The People Traders (21 page)

She stood for some time staring at the house, remembering the abuse of her body by Saeed's mother. Then she thought back to the night when she was supposed to have been auctioned. Knowing she'd been sold and only waiting for her new owner to collect her, she'd become alarmed when Saeed came into her room, unfastened the ankle iron and threw some knickers at her, telling her to remove her clothes and put them on. Karen tried to object, as Hussein had said, she'd already been sold to a man called Sirec, so why should she do this? He ignored her objections, pulling his baseball bat out from under his jacket and threatening to beat her if she didn't do what he'd asked. Still she'd hesitated; however, his next words had terrified her.

"Put the bloody knickers on. We want entertainment down there so you dance on the stage for my friends," he'd demanded, "or it's the brothel. I'll just have time to get you there before their late clients arrive. As for your buyer, I've a dozen girls more his type, ready to replace you."

Terrified he'd do what he'd threatened and desperately needing to go to Sirec's house, as that was the address she'd given her dad, she'd removed her clothes and slipped the knickers on quickly. They were g-string type, see-through and she felt decidedly embarrassed as he marched her down the stairs through into the big room. There were only four men sat around and already music was playing. Saeed demanded she climbed onto the stage and dance for them.

She'd done the best she could in making a show, but the men sat round the stage were leaning forward, touching her legs and pushing her off balance, laughing amongst themselves as she nearly stumbled. Then one stood and started tugging at her knickers, before succeeding and pulling them down to her feet. As she'd knelt down to pull them back up, everyone was shouting that she was a hopeless dancer and take her off. Saeed stood and took her hand, helping her down from the stage. Karen was thankful it was over and she could get away from these men. But Saeed had other ideas, rather than take her back to her room, he sat back down again on his chair, forcing her to bend over his knees. Then he began slapping her bottom, telling her as she couldn't dance, she needed to be punished and he'd have to find something else she might be good for. They were all laughing at her mock punishment, when one dropped his trousers in front of her, waving his manhood in her face. She panicked and began screaming hysterically, but a blow with something to the back of the head stunned her into silence. While in this daze, she was lifted bodily off Saeed's knee and stretched out on a table with a cushion placed under her buttocks, lifting her bottom high. Then her arms were pulled above her head and her wrists tied to the table legs with cord. Her legs hanging over the edge on the other side of the table were pulled wide apart by others, each ankle securely tied the same as her wrists to a table leg. One man had leaned over the table, his breath a mixture of stale tobacco and heavy garlic. He began kissing her and playing with her breasts. Karen had wanted to throw up, but in this position she was afraid she'd choke on her own vomit. However, worse was to come as, like on the ship, the men were unfastening their trouser belts, demanding they should be first. But Saeed dismissed their demands, claiming she was his property and he was to be first. Before taking her, he began rubbing something greasy between her legs which allowed him to enter her with ease. Then while he pounded her body, he had tried to warrant his intrusion by saying something about how they couldn't let her go without a good send-off.After all, it was her eighteenth birthday, and didn't girls come of age in England then?

Eventually when they'd all finished with her, someone released the bonds. She was exhausted, internally sore, with a throbbing headache from the blow to her head. She was dragged off the table, then two of them half carried her to the toilet to clean herself up. After throwing up in the pan she'd tried to clean herself, using the sink and toilet paper, still shivering in shock, when Saeed had come in, handing her the usual knickers and shirt.

He'd leaned back on the wall, watching her dress. "You're leaving tomorrow," he'd begun. "If you know what's good for you, you'll say nothing of tonight. Sirec, your new owner, wouldn't want a girl who'd been, shall we say, well used."

"Gang raped you mean?" she'd cut in.

He grinned. "Whatever, Karen, but hear this. Tell him what happened tonight and he'll not want you in his bed. You'll be handed to his men to have fun with. When they've had enough of you, the next stop would be the brothel, so he can earn his money back. Say nothing and this man will look after you; you'll have an easy life satisfying just one, rather than many. It's up to you, I will have been paid."

She'd said nothing.

"I'm waiting for your answer," he'd demanded.

"What's there to say? I have no choice; it didn't happen," she'd answered.

He nodded and urged her out of the toilet, taking her back upstairs to her room. She'd laid on the bed, tears trickling down her face. At least she was leaving for somewhere else. This time, she'd hoped it would be only one man, something perhaps she could cope with.

***

Brought out of her thoughts when Garry touched her arm, he pointed to a car arriving. A man climbed out, followed by three others. She recognised them instantly as her abusers. Her heart stopped, fear again welling up inside, but she knew what she had to do. They were laughing as they entered the house through the small door in the wall. Karen was thinking fast, the last thing she wanted was Garry tagging along.

"I'll go and see him; you stay here till I return. Saeed will be shocked but he'll help, I know he will," she said quietly. Garry looked at her strangely. "No, Karen, it's too dangerous, we go together," he replied.

She brushed his objections aside. "Don't be daft, he'd panic. Just give me fifteen minutes. There's only one entrance to this place so even if he wanted to, he couldn't get me out without you seeing."

"But he might hurt you," Garry persisted.

Karen shook her head. "No, Garry. I slept with Saeed every night, I'd no option. He'd bought me and demanded I kept him happy. He wanted to keep me, I wanted it as well. He was kind and thoughtful and Sirec was an unknown, but Sirec had already paid and what Sirec wants, he gets round here."

Her lies were calculated to allow her inside alone. She'd noticed his more than passing interest in her and while it might shake him about Saeed and herself, she had to say it.

"That's sick, Karen; you were only seventeen for God's sake."

Ignoring his objections, she replaced the t-shirt she was wearing with the shirt from her bag and knotted the ends, exposing her midriff. Then she looked him in the face. "Get a life, Garry; this is the real world out here. Age means nothing, apart from it being nicer to screw a young girl than a fat slob. What are you going to do, kill him? For what, taking my virginity? Believe me, Garry, Saeed didn't take it, there have been others before him, since I was taken. So what's the options, pinch the car and when he finds it gone he calls the police? Alternatively I'll get the key with his blessing, and we're on our way home?"

Garry knew she was right; even now the police would be looking for them after torching the villa. "Well, if you're sure, Karen. Fifteen minutes and I'm coming in. These men are not to be messed with; you're playing a dangerous game."

She gave a forced laugh, leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I'll only be ten at the most, then send the cavalry in if you want."

Garry reluctantly agreed and walked to the small door with her, Karen pushed it open still carrying Mark's bag, and went through. Garry glanced around before moving to the other side of the small avenue, then stood in the shadows watching the door. He wasn't sure if she could pull it off, but without transport and with a good distance to travel, they were in deep trouble.

Meanwhile Karen had shut the door behind her and slid the bolt. Placing Mark's bag on the ground, she pulled the zipper open. Removing the gun, she checked the magazine was fully home and locked, she then fitted the silencer before slipping the safety catch off and walked determinedly to the front door.

To anybody, the door would seem locked, but Karen had watched Saeed from the lounge, and there was a knack, a simple lift and push. Entering the house, she could hear the men laughing and joking in the main room. The room they'd raped her in. The room many girls, like her, were sold into a life of hell, a life of despair. She moved quickly to the door, kicking it open, stepping inside and edging slightly round the wall and away from the door. She'd decided if someone came into the room, with the position she was in now, she'd see them. The four men who'd arrived in the car were sat around a table, playing cards. Saeed was stood leaning against the fireplace, drinking from a flagon. He looked round to see who had come into the room and stared transfixed for a moment.

Then his face broke into a grin. "Why it's Karen, what a nice surprise. I like the get-up, kid, you look particularly sexy in those shorts and top. Mind you I was certain you'd gone to Sirec, he couldn't have thrown you out and sent you back already, could he?"

Karen didn't reply but stood motionless, watching him.

He placed the flagon he was holding on the side-table and put one hand to his mouth with an exaggerated action, as if he'd realised something. "I know what it is, Karen, you've missed our little leaving party so much; decided one man for you at a time isn't enough, so you've come back for a re-run?" Saeed said, with a hint of mocking in his voice.

She smiled softly. "Think a lot of that very small pimple between your legs? I suppose the only time you use it is to rape somebody, any other time the woman wouldn't be able to do anything for laughing."

His face changed, and he slammed the table with his hand. "You little shit! I'll show you what a man can do to a..."

He fell silent. Karen raised the gun slowly, stopping only when the beam of the laser sight was resting on his chest. Her features had changed, her face expressionless, and her eyes cold. Then she spoke again, this time her voice was harsh and demanding. "Okay, you've had your fun, let's get down to business. This, if you've not noticed, is a gun. No ordinary gun, it's capable of cutting you in half with the sheer firepower. In simple terms, Saeed, see the little red light on your chest? If I squeeze this trigger, ever so lightly, it's goodbye Saeed."

He glared at her but didn't move. "You've made your point, what do you want?"

"I want my money," she replied quietly.

"Money? What money?" he hissed.

"The money Sirec paid for me. It's mine and I want it," she demanded.

He started to laugh and, grasping the flagon again, took a long drink. Wiping his arm over his mouth, he gave a snigger. "I think you've got it wrong somehow, Karen. You're sold, I get the money. It's not you're sold,
you
get the money. So why don't you drop the gun, then your pants. I think you perhaps need a good spanking to remind you of your position," Saeed scathingly replied.

When she replied to his scorn, it was with sadness in her voice. "I trusted you, believed you were a man of his word and at least had some respect for me," she began. "Oh, I knew you were only in it for the money, but I didn't cause you any trouble and never objected to your mother messing about with my body, even though I felt decidedly embarrassed with you sat there watching. I've had time to think at Sirec's house, and realised I wasn't affected by the oils, as I thought, but that you were actually giving me drugs to keep me subdued. You were not concerned if I had any allergies, or how they might have affected me. Everything you've done was as if I was a piece of shit under your foot. I wasn't even a human anymore, as far as I can see, I was just something to make you money."

She fell silent for a moment collecting her thoughts; no one in the room uttered a word, in some ways trying to assess the state of mind of this girl stood in front of them holding a gun. Except Saeed, who sat there indifferently and took the opportunity of her silence to take another drink.

"That Saturday night was different," she suddenly carried on. "When I got on that stage knowing I was sold, I thought it was a little harmless entertainment at my expense. After all, everyone I've met, even my so-called boyfriend, seemed to relish pulling me down or embarrassing me, indifferent to my feelings or thoughts. Whatever you say about brothels, I can't believe they'd have treated me the way you lot did? To take me like that, stretched out on a table and tied down, makes you all the worst kind of rapists, besides real sick bastards, if that's the only way you can get your kicks?" Tears were trickling down her face while she spoke, her voice shaking as she continued. "I could hardly walk when you'd finished with me. Even the next day it was still dribbling down my legs. I've needed the last week, waiting for my so-called new owner to take over from where you lot left off, just for the pain to go. But what could I do? I was chained up and drugged, accepting what was being done to me with the constant threat, if I objected, of a beating or ending up in a brothel as an alternative..." Then the tone of her voice changed to one of aggression. "Now it's different; I can say no, because I'm in a position to fight back. So I'll ask just once more. Give me the money, Saeed, or I'll blow your brains out," she demanded.

Saeed's face still had a look of amusement from her first demand for money, however, to add insult to injury, he began to clap. "Nice little speech, Karen, what do you want me to do, say I'm sorry? It doesn't work that way. I paid good money and owned you. That means I could do what I wanted with you. Besides, you were lucky I'd a few more girls available, otherwise you'd have been amusing me and my friends every night. Anyway, you're worth nothing and you get nothing. Go back to Sirec, kid, while you're still alive."