I waited for my mum to explain what was going on but words couldn't come out of her mouth and she wouldn't let Joe speak either.
Before anyone could say anything, Rey came rushing in.
Rey: Boss, the girls have escaped
Joe: what do you mean by the girls have escaped, how did they escape?
Cindy: I let them out.
Me: what girls are you talking about?
She walked in and stood in front of Leila facing Joe
Joe: why would you do something so stupid?
Cindy: because am tired of being your prisoner and your puppet. We were supposed to be partners but you treat me like the rest of the girls in this brothel
Me: a what?
Cindy: a brothel, you know a place where girls are kept in exchange of sex and money?
Mum: Cindy stop it!
Me: No, we are stuck here because no one is leaving this place so she might as well just talk about it.
Cindy: your mother owns this brothel and she sells girls for sex. She collects them from the streets, Dresses them, feeds them, houses them and Joe here helps her with getting the rich men and he gets 30% of the money made. why do you think he is the boss,
Joe shot at Cindy three times with one bullet escaping her and hitting Leila on the arm. I ran to Leila and bent over to help her up and then Joe put the gun to my head.
Mum: Joe what are you doing?
Joe: I think it would be better if I cleared off everyone. if the other girls escaped it's only a matter of time before the police come barging in here.
Mum: she is my daughter.
Joe: she is a threat unless you want to go down with her.
He turned to my mum with his gun.
I got up and shot him three on the back and he fell.
Mum: Roxana!
Me: the fact that I haven't shot you too does not mean I won't, get out of my face before I forget that you are my mother and as for you, (addressing Rey)
You are going to show us the way out of this place and am not asking, now carry her
Rey had no option but to follow my orders since I was the one holding the gun. He carried Leila and we left mum and the two bodies.
We walked all the way to the gate then one of the loyal men to Joe stopped us pointing two guns at us, One at Rey and Leila and the other one at me.
Rey: Ben, Joe is dead and we won't last here long. The police are probably on their way.
Ben: who called the police?
Rey: the three girls who escaped.
Ben: you mean the ones I have just shot at the rough road. Put your gun down bitch, Joe might be dead but his orders are still to be carried out.
I couldn't put my gun down. I couldn't go back there. I couldn't spend another night in this place. I had a funeral to attend and a hypocrite of a mum to expose. I wanted to stand on the roof top and shout her deeds to the whole world. How could she stoop so low, and how could she do this to us?
Me: I am not putting my gun down. My friend is hurt and she needs medical attention. I know you guys operate without a heart in here but my friend will not die as I watch.
Rey: come on bro, let them go. We don't have anything to loose.
Ben: I will not allow anyone to leave this place. This place has kept me from the streets, Thanks to Joe who by the way you have murdered. this place has fed and clothed me and when it's shut down I will end up back in the streets and I can't allow that to happen now turn around and start walking.
I had to way my options. If I shot him, he was still going to shoot Leila with the other gun and maybe this time she would have died. I dropped my hand from his face.
Me: I will go back with you but you have to let her go and get medical attention.
He didn't respond but shot Leila again and before I could react to that he hit my head with the gun and I passed out.
I woke up hours later in a very dark room with no windows. I walked from wall to wall trying to feel any opening but there was none except for the door that was locked.
I was very scared but I had to be strong enough to make it out of here alive. I don't even know what happened to Leila after she was shot and I didn't know where she was. I had assumed that she was in the same room but I called severally with no response.
In this room, there was no bed or any bedding and so I sat down on the cold floor. a few minutes later, the door was opened then the lights went on and Ben walked in with a bucket of water and poured it on me.
Ben: I felt like you needed a shower, how many days have it been since you had one?
The effect of the cold water could not let me speak. He walked towards me then grabbed me and pushed me to the wall.
Ben: you are so beautiful, now I know why Jack was so obsessed with you.
I looked away from his very serious face.
Ben: don't be shy; you know we have the whole room to ourselves.
I pushed him away and tried to run but when I got to the door, he pushed it locked and sandwiched me in between him and the door and pressed himself on my back and started kissing my neck as he slid his gun from my head all the way to my back then rested it at my waist.
I was shaking and tears found their way down my cheeks as I thought of what this idiot would do with that gun he had buried deep on my waist.
"turn around" he commanded and my hesitation made him turn me around himself vigorously pushing me hard with my back on the door.
I tried to push him off as he was standing way too close but he grabbed my waist and pulled me to him instead.
Ben: you haven't been so nice to me you know...
He said running his fingers from my hair, down to my chin as he rubbed his face against mine. I pushed him off and what followed was a heavy slap.
Ben: don't forget am holding the gun so you better behave or I will just kill you too.
Me: why did you shoot Leila?
Ben: She deserved it, with her dead, you would not have to go worrying about her or branding me heartless even though am still debating on whether or not I should kill you too. She knew too much but as for you, I'm still debating on whether or not I should kill you too.
Me: why are you doing this? Don't you have a mind of your own? Don't you know how to differentiate good and evil.
Ben: shut up before I make you!
Banging the gun on the door as I shrunk back.
He grabbed my hair and started pulling me towards one of the other rooms the pain I was feeling when he pulled my hair made me follow him willingly. When we got there he pushed me inside the room then shut the door behind him. He unbuttoned his shirt with one hand as the other pointed the gun at me and as much as I wanted to scream the house down I could not. I was very much aware of what he wanted to do so I got down and went under the bed, he didn't even bother to get me immediately, he finished undressing then he bent down and grabbed my leg then pulled me out. Attempts to throw a few kicks failed.
He pushed me to the bed and pinned me down. I tried to push him off but he was too strong. The more I fought him the more he rained slaps on my face. He held my neck and strangled me as he had his way with me. it was such a painful experience and when he was done, he left me there to die .
Minutes later, I got off the bed and crawled to the bathroom as I could walk. I got there, opened the tap and sat there as the water from the shower fell on me. I was feeling so filthy and I wanted to wash of his sweat and scent off me. I couldn't stop feeling him all over my body and my neck hurts from the chocking.
Half an hour later I was still seated there. I couldn't help but cry my heart out thinking of the things I had been through in the past few days. I felt like blaming thus on my mother and speaking of her, how could she leave and leave me here? I was mad.
Rey walked into the room and the first sight he saw was the sheets soaked in blood on the bed. When he heard the shower in the bathroom he came and stood by the door.
Rey: hey, are you okay in there?
Me: Go away
he didn't. Instead he pushed the door open grabbed a towel and I sat there looking at him wondering why he was concerned all over sudden.
Rey: it's okay, get up.
He hanged the towel on his shoulder and helped me up. He covered me with the towel then led me to a different room. He had lay on the bed then covered me and watched the tears drip on the pillow.
He sat on the edge of the bed and watched me for a while.
Rey: am sorry about what happened to you back there.
Me: why are you sorry yet this is why you keep girls here?
Rey: the other girls come willingly, something that is different from your case. I know you were kept here against your will.
Me: where is my friend?
Rey: she is okay. I took care of her wounds, she will be fine.
Me: why are you helping us?
Rey: Get some rest. I will be back with a doctor to check on you.
Me: i asked you a question..
Rey: i will answer all your questions but you need to get well first..
Rey got up and before he could go out the door, Ben walked in with his gun pointing it at Rey.
Ben: you are not going anywhere you traitor!...