Twisted Deceit ON HOLD

Segregation

Kate's point of view

"This is your girl?" asked an emaciated looking woman.

Mother's gaze lingered on me with disdain before answering. "Yes, ma'am."

"Does this one have any special talents?"

"She's...um..." Mother started before pausing.

I could understand why she paused, I didn't have any. 

"What are her qualifications?"

I began to shake my legs-a habit that Mother said I should have broken long ago-and gnaw on my broken fingernails.

"She's managed to get straight A's in school."

The woman turned to face me, her face devoid of any emotion.

"Stop fidgeting!" she barked.

I stopped immediately.

"I'll offer you $20 a month, how does that sound?" 

"That's great! What will her working hours be, Hazelle?" Mother exclaimed.

"It'll be from 6 til' 5. since you need her home by dusk." 

I snorted, if only she knew the half of it.

"Katherine, I will not tolerate any nonsensical behaviour from you, do you understand?" 

"Y-Yes, Mother" I stuttered.

"What services will be required of her?"

"Oh you know, the usual cleaning of the house and sl-entertaining the guests."

Tears began to cloud my vision. She didn't need to censor it. 

"We'll start work on Monday, Katherine." Hazelle commanded. She must've seen many kids like me work at her "house". Most of-if not all-of them were from the Death Valley, like me.

The Death Valley was the poorest section of the lower district, where almost all of the children from sixteen to eighteen years old were destined to work at the various "houses" scattered near the Central, to serve as cheap entertainment for the rich businessmen who came from the middle and upper districts.

That's probably why most of them were willing to leave their luxurious surroundings and come to this dump.

Mother jabbed her bony elbow into my side and glared at me. "W-What?" I asked, completely clueless.

"I expect you to be less blur when you come here on Monday. We don't want any angry customers," Hazelle said, smirking.

I shot Hazelle a death glare before biting my chapped lips and curling my hand into a fist. Fighting was extremely common in the Death Valley.

"She won't be," Mother answered hastily.

Walking down the corridoors to the exit, I saw something that would haunt me forever. A girl-probably younger than 16-being shoved into an empty room while clutching onto her Mother's hand.

"Please, Mommy, please," she begged but I knew that she'd be whisked into that damned room. I wondered why her mother would allow her to sell her body when she was younger than 16.

"Won't you hurry up?" Mother demanded.

"Yes, Mother," I replied as we began the arudous journey back home.

"You know that we need the money, right?" Mother asked as we neared the entrance of our shack.

"Of course I do. Who else will pay for your drugs anyway?" I snapped.