“Esta carga es buena. casi piezas. ¿crees que se puede pedir el doble?”
“Tal vez para las frescas, pero los que recogimos de la plaza, no.”
“Incluso entonces, algunos todavía pueden ser usados en exceso. Ellos pagarán después de que éstos se comprueban.”
Norma gripped her mouth more firmly. She had been breathing heavily for awhile. She knew she was not going to Italy anytime soon. She also knew from CSI, if they knew she was awake, they would drug her again. When she had woken the first time, she screamed. It had been dumb. Norma knew she was on a plane. Screaming wouldn’t save her. But she screamed. Even after they slapped her and tired her up. She screamed. Then a familiar another short pain in her arm followed by heaviness told her she was drugged again.
Now Norma looked about. It was light again. And the plane was tilting. Where ever they were it had take a day. I think. Norma didn’t know how long the drug lasted. She had been to pee twice and had to go again. The plane had stopped twice. Each time she and the other women were lead of the plane into heat. Each time there had been a crude toilet for her to use. They had never been fed.
Norma didn’t think she would be able to keep anything down. I was kidnapped in a fucking foreign country. Bitter tears dripped down Norma’s face. She bit her lip, willing them to stop, only more came. Norma’s shoulders shuddered. Stay still, dumb girl. Norma cursed herself for being gullible. You never follow a good looking man in another country. Norma coughed into her hands. She knew better. The stewardess didn’t even ask for her passport, ticket…and the way she was dressed.Goddamnit!
Norma’s breath quickened and she began to cough more. Her stomach churned as the tilt of the plane grew. We’re landing again.Just as soon as you get free. Norma flexed her toes and rocked her ankles. She could outrun a few men until she got help. She would fight. She just hoped that were ever they ended up, it was a country friendly with Obama. Norma turned over the possible worst places in her head. The men spoke Spanish, or Italian, or was it a combination of both. Norma shook her head. There were only so many countries that spoke one of those languages. They had flown around too much to still be in Spain.
Norma closed her eyes and imagined a world map. Her mind automatically zeroed in on the East Asian Pennisula. Norma scrunched her lids and panned over to the west. Even in her mind’s eye, the geography was a little off. But Norma knew South America was the main place, then there was Central Carribean, and a few of the southern countries in Africa. Norma had a feeling that they were headed to Mexico though or something near.
Ok, Mexico, Columbia, Chile…Guatamala, Hondurass…damn. Nomra bit her lip again. Maybe she should have paid closer attention in Geo. So long as I don’t end up in Cuba. Cuba would be bad. Norma didn’t think the plane would land in Purto Rico. She hoped for Mexico or Chile. Their US relation were good, at least better that Cuba.
Norma blinked back her tear focusing on what she knew. There were five men, plus the pilots on the plane. She didn’t see and guns. They had drugs, but in the form of needles. Norma winced remembering the shots. I hate shots. They would have to get close to her to drug her again. Easy, don’t let that happen. They have to untie you again, eventually. Norma pouted at her thoughts. Eventually wasn’t good enough. It’s all I have.
Her breathing had slowed down. She wasn’t calm, but she had a plan. That’s what mattered. I have a plan.
A jolt from below through Norma against the wall and grunts sounded around her followed by whimpers. We’ve landed again. Norma flinched involuntarily when the bodies around her began to move more. Tremors and more whimpers sounded around her. Norma felt her bottom lip tremble, and then she snapped her chin down. No, you have a plan. Escape. Just run.
The lights flashed on causing all the women to cry out. Norma still had her own closed. She inhaled sharply when her lids began to glow red. She was about to open her eyes when she hatched an idea. Norma exhaled deeply and focused on relaxing herself. She counted in her head slowly, timing her breaths with the upbeat. I am a sleep. I am a sleep.
Sure enough, rough hand lifted her from the floor, before shouldering Norma. She shifted her head and had the perfect curtain of her curls to hide her open eyes. Her carrier walked nimbly passed the curtains and seat. Norma cringed. He’s done this many times before. He has no trouble. Norma began to panic. Her thoughts betrayed her previous confidence. How many times has a woman ran before? Norma bit her cheek to keep from overcorrecting when they descended down the plane ladder.
It was warm and lightly humid. Norma smelled disel, garbage, and something else. It was familiar but she just couldn’t place it.She fussed inside. It could be important and my stupid nose can’t pick it out. Norma looked around. The ground was gritty like an airport tarmac. There was sand too. She listened hard.
“J'ai dix femmes de l'Ukraine.”
“Hebben we zes. Maar ze zijn nonnen. We willen meer geld.”
“To je previše.” “Jetzt zahlen. Oder ich gehe.”
“Envío sin control, por aquí.”
“Que diz?”
“Ungeprüfter Versand, hier.”
Norma was finally sat down and her binds her loosened, though not fully removed. She wiggled free of the last bit and took off running. The voices around her soon stop Shit. She looked around and was surrounded by men. White men, black men. Men with beard and turbans, men when gelled hair and business suit. Norma had no where to run. She looked around, past the men. There was an ocean. Salt! That’s what I smelled.
“Oi!” Norma turned to the voice behind her. Bam! Norma fell down, her jaw smarting from the contact. The man above her she recognized from the man on the plane.
“¿A dónde vas, ¿eh?” He kicked her twice in the stomach. “Si se ejecuta de nuevo, te mataré.” Kick, kick.
Norma curled into a ball to hide her sobs. “Stop!” but her begging was to use. The man continued to kick her. Then he gripped her arms. With a foreign gentleness, her assailant drew her from the ground and into his chest. Then he slapped her. “Mujer estúpida, donde podría ir.”
The man pushed her back, and Norma was grabbed by another set of hands. Then they gripped onto her hair, and pulled.
“No!” Norma struggled and tripped backward. The hand on her head paid to mind, and proceeded to move away. Norma reached her hands up and clawed at the hand on her hair. He deepened his gripped and dragged Norma steadily over the concrete. Norma kicked and shrieked. She would stand occasionally, only to be yanked back down. Snot caught in her throat and Norma coughed, pulling her concentration.
“No..cough…please!” The man pulled her up sharply and punched her. Norma took it to her left eyes and lashed out with her short nails. She was pulled back again. Norma failed to catch herself and hit her head against hard steel bars. “Fuck!” Norma kicked at the ankles of the man who had dragged her. He easily dogged her feet and stood over her. Norm lift her foot to kick him in the groin, but he caught her foot and pulled. Norma screamed when the steel ground bit into her sore skull. The she opened her lungs when the man above her began to straddle her.
Norma thrashed against him clawing and biting when she could. When she landed a hot, he would backhand her again. Norma struggled still. Not like this. Norma fought harder when she saw a large man in all black step out of the shadows. His leather boots tramped calmly over to the scene. Norma fought to keep her arms free as the second man meant to restrain her. Norma swore and spit but she could not get free.. Please, God. Not like this. Norma bucked her hips and twisted about and successfully kneed the man straddling her. He keeled over to her left. Norma scoffed and kicked her legs upwards in attempt to kick the man above her in the face.
He caught her legs and let her hang. Norma swung her arms but her reach was too short. Instead, the bottom of her tank top was ripped downward along with her sports bra. Norma covered her chest, more for the pain of the fabric pulling against her nipples than embarrassment. The hopelessness soon set in. She was place onto the ground, sobbing. She clutched her chest firmly glad she was closer to a B than a C. She glared at the now three men around her. She scooted back into a corner, and her shoes were pulled from her feet. Norma scrambled her legs beneath her rear and rested her forehead to the wall next to her. Then men stepped forward in unison, cutting off any escape route.
“Esta lucha demasiado.” Norma snapped her head up at a small click. The man in the middle, the one she kneed , held a barrel out. “¿Vamos a matarla?”
Norma didn’t need a translator, still she shook her head. The larger man in black step forward slowly and spoke low, “Esto es un desperdicio. Ella debe ser un pescado fresco. Ella tendrá un valor de un montón de dinero.”
The man beckoned her over. Norma whimpered and shook her head. He looked back to the man with the gun. He point between them. Her options were clear. Norma shakily stood up. The steel ground was cold and hard on her socked feet. Her heartbeat sped and slowed as she weighed her possibilities. She was not likely to break through them or find anyone to help her. Shit, why didn’t I ask more people fore the right directions? Norma wailed into her wrists. I want to go home!. Her breath quickened while she felt her lungs squeeze.
He was there. The bigger man. Pulling her arms down and out. “No, no. Please, don’t.”
He shook his head and rubbed his jaw against her wet, swollen cheek. Norma flinched and tenses her arms. Hus grip on her was firm. “Shhh, bella. Shhhh.”
The man pressed himself firmly against Norma then pulled her arms against her side. He took no time thumbing her waistband and dragging the pants downwards. Norma choked on her sobs and covered herself again. Her body shuddered against the scrape of his thumbnails to her thigh. As his reach hit its end, he slowly kneeled, pulling the jeans past her knees and letting them collect at her feet.
Norma inhales as her tears ran out. She was tired. Her abdomen clenched when she felt her briefs pull free from the meeting of her thighs. Norm involuntarily squeezed her legs, but track had taken much of the extra fat at her thighs. Now she was left with nothing. The man then wrapped his arms around Norma’s waist and lowered until his hands met underneath the fullest curve of her butt. He barely grunted before her had Norma over his shoulder.
Norma bit back a scream and muffled into his shoulder, chocking. There was no point in fighting. She was here to be…Norma thought oddly of Terrence. Her brother Aaron’s friend. She had not imagined his hand on her breast. And when she had woken up, his lips had been so close. They brushed from her neck to her chin. He had just gripped her when she woke up. Norma didn’t feel any different than she had a few days earlier. Aaron, shout have touched her. Nevertheless, she wouldn’t have minding him pawing at her now compared to what was to happen to her.
Her carrier sat her down and Norma jumped. The ground was wet and cold. Norma looked around. The floor had ridges that collected most of the water. Two spouts connected to a pair of hoses near the door. The first of the spouts turned on drenching Norma in cold water. The spout swiveled spraying above her. Then the water came from underneath. Norma cried out in surprise and scrambled over the floor in search of a safe place. The water turned to foam and lathered over Norma’s hair and body. Norma blinked in spite of the burn from soap in her eyes. She was being cleaned. Norma thought back. It would have been a minimum of four days since she took her shower at home. Norma choked again and absently raked her nails over her body. Her movements were stiff and in full understanding that she was being watched. Norma scrubbed at her scalp before quickly rubbing the bits between her legs. She wanted to wash thoroughly, but she couldn’t bring herself to do so. The water changed again and was tepid. Norma reluctantly walked back underneath the main over head spout. She continues massaging her scap up the water dripping from her hair rinse clean. The water shut off and Norma look up back towards the door.
The large man held out a large tube. Norma tensed and scuttled back. The tube began to blow hot air. Norma looked dumbly about before walking forward again. She winced. The heat was intense. Even on her skin, red spots appear after a few minutes in front of the heat. She turned so her back side could be dried as well. Norma also wrung out her hair. It was already drying on its own and was lightly damp when the dryer turned off. Norma did not turn around. She willed herself to disappear or for the structure to blow up, or for Jesus to return. Anything to save her.
A large grunt behind her confirmed her fears. No one is going to save me. Norma turned around and tired to stand up straight. But she curled into herself. One arm shield her nipples and the other hand hid her mons from view. Norma took baby steps forward. She cringed at the man before her. He, like all the others, smiled. Norma bit her lip to keep from trembling. When she reached the threshold, then man grabbed her. Norma screamed again, but his hand was already on her mouth. His dark eyes looked bored. But his mouth retained the sick smirk and grew wider. When Norma’s lungs gave in she resorted back to crying. The man released and gripped onto her hair instead.
Norma ignored her scalp and focused on protecting her privates. Then man nudged and began to walk slowly forward. Norma shuffled after wincing at the dull smarting from her head. The bump on the back of her head had made scrubbing her scalp difficult, but the return pulling of hair exacerbated the pain more. Al at once Norma’s released. The man opens the door to a room. It is filled with woman of varying skin tones, but none dark as her. Great get kidnapped and I’m still the only black in the room. Norma stepped forward as a realization hit her. No one was going to touch her. Yet. Norma allowed a smile to play in her heart, but not her face.
She had a chance to escape still. Norma sank to the ground on the outside of the circles of women. Something told her that none of the women would understand English, and even if they did, their looks told her they did not like her company. Or maybe they were all like her, stolen away, and distrustful.
Norma looked around the room. She then changed her mind. She sat curled into herself, covering her body best as possible. But most of the women, short hair, long hair, think or thick, they sat proudly. Breast displayed and legs crossed not in shame, but confidence. Norma hung her head. She had read and heard about international prostitution, but she never thought she would be one. Or become one. Norma shook her head slowly, mindful of her injuries. She would not turn into any of these women. She would fight. She had to fight. Even if it get me killed, Norma coughed into her huddle. Even if I die, I will die fighting. There has to be away.
A loud horn sounded that shook Norma’s core. Then a lulling feeling through her inner ears off balance. Of course they were on a boat. Norma lost her resolve and cried silently. Who was she kidding? This is it. I am going to be raped or murdered. Probably both. And no one will ever know. Norma scooted closer to the wall and curled into the deepest ball she could manage. Her torso and head throbbed. Her jaw and eye were tender as well. Michael and Aaron never hit her full force. Michael and Aaron ain’t here, stupid. Norma chocked on her thoughts not for the last time. Home and her life were so far away. Japan and America might as well not exist. She would never see either again.