Alleviate

9| nove

I didn't know how to respond to Anika's statement, she didn't know what to say either. I did not understand why Athelio would say such a thing to Delilah, especially since nothing had happened during the time I was with him for two days, a week ago. Anika was confused too, but I decided there was no point in explaining as I was just as confused as she was.

The weekend was another gruelling time for us both, even more for Anika as she was already so tired from the exertion on her body. I was lucky, my body had healed a little and was comparatively better to how bad it was last week. The wounds from Delilah didn't sting or throb anymore. Apart from that kind of pain, I was somewhat conditioned to the usual ache of the body, but of course, no one could be fully immune to pain, atleast the sort that I felt on most nights of my life.

By Sunday evening, Anika had convinced me that my week wouldn't be as bad as hers, considering that my client wasn't even interested in sex. It made me think as to why he would pay a fee to keep me around if nothing was going to happen. In fact, it bewildered me, as it was wasted money to have someone's company with no benefit.

"I wonder why he would want my company; he acts like he's not interested in sex. I don't know what he wants," I said to Anika on Sunday night, while drinking my soup.

She looked up from her bowl and narrowed her eyes, as if she were thinking.

"I don't know either, Camilla, but it's very vague, and yet it doesn't seem as bad as my case, so don't be worried," she answered, trying to give me a small smile to assure me.

-x-

Delilah had given me decent clothes and lingerie from her closet to pack for the next five days. It was the first time I saw her give me something to wear which was not provocative. By the time Monday morning came around, I was a nervous wreck. But she kept reassuring me that everything will go accordingly.

I took a shower in the bathroom that all of us girls were made to share. There were two of them, one of which the sinks didn't function. We used these only a few times a week; our personal hygiene wasn't very important to Delilah, and none of us had any control on when to use the shower.

I was given a light orange summer dress, which felt strange yet comfortable on me. It had various floral patterns, that I carefully observed and studied as nothing that I usually wore was anything like this. They had told me to leave my hair, although they made me use a couple of cosmetic products to make me look representable and hide whatever scars or remaining visible wounds that I bared. Delilah had asked me to leave at noon to meet Athelio at a café known as Eskandereya, which was situated on das Acádias.

And so I left, with all my clothes packed in a small bag that belonged to another but was given to me and a wary mind to accompany me. A map was in my hand.

Villa Mimosa was beside one of the largest Favelas in Rio de Janeiro, and could even be said to be the largest in the whole of Brazil. It was called Rocinha. Villa Mimosa was beside Rocinha and Gavéa, the surrounding district. I had managed to walk to the nearest bus stop on Rua Mary Pessoa, which would lead me to das Acádia. I took the 170 at 12:45, and it took a total of 15 minutes to get off at the main road Marques de São Vicente, which was bisected by the road das Acádia.

I was nervous because of the normalcy of everything around me which was so abnormal to me. I had never travelled this much on my own, and for what? To meet a man who I barely knew. Anika had hugged me tightly, telling me that I could pull myself through the next few days and that I have endured events worse than this. I just sucked in my breath and decided to hold it till I returned, as I would always have an unsettling feeling until I came back here.

On reaching Marques de São Vicente, it felt like I was introduced to a rush that kind of enveloped me. There was a sea of faces that never gave me more than a glance; I had somehow become a part of that sea. Tourist buses could be seen, with multiple people getting on and off, exchanging words in a language that was foreign to me. I walked along the cobbled footpaths, with my small backpack, observing people walk in and out of various shops that sold clothes, merchandise and souvenirs. These noises appalled me, voices of cheerful children scared me for some reason. I could only blink at them, knowing that I may never have the ability to comprehend that level of cheerfulness.