Let me introduce myself. I’m not really a foreigner, just foreign-returned and foreign-educated. I’ve been in the USA studying and working for ten years and now I’m back in Mumbai. I have certain tastes and I would like them to be fulfilled. I’ve been lurking for one or two days to get the feel of this place and I think you fellows can help me out. I like this group; it seems very open and yet discreet. A trusted friend gave me the password and so I’m here. Obviously no more personal details. In the coming posts I’ll tell you more about what I like and what I don’t like. I will begin with saying that what I don’t like is vulgarity. I want a cultured girl. A virgin if possible but at least inexperienced, as I want to train her myself. I have a nice apartment in Mumbai and she will live with me as my maid and companion until I tire of her. So that’s enough for now. I am an educated man and I don’t like common girls. I will pay for superior quality.
Janiki read it over, made a few adjustments, copied it, took a deep breath and pasted it into the Lotus Pond forum.
There. It was done. Foreigner was part of the conversation.
Replies came thick and fast. Welcome messages, suggestions, men discussing the perfect age: thirteen? ten? five? Men boasting that they raped babies. Tales of this girl and that. Recommendations. Lewd remarks and jokes. Janiki took a deep breath and joined in. Lord forgive me, she whispered. It is for a good cause.
She kept it up all morning, pausing only to run out and buy herself a cup of coffee. Foreigner grew in popularity. It was possible, on the forum, to add ‘reputation points’ to certain messages and his ‘reputation’ grew stronger and stronger. A few private messages came through, but none of any consequence. Particularly, a MrBengal shared his taste and understood him perfectly. Such cultured girls like to play hard to get, he wrote, but they are worth it in the end. I have my eye on one myself.
In the space of a few hours Foreigner became one of a close band of paedophiles. He knew the deal. He was demanding, yes, but, as he had said, he was willing to pay for superior quality. No cheap slut from the streets. Only best quality. Fair-skinned. Young, of course (twelve to thirteen was the ideal age), and beautiful. If she could speak English it was a bonus. He himself was from Tamil Nadu. Madras. That was where he grew up. In a very prosperous family. He himself was very prosperous through hard graft. His family dealt in luxury silk.
Janiki was a little nervous about writing that last; it was a little too close to the truth. Yet, what harm could it do? Nobody had contact with Kamal, the real Foreigner, and they wouldn’t know about his background. It was fine.
Around midday a private message notification popped up on the screen. It was from a member named The Vituperator. I might be able to help you, said The Vituperator. How? asked Foreigner.
Just such a girl. All of your requirements fulfilled. Her native language is Tamil but she speaks English.
Can we take this to email? Can you provide a photo? When can I meet her?
Certainly. If you like the photo I can show you her tomorrow. How much are you willing to pay?
What is the asking price?
She is already being reviewed by someone else. If you can improve on his offer she can be yours tomorrow. Just one thing. She is not compliant. Is that an impediment?
Not at all. So much the better. I will make her compliant. A little discipline and a few slaps never hurt.
Very well. Tell me your email address and I will send photo. Once we agree on price I will take you to view her. Only viewing tomorrow. I will meet you at midday tomorrow and take you there. If you like her same-day delivery to your place.
A minute later an email with an attachment popped into her Yahoo account, on the email address she had created just for this purpose.
It was the very same photo she had printed out yesterday. Asha.
OK OK. Very nice. But tomorrow is no good. I want to see her today.
Unfortunately not possible today. Please understand that there is competition for this girl as she is superior quality. We have other bookings tonight.
If you tell me the address I will go and view myself.
I am not disclosing address. You will have to wait till tomorrow. But please note that tomorrow she might no longer be available.
I am telling you I cannot make tomorrow. You absolutely need to prepone the viewing. If you do not tell me the address the deal is off. I will just go and look. I will pay advance for immediate viewing. Money is no object. And if I am liking then delivery tonight to my place. If I am liking I will make an offer you cannot refuse.
A long pause followed, in which Janiki thought the deal was indeed off, or at least, the immediate viewing. She would have to give in, agree to a meeting tomorrow; but then Asha might be gone for ever, sold to a stranger. A viewing today would mean she had to find Kamal, and quickly, but there was no other option. She wasn’t sure she could. Kamal had told her he’d be spending today with Sudesh, the social worker who that coming night would be passing him into the underground, the network that would hopefully lead him to Asha. But now there was no need. Now he could make direct contact; but she had to know the address. Perhaps Kamal could rescue Asha today – delivery to your place! All he had to do was outbid the other suitor. Kamal had money, a lot of it; and so did Caroline. Whatever the price.
The minutes ticked by. Ten. Fifteen. Twenty. Then:
Ping! A new notification from The Vituperator.
Very well. I will give you address now. But you must pay in advance. One lakh of rupees advance only for viewing. You must hand it to the mistress of the house I will send you to. I will inform her that you are coming and of the amount by telephone and she will count it before letting you in. There is a password. It is Blue Lily. If you say the password she will take you to see Kamini. That is the name of the girl. You will view her only through the door, a peephole. No talking and no touching. Tomorrow there will be further price negotiations. As I told you someone has already reserved her for viewing tonight. Whoever offers the better price can have her. If you agree to pay one lakh of rupees for viewing only I will give you address discreetly. This is very special girl, virgin, superior quality. Wheatish complexion. She is worth the price. If deal is off, half of advance will be returned. You must go between three and four. After four, deal is off.
Janiki was shaking as she closed down the computer. She’d done it! Now to find Kamal. She smiled to herself, remembering last night. The walk along the beach, holding hands; the taxi drive back to the hotel, again holding hands. The warmest hug ever at her door, and finally, the kiss that said everything.
She slipped the note with the address into the pocket of her kameez. Hopefully, she’d find him in time. Everything in her laughed as she ran out into the street. Kamal! she cried silently. We’ve done it! We’ve found Asha!