"I hear birds", Karissa whispers while looking at the ceiling of the container.
"They sound like Pelicans" Lana stated.
At this moment the eleven of us got our ears glued to the cold container trying to listen for the birds.
"We must be close to land, I don't think I'm ready for what's next to come" a very worried Makayla cried.
"Okay ladies, we already talked about this', I decided to remind the ladies about what we spoke about, "we don't know what these people want with us. The possibilities are endless. We would all want nothing more than to be back at home with our loved ones. That would not happen if we decide to play hero or anything like that on this ship or act out in front of people they are involved with. Paul killed one of his own workers right in front of me with no remorse, then the other men threw the body out in the middle of the ocean. If we anger them the same can happen to us, or even worse." We're all huddled up in a circle holding hands, "but remember if any of us do happens to escape somehow, please let the authorities know our names and anything else you can remember so that we all could be found", Mickey reminded us.
The door from the container suddenly opens and Paul enters the room with a bag.
"Ladies, I hope all is well", he said in his strong accent while smiling at all of us, "I trust that you've enjoyed your stay but I'm afraid that this journey has come to an end."
Have you ever felt relieved and scared at the same time? That's exactly how the other girls and I are feeling right now. Not such a perfect combination. The journey felt like forever to get to France from Trinidad which is why the eleven of us would love nothing more than to get out of this container and off this ship. Now we have no idea what's about to happen next.
"I want you girls to get cleaned up and change into something a bit more appealing for my customers", Paul continued then he dropped the bag on the floor, "I'll be back in an hour".
I walk over to the bag to see what's inside it. The bag has hair products, toiletries and a lingerie for each of us. All the lingerie are the same. I hold up one of them then looked at the girls. "Sex slaves, we're going to be sold as a sex slave. Why else would Paul want us to wear these", I said to the others. We're all in horror at the realization of why we are being trafficked in the first place. I thought about sex slave being a possibility but getting an actual confirmation that I'll be forced to be a prostitute especially in a foreign country is completely terrifying.
"Guys let's just do what Paul says before he comes back" Karissa spoke, snapping us out of our tears and back into the reality of our situation.
All the girls and myself are currently fixing our hair, making sure we smell good and putting on the two piece lingerie set Paul provided for us. It's a really plain thong and matching bra set. I'm so uncomfortable with what I got on and from the looks on the other girls faces I can tell that they're uncomfortable as well but the fact that our bodies is not our own anymore, we're expected to do as we're told.
"If we're separated I want you guys to know that I will never forget you and I hope that one day we will see each other again. I love you girls" Lana declared.
All of us hugged each other and expressed our love for one another. We created a sisterhood here, one that I will never forget.
In the next hour Paul was back in the crate admiring us as if we're a work of art.
"You girls are going to make me a very rich man tonight", Paul said with glee, "Let the biddings begin."