Maid to Run

Chapter One

Four years on...

"I'm sorry Leila, but we are going to have to let you go." Mr Bain said calmly as he fixed his tie further into place.

"But sir, I've been working here for a year now, I barely even remember what it's like to be put back up on the market." I say worriedly, I hated even saying it like that. It was like I was some second hand doll being bought and sold over and over again.

It had been almost four years since I ran away. Three years and ten months to be exact. I remember the day like it was just yesterday, I expected life to be somewhat better but in reality it didn't really change...

When the taxi driver dropped me off that day to a place called Rochdale, around five hours away from where I lived, I found a hotel nearby called 'Autumn Shore Hotel'. It didn't look too bad for a temporary stay, but it was nothing too fancy. The building was a cream colour, but I'm guessing it used to be white, a few windows in the hotel were blacked out or badly taped up. The lights that were on flickered occasionally, but those were the only seemingly faulty things about the hotel.

I decided while I was staying there I should look for a job, like a waitress or retail worker. I searched high and low for a job, but nothing was available.

When I was finally about to give up after I'd just asked for a job in a restaurant and they declined my offer, a man in his mid thirties overheard the conversation I had with the restaurant owner. He approached me and named himself as Leonardo and said he couldn't help but hear that I was in need of a job.

We got to talking and despite me being extremely shy and nervous, he told me he had a job that would perfectly suit me. He said he'd have his chauffeur come and pick us up and take us to the alleged work place he said I could help out at, and being naive I didn't question his kindness.

It wasn't until I was being forcefully shoved into the back of a shiny black van that I realized, Leonardo's kindness was only temporary. I cried for what felt like hours sat in the dark in the back of the van wondering what would happen to me. Would I die? Would I be treated even worse than I would have been by Paul? These questions kept replaying in my mind.

When we'd reached our apparent destination, I felt the van stop. I waited for a minute or two before I heard foot steps come closer and closer, and then the doors were open for me to escape. Leonardo, and two other scary looking men stood opposite me and I couldn't get away.

I sobbed quietly as the two men grabbed each of my arms and pulled me out, as I kept questioning what they were going to do with me to which Leonardo replied "To give you a job, just like you wanted love."

The men stopped dragging me and came to a halt at a strange building I'd never seen before, I immediately craned my neck up and took in my surroundings. In front of us was a, seemingly, abandoned warehouse that had been refurbished to look considerably better - like a mansion.

They took me inside, and the halls were fairly crowded with men and a few women in business attire, I was then taken into a room at the end of a dark hall where I was told my uniform would be. I kept pleading with Leonardo to tell me what was going on, but he ignored me. Instead I was locked in this room to get changed.

I was shocked when I saw a short black maids outfit, matched with a typical white apron that I'd seen all maids wear in the old television programmes. Next to the outfit was a letter reading:

Congratulations! You are one of our maids, you will be bought and sold by our customers that feel they need you in their lives.

You will cook, clean and do whatever they wish for you to do as we will be paid a lot of money for your labor and well disposed attitude. You are guaranteed a roof over your head, a bedroom, good dining and a daily cleanse. If clients fail to give you these things you may quit, and come back to us ready to be bought again.