She stared at the gap in between the door and frame for what felt like forever, not daring to move in case it was all some kind of test. Daylight shone through the crack in the door and a feeling of hope took over.
‘I promise you, it’s not a trick. You don’t belong here,’ he said. It was her punter, a regular punter since she’d got here, a punter who she’d built up some kind of weird relationship with. He’d never wanted to sleep with her. Only hug, talk. She’d found it very strange, but also a relief from the relentlessness that was the other brutal male punters she was made to deal with on a daily basis.
‘I can’t trust you,’ she said.
‘Yes, you can. I’ve never hurt you, never made you do… that. You don’t belong in this world. I’m giving you a chance to get out. Take it.’
The voices on the street were distant but not so far that it made her think she couldn’t do this. It had to be worth a shot. If she was caught, she’d be dragged back here and possibly killed for the act of trying to claw back her freedom And he would be killed too. Maybe being dead would be better than what she’d had to endure for the months she’d been kept captive. Hundreds of disgusting men paying money to the people at the top to do whatever they wanted with her, a lot of whom didn’t even speak English. Some of them didn’t even look at her.
She’d imagine each and every one of their deaths during each ordeal. Some would be hit by a train, others a car. She even imagined slitting their throats. It was the only way she’d survived this long.
Holding her breath, Demi Simpson slowly got to her feet and crept across the floor of the dark and dreary room she’d been kept in. Staring down the short corridor, she saw that the front door had been propped open and light flooded in and down towards her own room. There was no one around. No one seemed to be patrolling the hall. There were usually two men who didn’t speak English other than to tell her to get back when they opened her door to pass in some food and water. She wasn’t allowed out of her room. Ever.
‘They’ll kill you,’ she said.
‘I’ll get away. They won’t see either of us ever again,’ he replied.
Letting out her breath slowly, she strained to hear their voices. The place seemed deserted. But why? Had something happened? Not that she cared. All she needed to know was that she could get out of the building. If she could just get onto the street, she could ask someone to help her.
When she’d arrived, they’d taken her shoes and jacket from her so she wouldn’t be able to run. And up until now, she hadn’t wanted to risk it. Today was different. Today was the first time she’d seen daylight in months. She didn’t care that she had no shoes or jacket, worse things had happened to her than going outside barefoot.
‘Just go, now. Before it’s too late and they come back. You won’t get a chance like this again.’
Swallowing the lump of fear in her throat, she gave him a sideward glance, mouthed a thank you and slipped between the gap and into the hall, treading carefully along the cold tiles towards the open door. She was careful not to breathe too quickly so as not to alert anyone that she was out of her room. Music blared from one of the rooms upstairs, and she could hear men laughing, cackling at something lurid most likely. The sound made her speed up a little and, soon, she was by the exit. Peering out, the bright white sky hurt her eyes and she blinked against the light.
The street just a few yards away was busy with people. She had no way of knowing if anyone would help her, but she thought that if someone saw her in the street with no shoes, barely any clothes and covered in bruises, then they would know something was wrong with her.
Turning back to make sure that none of the male guards were behind her, she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw an empty hallway, before turning her attention back to the street and slipping through the gap and into the alleyway.
The air was cold against her skin, but it was the freshest feeling she’d felt in so long. She didn’t know if she had the energy to run, but she was going to give it her best shot.
Moving along the alley quickly, Demi felt the concrete against her feet pierce her skin. She didn’t let it stop her as she moved closer to the end of the alley. Reaching the end, she was met by a locked gate. She needed to climb up and over, so pulling herself up, Demi swung her leg over and dropped down the other side. Looking to her left and then to her right, she noticed that no one seemed to pay any attention to her. They were all too busy sitting at their tables, eating their food and drinking their beers. All but one couple, who were staring at her with a look of concern. She rushed over to them, crouched down beside the female and smiled at her.
‘Do you speak English?’ Demi asked, her voice almost failing her. She’d barely spoken in months since she’d been taken.
‘Yes, I do,’ the girl said. Her accent was from home and Demi’s voice cracked. ‘Are you okay?’
‘No. Can you help me?’
The girl looked across at the man with her. They were both in their twenties, Demi guessed. They couldn’t be much older than her. He looked as terrified as Demi felt and a pang of guilt hit her by dragging them into her ordeal. But she had no other choice.
‘Please. I don’t know how long I have before they realise I’m gone.’
The girl got up from her seat and took her hand. ‘Wait there,’ she said to the man who was still sitting down.
The girl picked up her bag and pulled her through the café towards the toilets. Demi kept her head down, said nothing and made eye contact with no one. Once inside the bathroom, the girl pulled Demi into one of the cubicles and locked the door.
‘What’s happened to you?’ she whispered.
Demi shook her head as tears formed in her eyes. ‘I was taken by a foreign man and brought here.’
The girl’s shoulders slumped. ‘You’re a victim of sex trafficking?’
Demi nodded and the tears spilled over.
‘Do you have your passport?’
‘No. I wasn’t exactly brought here legally.’
‘Right,’ the girl said. Demi could see that she was emotional but trying to hold it together for her sake. She lowered the toilet seat gently and placed her bag on it. ‘I went shopping today and bought some clothes. Get changed into them. There’s a hairbrush in there and make-up. Try to do yourself up as best as you can. We’re going to try to get you some help. Okay?’
Demi sobbed silently. She couldn’t believe that this girl had taken her at face value and was going to the lengths she was to help her. Demi wasn’t out of danger yet. They could still find her. It was highly unlikely that she would get away unscathed.
‘Thank you,’ Demi whispered as the girl handed her the bag. ‘I don’t even know your name.’
‘It’s Lucy.’ She smiled, and then suddenly she hugged Demi close to her. ‘We’re going to get you away from here. Together.’
Demi sighed and clung to the girl. She really wanted to believe her.
Demi looked at her face in the mirror after Lucy had done her make-up and hair. She still looked like herself, but less shocking. The clothes, the hair and new face might be enough to disguise her to get through the streets.
‘Allan is finding out where the British Consulate building is from here. As soon as we know, we’ll take you there. Okay?’ Lucy said.
She nodded, glanced at Lucy in the mirror. ‘Why are you being so kind?’
‘You asked us for help. We couldn’t just leave you there on the street. Something terrible has happened to you. What kind of person would I be if I abandoned you when you had no one else to turn to?’
Demi hadn’t spoken to Lucy about her ordeal, only that she’d been abducted. She’d kept everything in, too terrified that if she spoke of the truth, the terror of escaping might hold her back.
Lucy’s phone pinged in her pocket and, as she looked at her phone, she nodded and glanced at Demi.
‘Allan has found where we need to go. Are you ready?’
Demi nodded, and Lucy took hold of her hand.
‘You’re going to be fine, Demi. I promise, we’ll get you home.’
Demi felt her heart lurch as Lucy opened the cubicle door and stepped out, holding her hand and gently pulling her out. They moved through the café and out to the terrace, where Demi could see Allan standing up at their table. He looked anxious as he wrung his hands together.
‘Ready?’ Lucy asked him.
‘Aye, but just sit down for a minute, eh?’
‘What’s wrong?’ Demi immediately began to panic. ‘They’re here, aren’t they?’
Allan took a breath. ‘There were men walking up and down in groups. A few of them, maybe three or four in each group. Staring at everyone, looking inside the cafés and pubs. It might be nothing to do with you but I don’t want us looking suspicious. So just sit down, we have one more drink. You sit with your back to the street and then we go.’
Demi felt her stomach drop. They knew she was out and they were looking for her.
‘I can’t.’
‘Hey,’ Lucy said. ‘Yes, you can. You look entirely different now to what you did when you got here just half an hour ago. They won’t recognise you.’
‘I can’t take the risk. If I sit here and one of them recognises me, we’re all dead. Lucy, please.’
Lucy glanced at Allan, who nodded.
‘Okay. Try not to panic. There’s a taxi rank over there. We walk together, slowly. We don’t want to look like we’re in a rush. Okay?’
Allan moved out from the table and laid down some cash before they all moved across the street.
Reaching a taxi, Demi climbed in and Lucy was behind her. Allan got into the front. Just as Allan was about to shut the door, the sound of Demi’s name being called across the street made her heart stop.
‘Ignore it,’ Allan said, closing the door. He told the driver where to go and as the taxi pulled away, Demi trembled in her seat.
‘It could have been anyone,’ Lucy said.
‘It was them. I know it was.’
She wanted to turn, to look out the back window to see for herself. But if she did that, then they would see her. They’d chase the taxi. The driver, Allan and Lucy would die, and Demi would too.
‘Lucy,’ Demi started, but before she could ask her to check if they were gone, the taxi came to a sudden halt.
‘What the fuck?’ the driver said as he slammed on the brakes. And that was when something inside Demi Simpson sank.
She watched as two men got out of the car in front of them and walked towards the taxi. Allan turned, glanced at both her and Lucy in the back.
‘That’s them,’ Demi said, unable to tear her eyes from two of the men she recognised from the brothel. ‘They’ve found me.’
The taxi driver reached for the handle, but before he could do or say anything, there was a loud popping sound, and Demi threw herself to the floor. Lucy screamed and fell silent. Demi noticed blood spatters on the seat beside her, and when she glanced up at Lucy, she’d stopped screaming, her body slumped against the back door. She was dead. So was Allan.
By some miracle, the driver managed to slam his foot to the floor and the car jolted forward before screeching down the street.
Demi threw her hands over her head and clung to the seat in front of her where Allan’s body lay lifeless. Gunshots rang out behind them as the driver picked up speed.
‘Jesus fucking Christ,’ he screamed as he weaved in and out of traffic. Demi didn’t have to look up to know they were being chased.
The sirens grew louder in the distance. The police were coming. She prayed to every higher being possible that they got to her before Goran and his men did.