ToxiQue

Intern

Felix sat close to Lilay on the plush sofa, his body stiff and tense while hers seemed relaxed, completely at ease. She was engaged in a lively card game with a group of guests sprawled across the C-shaped couch, her every movement fluid, her emotions carefully hidden behind a mask of charm and playfulness. Felix watched her closely, seeing how she had shut down the person he knew, letting another version of herself emerge- one that perfectly fit the intoxicating, deceitful atmosphere of Havana. "Yayyy, let's play again!" Lilay exclaimed with an infectious energy, her voice bright and animated. The guests laughed and cheered, drawn to her vibrant persona, as though she were the he party. Felix wondered how long it has taken her to perfect this mask, to become someone who could move through this place without breaking. Could he ever do the same? Felix didn't think so. He felt his bones trembling beneath his skin, a sickening nervousness gripping him. He was nothing more than prey here-dressed up, put on display, fashioned to provoke the appetite of the predators that lurked in every corner of the room.

The man sitting next to Felix was too close, his touch making Felix's skin crawl. His cold fingers snaked around Felix's waist, playing with the hem of his pants. Felix's stomach churned violently, and he could feel bile rising in his throat as the man's hand drifted lower, creeping toward his bottom. Panic surged in him and he jolted away, his movements sharp and sudden.

Lilay noticed immediately. In a flash, she stood up, her movements calm but calculated. "Oh, naughty sir!" she teased, her voice light and playful as she swiftly switched seats with Felix, placing herself between him and the man. "You can't touch my doe. This is a play zone, naughty boy," she said with a childlike giggle, her smile never faltering. The man, already tipsy from his second cup of rum, chuckled along, not the least bit apologetic. "Silly me," he said mockingly, waving it off as though it were nothing, his eyes glazed over with lust.

She still kept her composure, continuing to play the role expected of her, but Felix could feel the invisible wall she had put up between herself and the reality around her. She couldn't rebuke the man, couldn't show any sign of resistance-such acts were dangerous here. She had learned to survive by blending in, and Felix could see the weight of it all in the way she smiled, a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Felix, now seated closer to Jenna, glanced at Lilay, his heart pounding. He knew she had just protected him in the only way she could, but the fear that gripped him didn't fade. He wasn't ready for this world. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

Felix ascended the staircase with a determination that belied the weight of despair pressing down on him. Each step felt like a deliberate act of defiance against the judgmental gazes that trailed behind, the taunting voices echoing in his mind long after they fell silent. The men and women who lingered below saw him as nothing more than an object for their pleasure, a commodity to be consumed and discarded. As he climbed higher, he sought refuge in the dimly lit corners of the upper floors, desperate to escape their leering eyes and crude remarks. Yet, with every heavy footfall, the air thickened around him, tightening like a noose, reminding him of the chains that bound him to this life.

Reaching the "worker's" section, he was met with an abrupt change in atmosphere. The lavish decor that adorned the lower levels melted away, replaced by stark simplicity that spoke volumes of Madam Leya's true intentions. The walls were bare, the furnishings sparse and utilitarian, a stark contrast to the opulence that characterized the areas reserved for her elite clientele. It was as if the very architecture resonated with the disdain she held for those she deemed unworthy. Felix’s heart sank as he took in his surroundings; here, beneath the surface glamour of the establishment, lay the grim reality of their existence—an existence defined by exploitation.

Why would Madam Leya, a woman of evident privilege and taste, care for individuals like him? To her, they were nothing but lowly sex workers, mere cattle to be milked for profit. The thought stung, an insult buried deep in his consciousness. Felix was scare, scared of slipping further into the role assigned to him, reducing his identity to mere utility. It was a harsh truth that gnawed at his spirit, a reminder that in the eyes of those who held power, he was little more than a pawn in a sordid game of desire and dominance. In this labyrinth of desire, he yearned for freedom, yet felt trapped within its shimmering facade, where beauty and anguish danced hand in hand.

He sat on the edge of his bed, his fingers fidgeting with the frayed hem of his worn out blanket. The starkness of the room weighed heavily on him; the four walls closed in like a vice, the only source of light flickering through the metal-barred window in the bathroom.
It felt more like a prison than a sanctuary. Every breath he took echoed with the reality of his situation, amplifying the suffocating sense of despair. He glanced around, searching for a way out, yet every corner of the room whispered that hope was a cruel illusion.

The door creaked open, and Lilay stepped inside, her expression clouded with an unfamiliar tension. It sent a ripple of unease through Felix as he scrutinized her face for clues. Layla had always been his anchor in this turbulent sea, but today, something about her demeanor felt off .
“Felix…” she began, her voice trailing as she took a seat across from him, the weight of unsaid words hanging thick in the air. Just as he leaned in closer, hoping to decipher her cryptic message, the door swung open again, this time revealing Madam Leya in all her imposing glory.

Madam Leya’s heavy footsteps reverberated through the small room, her breath coming in labored gasps as if she did not take her big body upstairs through the elevator. Her gaze quickly shifted, sharp and unyielding. “Is he ready?” she demanded, her eyes narrowing at Lilay who seemed to shrink under her scrutiny. Felix felt a chill run down his spine as the tension escalated. Lilay voice faltered, betraying her uncertainty.
“He just needs a few minutes,” she replied, her words tinged with anxiety.

Her response was immediate and explosive, cutting through the thick air like a knife.
“What do you mean by that!? Do you want my customer to wait that long all because you didn’t do your job?!” Her voice rose, laced with irritation and authority, leaving no room for interpretation. Felix felt the heat of Leya’s anger radiate toward him.

" Get him ready now, it shouldn't take long. I want him to give my customer the best night of his life". Madam Leya says looking at Felix with unwavering determination.

Lilay bowed her head in submission, the defeat evident in her posture as she acquiesced.
“Yes, madam. Be ready in a few…”

With a final glance of disgust towards both of them, Madam Leya turned on her heel and exited, leaving behind a suffocating silence. Felix stared at Layla, searching her eyes for reassurance, but all he found was a reflection of his own dread. The moment hung heavy between them, filled with the weight of unspeakable truths that neither dared to articulate. Felix’s heart raced; he knew time was not on their side, and the walls of his reality were closing in faster than ever.