n's

The smell of cigarette smoke filled the cram

sh girl," Amanda said,

ils glinting under the dim light. She pulled out another cigare

scanning me from head to toe. "Gr

m behind. "She's a vir

u've had enough virgins this week. This o

stand what they were talking a

, isn't she?"

da n

woman's tone was shar

tammered, almost blurti

sixteen?"

said quickl

o years before

My stomac

manda said. "No one

Good. Let her wash up and join the waitr

aper towards m

d or write,"

on the page. "That'll do. You belong to me now. I clothe you, f

erstanding the weight of

small bathroom. After bathing, she returned with a ski

or die," she

lipped into the outfit, tuggin

y ponytail and placing bunny ears on my head, "you'

sic, and bodies pressed close. Some girls danced in cages above the stage,

the place. "She's the new waitress,

tightly, trying

much for the nigh

blocked him. "She's staff,

y. I blinked. How could such

nks. Nothing more. If anyone touches you, say the words, '

f they

ched. The snipers will

w balcony ringed with railings. Dark

ded with a grin, "aren't lights. They'r

lped

r hips swayed to the beat. She smiled at customers, teasing, charming. I

g up the shards. I whispered an apology, but Amanda

ople noticed me. Some smiled, some stared, but none dared touch. When the c

said. "Hide your tips

led notes I'd earned. It wasn't much, but it was mine. For the fir

y outfit no longer made me blush; I wore it lik

I'd tell them with a wink. "You d

ed ever

agician, flaming cocktails, bubbling brews that smoked and fizzed.

en scrubbed the place again by morning. Madam Green provided one meal a day; my tip

were always messy, littered with strange rubber filled with

holding one up, "wh

ching her stomach. "Please t

id smell it, though. Kind of lik

wled with

ms are?" she asked when

ok my

one. Used by

es wi

" she said, still grinning. "An

urling in my gut. Amanda laughed

n, I wore glove

nt, Jack, the same man who had spoken about "unwrapping"

ing?" Madam

, ma

ome to m

d, hands

ight," she said the

M

England," she sn

video played, a woman pole-dancing

hour. You'll pe

dry. "I, I d

she said, lightin

er and over until I could almost feel the music in my

ow

er

she barked. "Of

pped from my fingers, hitting

ut of your pay,"

I muttered before

othe you. That's your p

sor

u want. Unless," she leaned forward, eye

n the stereo. Musi

an

kwardly, my

let between your eyes," she sai

gripp

d, standing. "Le

ut a handkerchief, and

hispered. "Just the music. Just y

y at first, then faster. My body followed the rhythm, unthinkin

stopped, a voic

re like it," M

from my eyes. Jack

" Madam Green said. "A

-trimmed, and dazzling under the lights. She brushed shimmer onto m

he whispered. "A

recognising the girl in the mirr

e glitter, I k

't a d

est possession, shining