Her name is Sarah. Although if you were to ask her, she would tell you that it was whatever you wanted it to be. Sarah works in what is commonly refered to, amongst other things, as "The World's Oldest Profession." Her driver's licence will tell you that she's twenty-two years old. Her real licence will tell you that she's only sixteen.
In her mind, life has not been kind to Sarah. Her father had died while she was very young and her mother was less then capable of raising the child on her own. Not that the woman hadn't tried but, it was hard to properly raise a child and still pay all the bills, make the ends meet, and try to give the girl all the things she wanted.
Sarah was a selfish child. Nothing was enough and she always 'had' to have the newest things so she could continue fitting in with her peers. Once Sarah turned fourteen, her mother decided that she was old enough to start earning some of her own money. She told Sarah that if she wanted something, she would have to get a job and buy it herself. Naturally, this ruling didn't sit well, and their relationship only deteriorated from there.
Sarah ran away from home, and never looked back. Another thing about Sarah, she is rather subborn and proud. Even after the reality of things set in, Sarah refused to go 'crawling back to mommy'. Sarah was out to prove a point. This left Sarah many problems and, she found the only solution available.
That would bring us to today.
Sarah offers herself to anyone that can pay for it. The majority of those 'earnings' go to her 'employer'. What's left goes to pay the rent of the practically condemed apartment she calls home, food, and to supply her drug habit. She may be a junkie but, she is in control enough to budget her expenses. She just finds other ways to supply her habit from time to time. It's not too late for Sarah. She obviously will never be the same but, she can go back home. Finish shcool and get a job. That's why he's here.
The enigmatic man called Raven.
Sarah walked into her apartment the same as she had every night. It wasn't until after she had tossed her purse and coat into a chair that she noticed the figure sitting in the dark corner. She let out a gasp and dove to her purse for her can of mace.
Raven sat motionless.
"W..wh.who are you? What are you doing here?" Sarah asked, fear and panic clearly in her voice. Considering the city and the area, she had every right. Most times someone breaks into an apartment around here, the tenant doesn't see the next sunrise.
"Is this how you envisioned your life?"
Sarah was quiet for several moments, her fear turning to confusion. She expected him to attack or threaten her. Raven's reaction had been the last thing she expected. More so,the way raven spoke confused her all the more. His tone was calm and voice quiet. Another rarity in these occasions.
Raven continued to speak.
"In High School, while all the other children talked of being doctors and lawyer. While they all talked of marriage and their two point five children. All them planning for a happy future, did you see yourself as a cheap whore?"
Now, confusion was replaced by anger. Yet, not only anger, there was a part of her, perhaps deep in her soul, the part not yet tainted by her life, that felt embarassed. The anger wasn't even at the insult but, that this stranger had the audacity to question her choices.
And more so that he was right.
Raven spoke.
"Is it really that important to you? So much so that you have to sacrifice your life just to prove a point? Would it really be worse then this to go home to your mother and be an adult?
Instead of a scared child in over her neck and sinking."
Now, Sarah was furious and she wasn't really sure why. Perhaps it was that the man remained so calm. Maybe it's because he seems to know alot more about her then she of him. It could be that he is still right.
Mostly, it's because she doesn't want to admit that she was wrong.
"Did my mother send you? How much is she paying you to bring her 'little baby girl' home? Did she tell you all this?" Sarah yelled at Raven.
Raven had no reaction. He just sat in silence as Sarah continued to scream at him.
"Whatever she's paying you, I can give you more. Just go away! Leave me alone and tell her to go fuck herself. While your at it, go fuck yourself!! Who are you to judge me, huh? What makes you so fucking great? Huh?!? Since when were you my judge and jury?" Sarah yelled at Raven much like most humans this age react to authority figures that tell them what they don't want to hear. Like the child she is, yelling at a parent for punishing her for breaking curfew. Trying to find anything to hurt the one hurting them. Trying desperately to make a point and failing miserably.
She turned to grab the telephone.
"You better get...." her voice trails off as she notices the intruder is no longer there. She'll eventually try to sleep but, will find that she gets little. Only a fool would think that in a matter of minutes they can change someone's mind. It takes time. Raven is no fool. He has planned the first seeds of change, seeds of doubt, within Sarah. The rest is mostly up to her.
It has been over a month since Sarah had her encounter with the stranger in her apartment. It took her almost a week before she could go back to 'business as usual'. She told her employer that the man that 'broke it' had done more then talk to her. She was lying and fears he knew that. Still, it bought her the time to think and more importantly, to doubt.
Even when she returned to her work, it wasn't the same. When she first started, Sarah was very scared. Sadly, and all too quickly, a new emotion replaced the fear. Excitement. Sure it was dangerous and amoral and that's why it was such a rush. Now, though, after talking to Raven, things have changed. The sense of excitement has been replaced with that of shame, fear, and regret. Shame over how far she has fallen from grace. Fear over the bad that could happen. Regret over ever getting started and being too scared to get out.
How long could this continue? Sarah wanted out. She may not have seen it at first but, now, her own doubts, inspired by the words of Raven, have gnawed at her. It was getting to the point that even her clients could tell her discomfort. Sarah even vomited in the middle of an oral favor for one client. Not even because she was repulsed by the man, that had never made her ill before but, that she was repulsed by her own actions.
Amazing how much thinking and looking at situations from different perspectives can change things.
It didn't take long for Sarah's employer to get wind of her troubles. Then things became worse for Sarah. You see, even that type of business is ruled by the law of supply and demand. There was a demand for woman of Sarah's age and her employer needed her to fulfill the supply portion of the deal. Sarah's employer is a cruel man and he would beat her mercilessly each type a report of trouble had gotten back to him. Every time a refund had to be given, a beating was given along with it. The pimp even allowed the clients to issue the beating on occasion, if allowed him to keep the money they had paid. There were even a couple of occasions where the client would rape Sarah, brutally, and he would stand there, watch, and at times even relieve his own urges.
To say the least, things had not gotten better for Sarah. She was battered and confused. She wanted out but, if she left, he would kill her. She wanted to go back home but, he would kill her for that too, and perhaps even her mother. If not worse. Sarah hated the man that broke into her home all those month's ago but, in the same breathe, prayed for Raven to save her again.
And perhaps he would.
They watched from a dark corner he punched Sarah in the jaw. Once again, a client reported back unhappy and once again, Sarah's employer took the pleasure of her punishment.
He knelt down next to the sobbing figure and spoke in a whisper. "You know that this hurts me more then it hurts you, don't you?" He smiled. "Do you think I enjoy hurting you?"
Sarah just sobbed.
"Do you feel like a big man?" asked a voice from the shadows of the room.
"Who's there?" the man asked angrily.
"A corrupter of souls. You find them on the streets. Penniless and starving. You tempt them with the money they could make with you and promise them food and shelter. All they have to do is sign their innocence, their souls over to you."
"Show yourself!"
"Power? Is that why you do this? To feel powerful for once? You beat your women. Did your father, or maybe your mother beat you?"
The pimp was quiet but, the look on his face more then said that the last sentence hit a raw nerve. The man's hands balled into fists and his lip quivered in anger.
"Show yourself, now." he order in a growl.
The man slowly stepped from the shadow and into the moonlight. His long hair hid his face but, one look and Sarah knew he was the same man from her apartment those weeks ago. Following him stepped another man, wicked smile graced his face.
"Maybe you need to be reminded of the past so as not to continue to repeat the mistakes made apon you." Raven looked over to the man standing next to him. "Get him, Kanyon."
Kanyon smiled and the pipe in his had glinted in the moonlight. This was the type of thing that Kanyon lived for, find new ways to hurt others, and it obvious that he was going to enjoy this.
An hour and several days later.
This may be the hardest thing that she's ever had to do. Sarah had once thought of her self as strong enough to make it on her own. The last thing she wanted was to have to crawl back home and grovel for them to let her in. Sarah's hand shook as she pressed the button, ringing the doorbell.
"He..." The woman spoke as she opened the door but, was cut off in mid-sentence by who stood there. A tear welled up in her eye as she grabbed the young woman before her and hugged her. "Sarah?" she said quietly as the tears rolled down her cheek.
"H..hi, mom." Sarah said meekly as she returned the embrace and cried herself.
From a distance, they watched, emotionless as always. Some would say that they had done a good thing. They returned one of the lost to their home and got one more child off the streets. With luck, Sarah would be able to get things together, get some help, and live a normal life. Still, for the Flock, this only the smallest of victories. More like treating a symptom rather then the problem. Many others are still out there. Perhaps some want to leave but, are to afraid. Some may need to be show the light, and see what trouble their stubbornness has caused them. Some, may just need help. Regardless, it is a problem that may never go away. If it's so hopeless, you may wonder, then why do they bother and why, for that matter, did they pick Sarah? The problem may never go away but, it will only continue and get worse if the whole world stands by and does nothing. As for why Sarah, you have to start somewhere.
Qustions or comments?
Email cliebenthal@wi.rr.com
