It was way past the time when all the good things used to prevail, leaving next to nothing for looking forward.

The planet Earth developed so much.... once a huge cyclone arrived destroying everything. People hoped to get up from the ground and get to resuming work, only for a worldwide flu to take them away.

No amount of prayers or medicines could help the rapid mortality of the distress holding the people.

Later, there came a conclusion that it must be due to their bad deeds in the past. They didn't save their livelihood, they did not care for their planet. And God has left their side, not looking back to help them.

Terrorism increased to a new level. The destroyed nations were an eye catch for the foreign rulers to claim their luck upon.

Without jobs, the once-intelligent men and women running the nations were neglected when there was no food on the plate.

Either they died or killed themselves in despair. The few that willed to survive, became a victim of the flu or wandered door to door in search of food.

No one was spared. There was no hero. Only villains. Competing to perform crimes such that granted them the rule of the place.

It wasn't far until the commoners engaged in agriculture and women turning into prostitutes. Only the ones with rich backgrounds stayed on the top, holding up to the railing for not falling among the lower ones.

In the middle of these many problems, people enjoyed entertainment now and then. Such was the charm of most beautiful group of women in Jerebo land where the town gathered in complete attendance to watch their performance.

It was one of the evenings when the reserved elite were seated in the formerly built opera hall decorated the brightest among other landmarks. The light and music glazed so bright and loud, all forms and levels of people were welcome to view. Except they are to be placed according to their levels. As much the rich and affording ones rested in the lush seats awaiting the show, the lower class could only peep from the window panes risking their lives by climbing to the topmost. Because the higher they went the better the view.

"Do you see that? Almost all the Princes of Europe are here! I didn't expect the advertising this week to bring such an impact!" One of the performing women commented while examining the audience from the top of backstage.

"Yes Pam! See the guy on the right. He has not even moved ever since he sat down. I would love to see him crack when he watches today's act!"

"Ow! Put that leg away from me Frey."

Pam and Frey were watching from the row of symmetrical holes built in the lower part of the changing rooms which faced the audience directly. That way many girls enjoyed watching their prey they want to catch.

"Girls! Young, old, new, I want all of you hurrying your legs and for once in life bring brains too!"

The girls looked at each other from their lied down positions on stomach, grunting they got up to the manager's call.

Scrutinising every pair of eyes present in front of the heavily wrinkled woman who hid them all under the foundations giving her a better appearance as a manager of dancers.

Whether she was despising the perfect covers on the flaws of the women or if she always held the usual disappointed look was beyond the imagination of girls. Not that they imagined their Madam Carry.

"All are here?" Madam Carry asked in confirmation. Prompt Yes, Yeah and approvals pained the ears but she stayed put. "So, as for the night-"

"Where's Lucy?" Dove interrupted in impact that everyone focused on one name. Reacting to it they checked their companions if they could find Lucy.

Madam stared at the girl who made the commotion. Dove was the only one among them who couldn't stand watching her peers achieve higher. Especially Lucy.

In all her life and career, Madam Carry did not happen upon anyone dancing as mesmerising as the girl Lucy.

That was the reason for Dove's bitterness for the girl who achieved all in the very start. Whereas Dove had trained and practiced since she was 6 years old.

"She must be getting ready." Madam Carry had this undeniable soft spot for the girl. She knew it was not correct but she just couldn't help it.

"We are all performing tonight and she is the only one who needs to 'get ready'? You are being biased Madam." There were quite hums from the others to support Dove's point.

Carry knew what that girl was doing. It wasn't the first time for her to counter and also not the first time to see the idiots nodding mindlessly.

"The girl you are accusing is the only one who managed to bring this group into an opera. Or you were all living upon the stale porridge as life!" She sternly watched Dove then took hold of every nineteenth pair, silencing them by her look.

One by one they blinked and looked away, agreeing to the harsh truth.

Sighing Madam Carry returned to the influencing aura, "Enough talk of Lucy. She is a girl just like you with the same desire as you all to improve lifestyle. Do you hear the crowd?" She spoke of the incessant noise audible to them. The time has come.

"You all did this. Never in this country has their existed a place with this much crowd not involving guns or ammo. At least I haven't seen it! Yet, here they are. Waiting to see you girls do the best you know. Capture their minds." She pronounced it so slowly, it ringed in their ears.

"And we are nothing without you. If you hadn't purchased us like a peculiar meat from the market we won't be here anyway." Lucy entered in her costume made for the night's special occasion, her comment indicated straight to the selfish Madam. She was wearing a butter colored dress matching her tone. It matched with her complexion so much that there was no telling of the difference apart from the glitters on the dress.

"So this is her nude tango? Even if you don't become anything, you are a flawless mocker. I am telling you Carry, if she stays there more than a minute we can have this show lost forever."

"Stop! That is it!" Lucy was on verge of arguing back when the Madam yelled them to halt. "I don't want a single complaint from you both. Nothing for the night," she stared at both one by one, stating the weight of her words clearly. "The girls here are struggling to meet their ends! For once in life begin to think for others."

Post the warning, she sent them off to give a final touch of make up. Lucy stayed, but not without staring back at the incessant Dove eyeing her nastily.

"Your words suit well without me. Don't invite me to hear bullshit." Lucy went past the woman after saying that. Her words seemed hurtful now but there were instances which happened in front of her that gave rise to such iciness.

"I am not that bad of a person Lucy." Madam's words made Lucy roll her eyes yet she stopped to hear the other. "I did what was necessary to be done in this age. The age of waste. That is what we are living in."

Lucy turned back meeting the former's eyes, "You are saying this because I am the only one who actually knows you." She emphasized on the word. Though she spoke bitter for her, Madam Carry loved her favorite pupil's voice. It was a strange phenomenon that the girl got no one to live her youth. If she had been Lucy, she would have played with the attention from those men.

"If you don't like what I say then send me away." Lucy almost uttered the woman's mind. The idea of Nude Tango originated from none other than the women who was way too ambitious than a normal person should be.

Carry narrowed her eyes. "We spoke about this. You are to never, ever bring this topic. Just go back to your room and prepare yourself."

"Carry, I-"

"What kind of a thankless child are you?" The tone of the Manager rose. Her anger flew to the grooming rooms of the other girls upon which Lucy could hear their soft snickers, laughing at her. "I gave you a life better than the filth you were living in. Yes! I bought you like a slave but never treated you one! This exclusive room for you, the prestige from your peers, I don't understand why aren't you happy with all this." Madam illustrated her part by pointing at the only beautiful room apart from her own which solely belonged to Lucy.

"Let me go." Lucy voiced her wish which squeezed the Madam's heart. The girl might see the woman as selfish but she had raised her like her own. "Let me go and I'll be happy."

For a long time, she responded nothing to her request. Lucy had not made this request the first time. Thus it didn't surprise her Madam's conflicting mind. Scoffing, she went to the 'most beautiful room' a woman of her status could have.

"Fine."

"What?" The Madam was watching elsewhere, Lucy had to round over to check if she heard right.

"You may go. But before that let us clarify something," the girl who was ecstatic inside paused her emotions for now. This time Madam Carry didn't appear the guilty parent stealing an unwilling child, she was so confident that Lucy recollected if she made a mistake.

"This crowd is waiting just to see you, the real you. And you are leaving now from this place, from the 'brothel-type frame' as you say." Lucy blinked away, she had said that once when she was too angry. That day the guy she liked among the audience went for her colleague Sia. She thought Sia took him away and that saddened her, at the same time cursing the lot she lived with.

"Who is the selfish one now?" Carry's accusing question brought her to the initial position. The success she had achieved till day didn't include love, only lust and money. But it filled their stomach. How could she leave the show in the middle?