Daughters
(The heartbreak of human trafficking)
Emotion of any kind in the house where Emma grew up was a
rare thing, so when she disappeared it took some time before her aunt actually
realized she was missing. Then a month went by, quickly. Aunt Evelyn knew of only
one person who would care, who would do something about getting Emma back, who
would do anything for Emma:
Thousands of young American girls have been
abducted or lured from their normal lives and made into sex slaves. While many
Americans have heard of human trafficking in other parts of the world --
Thailand, Cambodia, Latin America and eastern Europe, for example -- few people know it happens in
the United States.
The FBI estimates that well over 100,000
children and young women are trafficked in America today. They range in age from 9 to
19, with the average age being 11.
UNICEF estimates that 2 million children per
year are exploited in prostitution or pornography.
As many as 300,000 American youth may be at
risk of commercial sexual exploitation at any time. Especially vulnerable are
the homeless and runaways…one third of runaway youths—girls and boys both—will
be lured into prostitution within 48 hours on the streets.
This novel is fiction. Any resemblance to
any person or place is purely coincidental.
Following the excerpt is the list of chapters and contact information.
Chapter 4 in entirety
Emma was left as she was on the bed till morning, then was given dry clothes but no shoes. The trip to wherever they were going took two more days tied and lying on that smelly mattress, and one more night at a motel, where the same so-called training session took place. Emma knew she had no choice, so took it as well as she could and cooperated. When they arrived at their destination she hoped the ‘training’ would stop. It didn’t. The ordeal went on for another day and two nights with different men. The same woman stayed, gave orders, and guided some other young girls to degrade her as well, and if the girls didn’t do as told they were also punished.
She remembered one older woman who did not exactly participate, more like just an observer, and once yelled at one of the men who she must have thought was being too abusive. But what did it matter she wondered? But part of her, she knew, still mattered, and she would remember that one woman. If she ever saw that one woman again she would ask for help. When she finally was taken to a lonely house in the country she had no idea even what part of the country she was in. But among other girls like her she at last felt somewhat safe, and was allowed to sleep until she awoke.
****
But it wasn’t good, restful, sleep. Emma’s dreams were of unhappy times. No, Merle never molested her. He also never loved her, and not that she wanted his love, but he was her main male presence and influence. And Merle never abused her Aunt Evelyn, not physically, but he also never said anything nice to her, and they never hugged or showed any affection for each other, not in Emma’s presence, anyway, so her dream went to her mom and her mom’s boyfriend, and the memory of the three of them hugging at the same time—then Aunt Evelyn appeared and her mom’s boyfriend disappeared, every time.
That dream ended and Merle appeared again. He was smiling, at least his face was different, and his words, “That guy wants you to clean his house again.” That guy, that guy’s name was
“Emma…?”
At last, someone calling her by her real name.
Her dream switched back, way back, she was small and anticipating the new Walt Disney movie, but she couldn’t think of the name, but she was happy just thinking about it, knowing she would be happy for a little while watching it, but Aunt Evelyn said, “You can’t go.” Why? She wondered, but her aunt gave her no reason. She remembered being broken hearted, and remembered other times when she wasn’t allowed to do something she really, really, wanted to. But couldn’t! But why couldn’t she? Why? WHY?
“Emma, wake up.”
She knew she was dreaming. She heard the voice and knew it was gentle and friendly, but even in her dream state she knew what awaited her when she awoke, so she didn’t want to wake up, and fought it.
“Emma, please wake up.”
A girl’s voice, young, like herself.
“Emma, you need to wake up, and eat something. You have to keep up your strength. They’ll keep hurting you no matter what, but they’ll hurt you worse if you don’t cooperate—Emma!”
Someone shook her, but she did not want to awaken, “My daddy will come for me.” She said that very low and had not meant to say it at all. She had no idea about her daddy, and knew she was thinking about her mom’s boyfriend, the man who never, ever, tried to see her, the one who thought sending birthday cards was enough—!
“Emma!”
She opened her eyes and saw an angel with generous blonde hair backlit by one bright window, “Who are you?” she asked, “Where am I?” The person sitting on the bed beside her looked so kind and innocent and trustworthy that she wanted to hug her, so she raised up and put her arms around that angel, and felt arms go around her and hold her tight.
“I’m Alexis, Emma, and I’m trapped here just like you, but I can be your friend…if you want.”
She leaned back and looked again at that angelic face, “I want,” then she leaned into the hug again and Alexis continued hugging her back.
“You mentioned your ‘daddy,’ Emma…but I hate to tell you, ‘daddies’ never come here. Two of the girls here had abortions, and their ‘daddies’ kicked them out. There’s fourteen of us in three different houses, and no ‘daddy’ has ever came.”
Emma knew she was being unrealistic, and she knew her mom’s boyfriend would never come. Yet she wondered why she had been so consistently dreaming about him, but she should probably try to totally block that memory, “Where are we, Alexis? Do you know?”
“We’re in a house not too far from
“You’re prostitutes?”
“Not just us, Emma, but now you are too.”
In the back of her mind she had feared that but she had refused to even think about it. Now it seemed like she had no choice, and tightened her arms around Alexis.
“I know you feel safe right now, Emma, with me, but they separate us too—“
“Why?”
“To keep us from developing too close of a friendship.”
“These people are so cruel.”
“Yes, they are.” Alexis tightened her hug, “But now you have to get up and eat some breakfast. Your first night here you were allowed to sleep and relax, but that’s over now. They’ll be back for you at
A sob escaped her. She just couldn’t help it, “Birth-control?”
Alexis tightened her hug even more for a few more seconds, then patted her shoulder, “Yes, Emma, they don’t want us to get pregnant. But don’t worry. You and I can be friends. But remember, we can’t show our friendship too much. If they notice they’ll separate us right away, and even some of the other girls might tell on us. They think they get privileges for telling! But they don’t.” Alexis patted her shoulder again then relaxed the hug and stood, “Here’s a robe. You can eat breakfast in this. They bring us fast-food twice a day. I saved some for you. Oh, and shower shoes.” She pointed to under the window, “Those haven’t been worn, that I know of, and you definitely want to protect your feet here.”
Emma sat up and swung her legs out, then realized she was naked and covered herself with the bed cloth.
“I know you’ll try to keep yourself covered, Emma, and so do I, but sometimes it’s hard.” Alexis walked to the door, then turned, “They will allow us to share this room, Emma, as long as we don’t appear too friendly. We can be friendly in here, but not out there.” Alexis waved, “See you later….”
She returned the wave, “Thank you, Alexis,” and watched her angelic new friend disappear. When the door closed she grabbed the robe and put it on, then walked to the window. The first thing she saw was mountains in the far distance, then noticed the sun, still to her left and it was still morning she thought, so she was facing south. She didn’t know how knowing her directions could help her but she wanted to know. The only other thing outside was another building that didn’t look like a house. Alexis had said there were three houses, but she doubted that building was. While she stood there her feet found the shower shoes and slid them on.
‘…protect your feet here.’ What Alexis had said almost made it sound like while we’re here, as if she knew they were eventually leaving, but she knew that wasn’t what she meant. She pulled the robe closed and crossed her arms under her breasts and held herself, and released a breath that shook a little. Yes, she was still frightened, but not as much since she had met Alexis. She checked the window for stability, then pushed up, slightly. It moved. She felt it would move all the way and she knew she could break the screen. When the time came…well, the time wasn’t yet. She would learn about this place, and learn about the other girls, and when the time did come she would take Alexis with her and they would escape.
Chapter List
Part One
EMMA
Loss of Innocence
The Abduction First Training
Voice of an Angel
Heather Part 1
Final Training Session
High-end Prostitute
First Trick
Part Two
BAILEY
Where’s Emma?
Kelly’s Bar The Last Person to see Emma
Not Really a Detective
Lance
Heather Part 2
Not my Type
The Binghcon Hotel
Trudy is Your Date
Escape
I’m not Emma
I’ll be Back
The Cabie
The Plan
The Slaver
The Slaver Dies
The End of one Stable
Thanks for reading
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Look for a sequel in 2013
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