Silent Emily

The John

I crawled beside Arnya in the tent, careful to not rattle the cans.

The man was nice. He dropped me back off on the corner and drove away. I wish every john was like that. He gave me enough money for three men, meaning I could go back home.

I cuddled up to Arnya, closing my eyes as her arm wrapped around me.

The next day, the sun was high in the sky. Arnya was gone before I woke up, her heels and one of the outfits missing along with an expensive bracelet she had stolen from a jeweler the next block over. I sat up, stretching out before dressing myself in something more casual. Black sweats and an old high school t-shirt Arnya got from her school before she dropped out. I pulled on the sneakers we shared and exited the tent, pulling down the cans Arnya had hooked up. I knew she always stayed close enough so if anyone got in she'd be able to catch them. She checked on the tent between each job.

It was hot and I could feel the sweat beading on my forehead as I walked along the pavement. The birds blew overhead and people of all shapes, sizes and colors walked down the sidewalks. A few of them bumped into me, none of them stopping to apologize.

Gotta love the city.

I turned into a cheap coffee shop, throwing five dollars on the counter and asking for a latte. The barista had it up and ready in under a minute, handing the hot cup to me. I exited the shop, an old car catching my attention out of the corner of my eye.

Him.

He waved out the window, a smile on his face. I looked both ways before crossing the street, walking up to the drivers side window.

"Are you already stalking me?" I joked.

He laughed. "No, never that. I just wanted to see how you were doing today."

"I'm fine," I answered, taking a sip of the burning coffee. "Do you need something?"

"I want to ask more questions." He stated. "Another seventy dollars." I watched as he pulled the money out of his wallet again, handing them through the window toward me.

"And what if I run off with it?" I asked him. "I could just grab it and run."

"Yes, you could." He started. "But you'd spill your coffee and from the way you keep flicking your tongue it seems pretty hot. I don't think you'd enjoy a hospital much."

I sighed and agreed, walking around the car and sliding into the passenger side. I put the seventy dollars on the dash like he had the night before.

It was strange but I trusted him.

"Alright let's go," He said. "Can I pick the place this time?"

I stopped for a second. I never let the john pick the place. Never let them take you somewhere unfamiliar was one of the top rules of the streets.

"Um, sure." I said, sitting back in the seat.

He didn't seem like the other john's. This one was different, I could tell.

"Alright, let's get it." He said again, turning the wheel and moving along the streets.

I watched out the window as the city slowly disappeared, the car running away from it. "Where are we going?" I asked.

He didn't say anything, his hands tight against the wheel as we raced along. "Where are we going?" I asked again, more forceful this time.

"You don't trust me?" He asked.

"No," I said. "No I don't."

"Have it your way, then." He said. He jerked the car over, the door unlocking as it slid into park. I reached for the handle, my hand grazing it as my face smashed against the window.
The taste of copper filled my mouth, my nose warm and liquid running down my face.