Sicko(81)

Just like James.

Isaac continued to lead me down a long hallway. The home was vacant, with no furnishings inside of it, but it smelled fresh. Like bleach and another note I couldn’t quite figure out.

His hand came to a door handle where he squeezed gently, his gold Rolex catching the dim light that hung above our heads from a crystal chandelier.

He looked at me from over his shoulder. “Do what he says, Jade.” Then he pushed the door open and shoved me inside, where I fell to my knees. The door slammed closed behind me, my eyes flying around the room.

Dark bed. Black sheets. No window. The smell of bleach was potent enough to burn the hairs in my nostrils.

Someone stepped out from the shadow in the corner, his body wide, his jaw square. For a brief second, I thought he was beautiful until I realized I was looking at a corpse.



I didn’t speak. Neither of us did. All I knew was that I had my task to do every day while I was there, and I was only collected once it was done.

I don’t know why.

I probably will never know or understand why James wanted him and I to do what we did. When I first met Wicked, I recognized him instantly. At first, I was worried that he had noticed me, but he hadn’t. He had touched every inch of my body, fucked me in every single place that the human body can be fucked, but he didn’t recognize me.

I don’t think.

Isaac is in the space that occupies the elevator, all air sucked from the small confinement. Isaac didn’t speak much, but when he did, he did it with purpose. I always wondered why, or what must have happened to him to turn him evil, or whether he was maybe just like James and born that way. The numbers on the elevator go down.

11.

10.

9.

8.

7.

6.

5.





4.


Until we hit ground zero.

And then we drop lower.

The symbol that appears on the elevator number was simple, yet the very look of the light rose feelings inside of me that I tried to crush.

The Diamond.

The metal doors slide open and Sloane breathes from behind me in slow, deep inhales.

I turn to face her as Isaac steps out, waiting for us. “Relax, okay? It’s going to be fine.” When I turn back around, I’m instantly hit with a flood of memories from over the years and images of the times that I’ve set foot in here. The room is dark, with leather bench seats lining the walls. There are orange LED lights beneath the seats, lighting the otherwise hazy atmosphere. The bar is in the middle of the room in a circle, and in all four corners of the vast space, there are platforms with white LED lights circling them. The stages are important. It’s where they display the girls. There are three showings throughout the night, twelve girls in total. Out of the twelve, at least one will be a virgin.

Not every girl is sold for sex, this is human trafficking. It can be slavery, sex, mistresses, hell—it could be whatever the buyer wants it to be. There are husbands and wives who come in together, too. There are people who you might sit next to at church on Sunday who would come to a showing.

The bartender’s face is covered with a cloth around his mouth, hiding his identity, as people are scattered around socializing.as they socialize. Soft, haunting music plays in the background, an organ with the keys being pressed a little too hard. It reminds me of the ocean, and of Pirates of the Caribbean. It reminds me of Davy Jones and his locker.

I begin walking toward the curtain where I know James is, when Isaac’s hand comes to my arm, halting me. “You won’t be needing to go back there tonight.”

I look down at his arm, before coming back to his face. “Why?” Dread fills my bones well before I asked the question, the ground falling away beneath my feet. If what I think is about to happen happens, then I can’t help Sloane. Not even a little. Her only way of escaping was through that curtain and in James’ emergency escape room.

Isaac’s eyes flicker, but before I can catch it, it’s gone. “You know why, Jade.”

“Me?” I ask through a whisper. “I’d rather die.” Yanking my arm out of his grip, I spin around and run toward the curtain, leaving Sloane behind. She would be safer out here for now until I figure out what James is planning to do. Whipping the curtain open, the room is empty. Stepping inside, I take a good look around. The black leather chair, the TV monitors, the whiskey tray, and the burning cigar laying in a glass ashtray.

Spinning around to grab Sloane so we can make a run for it, I slam into James’ chest and just as I’m about to yelp, he stabs me with a needle in the crook of my neck and everything turns black.



I was back to the first time I was brought here, only it’s different. It feels familiar, while the whispers of ghosts from the previous people float around the space.

I was on my knees. Awaiting what James was going to do. I couldn’t get the image of the girl out of my head, though. It was bothering me. I didn’t know why, but it was like a mirror was behind me and I was staring at my reflection.

“Jade.” James entered, naked from head to toe as orange LED lights softly lit up the room from beneath the seating. The bar was in the center. Where a few men were seated in this room. Maybe this was a more intimate area to what was happening out there.

The men are a range of differences, suited, fat, skinny, young. Why would they be here?