Apollyon's Saint Morrighan's Curse Read online

  Chapter Three

  The attic door creaked open letting light creep into the darkness that Gabriel had called home for the past two days. Gabriel had only been up for a few moments when the light of the door shined in. Looking away Gabriel covered his eye's. The light was blinding after being in the darkness for so long. Once his eye's adjusted to the light Gabriel looked down the steps from the attic door. Below was Morrighan with an impatient smile on her face, and arms crossed.

  “Did you not hear me yelling for you?” Gabriel asked still angry at the fact that he was kept up there in the dark.

  “I had to keep you safe. Now is not the time to let our guard down.” Morrighan said looking up at Gabriel.

  “Safe from who?” Gabriel said.

  “You can be used as a weapon, for anyone who knows your secrets.” Morrighan said.

  “So I am just a weapon? A means to an end?” Gabriel said as he stepped down from the attic.

  “No, I believe you are more than that. Although in the wrong hands you are just a weapon.... I think I can bring out the full potential in your curse.” Morrighan said as she turned and began walking downstairs.

  “Well that is comforting.” Gabriel said as he followed Morrighan.

  “Enough idle talk, the moon will soon rise and we will be united with my coven.” Morrighan said as she walked out the front door. Looking outside Gabriel could see the wasteland of the divine. The sun was going down on one end of town while a bright full moon came up on the other end. Almost instantly it was night time. There was no preparation of a lingering sunset. It was as though someone turned natures clock ahead at an alarming speed.

  “We must hurry!” Morrighan said running into the street in front of the house.

  “Wait! I have a gift for you!” Gabriel shouted as he ran behind Morrighan.

  “Yes?” Morrighan said stopping and turning around to Gabriel.

  “Its a pendant that was given to me by a Norse god.” Gabriel said pulling one of the extra pendant's Frigga gave him from his pocket. Holding it out the pendant glowed a bright red in the light of the full moon. Morrighan took the pendant and held it in her hand. After carefully inspecting it, she placed it around her neck.

  “From an Norse god you say?” Morrighan said now inspecting the pedant in her hand while it is around her neck.

  “Yes, it was given to me not long before I escaped from their captivity.” Gabriel said looking away from Morrighan at the night sky.

  “Tell me more about these Norse, while we walk.” Morrighan said, now slowly walking rather than running.

  “They were foul beasts, blood thirsty and ravenous.” Gabriel said while he walked with Morrighan.

  “So if they were so foul, why did they give you such a magnificent necklace?” Morrighan said still holding the pendant in her hand.

  “Well..” Gabriel said trying to think of what to say next.

  “There was one not like the others, she was very kind to me...Maybe she was infatuated with me...I am not really sure.” Gabriel said.

  “And what was this woman's name?” Morrighan asked.

  “Her name...Oh it was Frigga..” Gabriel said worried that he had given away to much information.

  “Frigga? I have heard of this Frigga, tell me more about her.” Morrighan said.

  “Well, she was a very large woman. Though she was very kind.” Gabriel said abruptly cutting himself off.

  “Was she a goddess?” Morrighan asked.

  “Yes, she can see into the future.” Gabriel said.

  “Really? she sounds to me like a witch.” Morrighan said.

  “I don't know what she is, in her land she is known as a goddess.” Gabriel said.

  “As am I, but I am also a witch.” Morrighan said.

  “So how did you escape from these Norse?” Morrighan asked.

  “Well...There was a cabin they were keeping me in. It was inside a land they called Asgard. Outside of the cabin was a bridge that lead over to what they call Midgard. I sneaked out one night and ran across the bridge. You see these Norse are not very smart gods...” Gabriel said as they approached the center of Axal. There in front of Gabriel was a large cauldron. It was boiling and bubbling out a green liquid. Above the liquid was a green haze that glowed in the moonlight.

  “What is this?” Gabriel asked confused.

  “There is no time, the moon is finishing the ritual.” Morrighan said throwing her hands in the air. Then above the cauldron appeared a purple portal. Inside was the faces of the people of Axal, their mouths open as they screamed for help.

  “Come we must hurry!” Morrighan said grabbing Gabriel by the arm. Morrighan ran up to the portal and jumped through. Gabriel knew now was his only chance of escape. He grabbed onto the edge of the cauldron so that Morrighan could not pull him through. His other arm went inside the portal and as it faded it began to burn as though he had stuck his arm in a fryer.

  Gabriel pulled away from Morrighan with all his might. Though the pain was excruciating, and even his other hand burned as he clung on to the cauldron. Then finally the portal began to shrink and close in around his arm. He could still feel Morrighan's grip, but it to was fading.

  “Nooo!” Morrighan shouted through the portal just and it finally closed. Gabriel had barely escaped and his arm was now nothing but bone. He could see every bone in his finger as though the flesh simply melted away. Sitting down Gabriel regained his energy and inspected his mutilated arm. His other hand had huge puss filled blisters from the hot cauldron.

  Getting up to his feet again Gabriel could see the cauldron was now empty. Morrighan was gone and now maybe he could return to the camp outside of town. This was of course if Morrighan had not killed them with ammonia. Just the thought of their fate made Gabriels stomach burn in knots.

  Gabriel began running back out of Axal and towards the camp. As he ran the pain in his hand and arm vanished, as pains in his legs and lungs took over. Then just before he reached the edge of town, Gabriel remembered the people of Axal. What was their fate, he wondered as he ran. He was now just a block from the edge of town where he passed the line of people from Axal. Now he would find their purpose in Morrighan's ritual.

  Running up, Gabriel saw what their fate was. They were all laying on the ground motionless. He could see blood on them but he had hoped it was merely the blood of their sins. That only Gabriel could see, and was of no harm to them. As he got closer he realized, it was actually their blood. In their hand's and laying next to them were bloody knives, and sharp objects.

  It was a mass suicide, and just an ingredient of Morrighans ritual. An entire town wiped out by one witch. They had all slit their own throats, and now lay dead. Gabriel ran along the line of bodies searching for life. But all he could find was death and blood. Off in the forest Gabriel could hear coyotes begin to howl and cry out. They could sense the dead, and were honing in on their next meal.

  Gabriel ran only a short distance before he had seen enough. It was too much to bear seeing people he once knew now gone. There was nothing more Gabriel could do. Now he could only hope that the people at the camp were still alive. As Gabriel left the town, creatures of the night moved in to begin their feast of human flesh.

  Gabriel ran the whole night, stopping only to briefly catch his breath. As he approached his drive way he could see an alarming site. The glow of dying flames, and the smell of fire. Once he had ran up his driveway he could see that his old house was now a pile of ash. Something or someone had torched the place, but why?

  Wasting no time Gabriel ran into the woods and began searching for the camp. It seemed almost impossible since Gabriel could hardly remember the direction that it was in. The sun rose in the sky and Gabriel began to wounder if he was simply running around in circles. There was no sign's of the camp, or the cliff's and now he began to think he was lost.

  “Why didn't I just take the path to the cliffs. Then I could have followed them down to the camp!” Gabriel said to himself. In his rush he di
d not think it would be so hard to find. But the forest was lush and thick. He spent the rest of the morning and into the afternoon searching for the cliff. Until finally he found a meadow. The tree line on the other side of the meadow bellowed back smoke. Gabriel ran through the meadow and towards the direction of the black smoke.

  It was the rebel camp of heaven's abominations. The make shift huts were burnt to the ground, and people laid dead around the camp. Gabriel's heart sank as he came up to the camp. Morrighan had not killed them, but something else had. Body's were torn into and blood and gore was all around the village. Heaven's abominations were finally set free.

  Running through the camp Gabriel searched for Tiffany. As he ran through the village a woman held her hand up to Gabriel. One of her legs had been torn off, and blood ran down from her lips. She was beyond Gabriel's help. Even a modern medical facility would have a hard time saving the woman. Her skin was pale and stained with bloodshed.

  “Heee....Help me.” The woman said coughing up blood.

  “What happened!” Gabriel said reaching his hand out to grab hers. The moment his hand met hers, Gabriel was thrown into hell's waiting room. Darkness was all Gabriel could see, and he knew all too well what was happening. All Gabriel wanted to do was find Tiffany, but now he was stuck in the woman's sinful past.

  “Shit!” Gabriel shouted as he found himself in a bedroom. On the bed was an older woman with needle laying next to her. She had a tourniquet still around her arm. She was pale and foaming from the mouth. On the other side of the bed was the young woman Gabriel touched hands with in the village.

  “Momma!” The girl cried as she shook her dead mother back and fourth on the bed. Tears ran down her eyes as she tried to revive her mom. A young boy walked into the room. All he he had on was a diaper, and he was covered in dirt. The boy probably had just started walking. He looked on as the young woman tried to revive her mother.

  “KNOCK KNOCK” A loud thud hit the front door. The young woman wiped the tears from her eye's and walked out into the living area. Gabriel followed and there were two young girls laying on mattresses in the living room. There were no furniture or TV's, just dirt, mattresses and dishes on the floor. The young woman cracked open the door and looked out. She did not remove the chain lock, as though it would protect her from an intruder.

  “Is your mother here?” A geeky looking man asked.

  “No she is not here.” The young woman said shutting the door. The man put his foot in the crack though so she could not close it.

  “You tell her if rent isn't paid by tomorrow then you guys are out of here! She has not paid a penny in three months!” The man said as he removed his foot from the door. The young woman shut the door, as she did tears ran down her face once more. Turning around she walked back into the bedroom where her mother was. The toddler boy now had the syringe in his hand and was playing with it.

  “Charlie NO!” The woman said as she took it from the boys hand.

  “Momma?” The boy said pointing at the dead woman on the bed.

  “Come on Charlie go play with your sisters.” The woman said as she carried Charlie out of the room. She closed the door behind her and walked out to the living room. Gabriel watched as the young woman gave the kids cereal without milk for dinner. Then she tucked the kids in under torn blankets. Before bed they all held their hand's together and said a prayer.

  “God? I don't know if you can hear us. I know I haven't been the best....But please god, please don't split my family up. Let me stay here with my brother and sisters. I know I can take care of them with your help god. Please bless us, and welcome our mother to heaven with open arms. I know she was not the best of servants, but she had a big heart. She had her fault's, and her demons to face. Tell her we love her, and that we will be alright. Please god, let us be alright....Amen” The young woman said as tear ran down her face.

  “Amen” The other children said.

  “Is momma really in heaven?” One of the girls asked crying.

  “Yes, she is in a better place. But you can't tell anyone or they will take us away!” The young woman said.

  “Amber I am scared!” The little girl said crying. Amber went over and held her sister. The other girl and boy got up from their mattresses and went over to Amber. She held her brother and sisters until they fell asleep from crying. Gabriel's eye's were watery but no tears fell. He had seen so many nightmares locked away in society's closet. This one was heart wrenching, yet all he could think about was Tiffany.

  Amber got up and put the children in their beds. Their little heads drooped from her arms. She did not look old enough for the task ahead of her. But she had to grow up fast with a drug addict for a mother. It was clear that she was already raising her family. Once the children were all in their beds she walked over to the door. She took one look back to make sure the children were asleep.

  Walking out into the bright lights of the apartments hallway, Gabriel followed Amber. They had not walked but a few doors down and amber knocked on a door. After knocking for a few moments Amber turned to walk away. Then the door cracked open and a tall man in his briefs peered out. He looked as though he had just woke up and squinted his eyes to the light.

  “Amber?” The man said.

  “Jerome, it's my mom..” Amber said.

  “Oh no.... What happened now?” The man said with an irritated look on his face.

  “She....She's dead!” Amber shouted as tears started falling again.

  “Come on, come inside.” Jerome said as he opened the door and turned into the apartment. Amber followed him in and once inside Jerome put his arm around her and hugged her. She buried her head into his chest and she started crying harder. Strangely Gabriel could see a smile on Jerome' face. It made Gabriels stomach turn and he felt nauseous.

  “I am so sorry Amber.” Jerome said.

  “I....I don't wanna lose my family!” Amber said hysterically.

  “Did you call the cops?” Jerome asked.

  “NO!” Amber shouted.

  “Okay, it's going to be okay!” Jerome said with a bigger smile.

  “How is it going to be okay? They will put us in a home.” Amber said pulling away from Jerome. As she did the smile dropped from his face to a concerned frown.

  “Where is she now?” Jerome asked.

  “In her room.” Amber said.

  “Alright I know a place where we can take her.” Jerome said as he grabbed his coat and clothes off his couch. Gabriel looked around the apartment. Pictures of nude women lined his walls. He had nice leather couches and a huge entertainment system. It was clear to Gabriel that Jerome was a womanizer and had money. Gabriel did not want to know how Jerome was able to buy leather furniture in a ghetto apartment.

  Jerome put his clothes and coat on and headed into his kitchen. Jerome grabbed a box of trash bags and closed the cupboard. More tears ran down Amber's face, she knew what the trash bags were for. She stared blankly at Jerome who was now wide awake. He opened another cupboard and began going through it.

  “Is there blood?” Jerome asked.

  “No.....I think she overdosed but I am not sure. There was a needle next to the bed and she is very pale.” Amber said.

  “And you are sure she is dead?” Jerome asked as he closed the cupboard.

  “I....I don't know for sure..” Amber said thinking very hard.

  “Alright...” Jerome said with a sigh.

  “Lets go kid.” Jerome said as he put his arm around Amber.

  “Wait let me go pull the car up to the entrance. We are going to have to put her in the trunk.” Jerome said walking out the door.

  “Just be ready to move fast.” Jerome said in a hurry.

  “Okay but we have to be quite, the kids are asleep.” Amber said. Jerome just nodded his head as he walked down the hallway. Gabriel followed Amber as she walked back to her apartment. She walked in the door and could see the children were still sleeping. She quietly walked into the back room and opened the door. H
er mom was still in the same spot and changing colors.

  It wasn't long before Jerome came in the room. He walked over to the bed and checked for a pulse. Jerome just shook his head and laid her hand back down on the bed. Jerome wrapped the blanket on the bed around the woman. Then he pulled out the trash bags and placed one over her head. Then one over her legs. Jerome scooped the woman up in his arms. His face instantly turned red and his back stiffened up. He nodded his head towards the door and walked out of the room.

  “Okay you have to scout and make sure no one is in the hall.” He whispered to Amber. It was clear that he was struggling with the body. But Amber did as he asked and she peered into the hallway. A couple of drunks stumbled past her.

  “Hey honey!” One of the men said winking at her. It did not phase her though, and she just watched as they walked into an apartment.

  “K it's clear.” Amber said, just as she did Jerome quickly walked out with the woman. Amber took one last look at the kids and then locked the door as she followed Jerome. Amber ran ahead to open the door for Jerome. Once it was open Jerome ran for the open trunk and dumped the woman inside.

  “Get in.” Jerome said as he slammed the trunk shut. Amber ran around and jumped in the passenger seat. Gabriel quickly followed and got in the back. He knew what would happen if he did not stick close to Amber. Jerome jumped in and started driving. At first there was minutes of an awkward silence.

  “I am soo sorry Amber.” Jerome said.

  “It's okay, it was her choice and she always chose the drugs over us. I love her, but I hate her!” Amber said smacking the glove box with her hand.

  “Thank you so much for helping me Jerome, I don't know how I will ever repay you.” Amber said as they drove through the ghetto. They passed bum's and drunks who walked through the streets like zombies.

  “Its no problem, I couldn't sleep anyways.”Jerome said.

  “So where are we going?” Amber asked as she looked out the window.

  “I know a place where they won't find her. But it's gonna be a long night.” Jerome said as he turned down a dark street. They were still in the city and Gabriel could see the light of sky scrapers over some tree's. They had pulled into an empty parking lot near a park with a big lake. Next to the parking lot were paddle boats with chains around them so no one could steal them. A sign read, “Boat rentals, four hours for ten dollars. Or twenty for the whole day.” Next to the sign was a wooden booth to collect the money.

  Jerome got out of the car and popped open the trunk. He grabbed a pair of bolt cutters and headed over to the boats. It seemed as though he had done this before. Gabriel and Amber got out and followed him. He cut the pad lock that chained all the boats together. He then threw the large chain in the back of one of the boats.

  “Ever been on a paddle boat?” Jerome asked.

  “No.” Amber said shaking her head.

  “It's really simple, I will show you. But first we need to get your mother on the boat.” Jerome said as he pulled the boat down near the water.

  “Hey find me some large rocks while I get your mother.” Jerome said as he walked towards the car. Amber went along the shore line rounding up rocks. She was shivering and had no coat. The cool lake air was even too much for Gabriel. Gabriel rubbed his hands together and crossed his arms. The lights from the sky scrapers shined on the dark waters of the lake. The lake was massive, and a risky place to dump a body.

  It was right in the middle of the city, and someone had to have been watching. But then again everyone knows what happens to people who talk. They end up in the lake as well so its for their own good to look away. Gabriel wanted to since he could already see how this would end. This was much like Ashley's, and Tiffany's story. They start out young and with nothing to lose. So humanity takes everything from their poor souls.

  Along the beach were little gum ball machines. But instead of gumballs there was fish feed. With sign's that read “Feed the catfish!” It was an eerie thing to read. Since that would be what happened to her mother. She was about to be fish food. By the time Amber came back with the last rocks she could find, Jerome had her mother on the ground. He had removed the trash bags and was filling them with rocks.

  Grabbing the rocks from Amber he stuffed the last bag with rocks. Then he wrapped the chain around Amber's mother. After that he quickly tied the trash bags of rocks to the chain. It didn't look like it would stay on her. But it most likely did not matter, as long as it held her down for long enough for the fish to have their feast.

  “Okay help me get her on the boat.” Jerome said as he grabbed the woman’s upper portion. Amber grabbed her mothers legs and with a huge strain they got her in the boat. A vein rippled out of Amber's neck as she struggled to get her in the boat. Amber was by no means a big woman, she was maybe 5'2 and 110 pounds. Just a frail little thing finding herself in a cobweb of life. They got in the boat which had only two seats. The back had an area for coolers though. Which is where Amber's mother now was, and Gabriel had to sit back there as well. Jerome pushed the the boat into the water and got in as well.

  “I am sorry! How rude of me, are you cold?” Jerome asked.

  “Its okay I'm fine.” Amber said shivering.

  “Here take my coat.” Jerome said as he wrapped his coat around Amber. It was shortly followed by his arm.

  “Okay so what you do is just peddle like a bike. When we want to turn one way, we peddle on the opposite side.” Jerome said as he started peddling.

  “Easy enough.” Amber said as she too paddled. They had only made it a short distance and it was clear Jerome was peddling harder. The boat was starting to turn around.

  “You have to peddle harder, we don't have all night to mess around!” Jerome said frustrated.

  “Okay I am sorry, I am peddling as hard as I can!” Amber said. Jerome retracted his arm as he looked angry, but just bit down on his lip.

  “Now we need to get to the middle of the lake. Out there is the deepest and at this rate it will be morning by the time we get there.” Jerome said, but Amber just remained silent and peddled as hard as she could. As they moved towards the middle Jerome seemed to grow even more impatient, until finally he stopped peddling.

  “Okay we will just have to throw her out here.” Jerome said in a non sensitive manner.

  “Ohh...okay..” Amber said as tears came down again.

  “Come on no time for tears right now. You can cry later, right now we need to finish what you started.” Jerome said. Gabriel cringed when he heard him say what “You” started.

  “Now be very careful we can easily tip this thing over and I cannot swim.” Jerome said as he crawled over the seat and into the back. Amber slowly followed him and took one last look at her mother.

  “On three...One...Two...Three.” Jerome said as they pushed her into the lake. It wasn't the normal funeral speech. But it was no more than she deserved for abandoning her children for poison. She splashed into the lake and then vanished into the depths below. Amber just looked over the edge and watched her mom vanish.

  They turned around and started the journey back to the shore. It was clear that Amber was tired of paddling and was completely emotionally drained. She looked off at the sky scrapers with a numb look in her eyes. In one day her whole world had been turned upside down. In Gabriel's eye's she looked like wounded prey. Now the predators would circle in and devourer her, like they did so many others. This world was not for the weak, or innocent, you are either predator or prey.

  The city around her was simply a swarm of piranha’s. Her tears were blood, and now they were coming in for the kill. The watery grave of her mother was just the start to the nightmares ahead. Gabriel sat in the back, knowing what came next. Feelings of empathy came over him, but he knew it would be crushed by sadness.

  They made it back to the shore and got back in the vehicle. The ride back through the dark streets was a silent one. The piranhas of bums, drunks, and drug dealers looked inside at her. It was as though they could
see into her soul. Theirs was black and corrupted and hers was bleeding out into the night. Jerome once again put his arm around Amber.

  “I don't know what I am going to do now..” Amber said. Jerome remained silent and just looked at the road ahead of him.

  “If I don't have rent, they are going to evict us.” Amber said looking at Jerome.

  “Heh, well I can spot you some money. How far behind are you?” Jerome asked still looking at the road.

  “Three months..” Amber said.

  “Holy shit girl, three months?!” Jerome said frustrated.

  “I know I don't know what we are going to do.” Amber said as they pulled into the parking lot of the apartments. Jerome pulled out a wad of cash and started counting hundred dollar bills.

  “Here this will buy you time, stop by my house tomorrow afternoon and we will figure out a job for you.” Jerome said. Amber took the cash and then latched onto Jerome and gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

  “Thank you sooo much, I owe you my life!” Amber said as she let go and got out of the car. In the blink of an eye Gabriel was in hells waiting room of darkness. He took the moment to prepare his mind for what was to come. He tried to detach himself from emotions so that whatever he might see would not be as painful to watch. Gabriel found himself sitting on Jerome's leather couch. Amber and Jerome were both sitting down as well.

  “So you know how I gave you that money for rent?” Jerome said.

  “Yeah?” Amber said.

  “Well, nothing in life is free you know that right?” Jerome said looking at Amber.

  “I know...” Amber said looking down at the floor.

  “Here come over here.” Jerome said holding out his arms. Amber got up and walked over and sat down on Jerome's lap. Jerome began caressing her body and kissing her neck. At first Amber pulled away but Jerome gave her a stern look. Jerome was looking to collect on his debt. Amber did not look like she was into what was happening but she stopped resisting.

  Jerome undressed Amber and began having sex with her. Gabriel looked away and could only hear the disgust in the room. Trying to be any place but there Gabriel's mind drifted back to Tiffany. Was she alive, captive, or dead? The worst thoughts began running through his mind. There was no place for Gabriel to hide. He could either face the fact that Tiffany could be dead, or give in to his curse. Accepting the horrifying thing that was happening in the room.

  Amber's face was expressionless, she numbly looked up at the ceiling. Jerome continued to ravish her as she looked up at the white ceiling. She was doing the same thing Gabriel was. Trying to be any place but right there, with him. Sex had become not a pleasure, but a commodity to be sold. It was all that Amber had to give, and Jerome knew it.

  “You on the pill?” Jerome called out.

  “Na....No” Amber said looking to the side. Finally Jerome stopped and got up. Leaving Amber naked and exposed on the bed. Jerome turned and walked into a back room. As he did tears started running down Amber's face. It had sunk in what just happened to her. She was paid to be raped, and Jerome was a rapist.

  “Here take one of these every day, starting now.” Jerome said throwing a bottle of pills at her. Amber grabbed them and took one without water.

  “None of that crying shit, it's time to grow up.” Jerome said as he grabbed her clothes and threw them at her. Amber began getting dressed and Jerome sat down and watched.

  “Now on to business, you got a cell phone?” Jerome asked.

  “Nope, we don't have any phone.” Amber said as she put on her bra. Jerome opened up his coffee table and pulled out a cell phone.

  “Here take this one.” Jerome said handing it to her.

  “Whats it for?” Amber asked with a frown.

  “Well you know how I said I would get you a job?” Jerome said.

  “Yes?” Amber said putting the phone in her pocket.

  “Alright, sit down I will explain how it works.” Jerome said. Amber hesitated for a second and looked at the door.

  “Go out it!” Gabriel shouted, but it was no use. Amber sat down and looked at the wall in front of her.

  “Now look at me when I talk to you!” Jerome demanded.

  “Okay I am sorry! It's just that....That was my first..” Amber said as tears welled in her eye's.

  “I know it was..” Jerome said without remorse. Amber looked at him and wiped the tears from her eye's.

  “Alright now, you work for me got it?” Jerome said pointing at her. Amber just numbly shook her head.

  “Other people will promise you many things, but at the end of the day only I can protect you. Not the cops, not your friends, or the people I send you to. You don't do anything with the money but bring it right back to me. Now if you decide to fuck with me, I will have them put you and your brother, and your sisters in a home. Got it?” Jerome said in a stern voice.

  “Yes I got it, but I don't know what you want me to do.” Amber said confused.

  “I will get to that but first you gotta know the rules of this game. I make the rules, and you follow them. If I say jump you better say how fucking high Jerome. K!? Jerome shouted.

  “Okay!” Amber shouted back with rolled eye's.

  “Now I am serious here. This business I am in is a deadly one. Without me you will end up dead. No girl can make it out there on here own. The streets are a nasty place for the weak. But I'm gonna toughen you up and make a woman out of you. I will make your dreams come true and you will be able to take care of your family.” Jerome said pausing.

  “I know I am being hard on you. But I am doing this so you can survive. So that your brother and sisters can stick together.” Jerome said.

  “I...I know, I should be more grateful.” Amber said looking down at the floor.

  “You're damn right you should be. But know I am not a person to be fucked with....Now how this works is when I call you, your ass better be ready. We get really busy at night and even during the day. I got three girls working for me and I am a busy man. So don't keep me waiting, or our customers waiting. So what do you do when I call?” Jerome said

  “Be ready?” Amber said.

  “Be mother fuckin ready..We will get you some sexy clothes and underwear. Cause that shit you are wearing now is the same shit my grandma wore. You will wear what I buy you all the time. So that when I come you are in the parking lot waiting.” Jerome said.

  “So what is it I gotta do after you pick me up?” Amber said.

  “I will get to that, just hear me out here. Now you will keep clean, wear make up, do your hair, and I don't want no marks on your face or body. If I find out you are doing drugs or abusing your body then you will pay for it. Now most of the time you will be working in a hotel. I will wait until you are done then you will give me everything that our customer gives you. You treat our customers like they are a fucking king. We want them to come back for more, and in this business customer service is king.” Jerome said as he opened the coffee table again. Jerome pulled out a bag of assorted condoms and threw them over to Amber.

  “Now you let them choose one of those. I don't care if you are sucking dick, or being fucked in the ass. You make them put one of those on. I can't afford to have you getting knocked up by some john. Once they got that thing on you give them anything they want. I don't want to hear no bullshit about you not wanting to do what our customers want.” Jerome said.

  “So I am going to be a prostitute?” Amber asked with a disgusted look.

  “No bitch, you are going to be a sex worker. There is nothing wrong with it and it's a billion dollar industry. Or you can get the fuck out and figure out your own shit!?” Jerome said pointing at the door.

  “No, I will do it. I am sorry this is just all new to me you know?” Amber said.

  “Yes I know but you can't look at it as filthy. This is a luxurious career, and I have helped out many women. If you play by my rules and follow my instruction you will be fine. The guys won't hurt you and I will make sure of it.” Jerome sai
d.

  “So how do I do it?” Amber asked.

  “Well it ain’t rocket science, just let them fuck you and act like you enjoy it. Do just as you did with me but show some passion. Moan and groan, beg them to fuck you, make them believe that you want them. That's really all you gotta do, it's really simple.” Jerome said.

  “Alright I think I got it.” Amber said unsure of herself.

  “Good now lets get you some clothes.” Jerome said getting up from the couch. Just as he got up Gabriel found himself back in darkness.