The Girls of the Night

The Girl from the Red Rat

"Please don't make me go", the girl cried, hiding in the corner. "I don't like their eyes"

Even though she couldn't see her, she knew Nellie was standing by the bed, face blank and emotionless. She had done this a dozen times before, preparing young girls for their first time going out with the other prostitutes at The Red Rat. And Lucy was no more special than any of the girls. She wasn't going to spare the child.

She had no choice.

Lucy could hear the old floor creak as the tall, thin blonde made her way to the ancient dresser. She came into view and crouched down next to the girl in hiding, the sound of her faded silk rustling as it brushed against the wood.
"I don't like this any more'n you do, darlin', but we 'ave to get ready. Guinevere'll have both our hides if you don't come downstairs. With Esther havin' 'er baby soon, we're short one worker, and the customers are leavin' an' goin' to other places"

She took her hand and gave it a quick squeeze. "It'll be over before ya know it. It's not as scary as time goes on"

As badly as the girl wanted to run away and hide, somewhere where men in top hats wouldn't stare at the scrawny girl from behind their spectacles and Guinevere wouldn't be looming behind her with her switch, she knew it was pointless to argue or resist. For 12 years, Nellie had taken care of her and raised the abandoned child as if she were her own daughter. She knew all her hiding places, all the tricks to throw the rest of the workers off her scent. So far, the child had been able to avoid her duties working with the other women, but now with less girls available, they weren't letting her off as easily.

She reluctantly crawled out of the corner, and Nellie tried to give her a hug. Lucy brushed her away, a hug wasn't going to help the situation.

She just wanted get it over with.

******************

7 years later

There's nothing worse than trying to run through the streets of London

The smell of waste and horse manure would be overpowering to anyone else, but Lucy had lived in the slums her whole life, and it hardly bothered her anymore.

She slipped in a puddle and almost fell to her feet. "Bloody hell" She gasped under her breath. If she ruined this dress, she would be done for. This was the only good one she had, and she had no time to mend it before tomorrow.

Only a few more blocks and she's make it. She glanced in the window of the clockmaker's shop as she ran past and the color drained from her face.

I SHOULD BE ON STAGE BY NOW!!!

She picked up her speed, heels clacking against the slick cobblestones. A few minutes later, the rusty hinges rattled as she breathlessly stumbled through the door, stripping off her outer garments immediately as she made her way to the dressing room.

A tall, pudgy woman tore open the thin curtain that separated the room, and without saying a word immediately raised her hand to strike the young girl. Lucy didn't flinch or distract from her changing, and quickly began to scramble into her work clothes.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Gwen" the young woman panted. "It won't happen again"

The portly woman reluctantly lowered her hand. "If you weren't due on that stage this instant I would beat the livin' tar outta ya", she grumbled. "This better be tha last time, or you'll be working for the High Rips"

Lucy felt her heart stop. She knew what happened to girls who were sent to work for that crew. Members often came alone to the Red Rat for a drink or to watch the girls perform, and whenever a girl aroused the wrath of Spider, she was sent to the Rips to be done with as they pleased. She never again saw any of the girls that were sent away.

After dabbing some rouge on her lips and cheeks, she quickly finished lacing her high boots, and then spun around so Guinevere could cinch her corset. In a few swift yanks the angry woman tightened the stiff, whalebone-lined fabric around Lucy's waist, tying it much tighter than was necessary. Lucy bit her tongue as scathing words against her aggressor rose to her lips, but she was a girl of the gutter, and she knew better than to bite the hands that fed her, even if they tightened the corset so she could barely breathe.

She walked down the hall and approached the stage, avoiding the left side where she knew Spider would be lurking. Racks filled with brightly colored flouncy skirts passed by, and chairs and tables that the girls would dance on were aimlessly scattered about. As she approached the bright glow of the light soaking through the side of the ratty stage curtain, she saw a girl onstage stealing glances at the wings as if looking for someone.

As soon as she saw Lucy, she drew a quick breath of both relief and frustration and mouthed to her,

"Get your arse on stage NOW"

Lucy licked her lips and straightened her back, feeling a small flutter in her stomach. As far as her work went, this was the part she dreaded the least, but knowing she was late, she knew Spider would be watching her every move, and inevitably create something to find fault with her, even if she performed the number perfectly.

She buttoned the top of her red jacket and stepped onto the stage, feeling the warm light on her face as the boisterous crowd hushed at her entrance.