving unless he lets you. The last one to run froze to death ten meters from the keep.” Big and ugly supplied with a chuckle.

I wanted to ask questions, and something told me he would answer them all too eagerly, but I wouldn’t like what he had to say. The cold was seeping through my bones and I wondered how could anyone live here? I lived in Queens and I saw a lot of stuff in my short life. Gang shootings, people making out on the street, people doing drugs, girls working the street but never have I ever heard of this racket.

Without meaning to, I must have dozed off. Stupid I know, but what else was there for me to do but scream into the night! The smell of Meaty woke me up and I found out I was already heading somewhere in his arms.

“I can walk.” I suggested wanting to be away from him.

He put me down and pain shot up my leg. I cried out.

He laughed as he informed me “Freezing you were!” He picked me up once more and headed down through solid walls all the way down as if he was taking me to hell itself and going by the shooting pain in my leg, I was halfway there.

A woman was waiting for us by an old copper tub with steam rising from it invitingly. She hastened towards us no doubt speaking rapid Russian. Ugly and Meaty was shoved out then she turned sadly towards me. “English?” I nodded, and she smiled “American?” I nodded again, and she frowned. “Take off your clothes” She ordered briskly then added “or do you wish to lose your feet?”