Traffic

Ch 10: Out

New York City was a busier city, so much busier than the others, so it made it easier for Kelly's Master to steal children. He stole mostly girls, but also a few boys. He tried all the girls on himself before selling them, and kept the best.

One in particular he kept was named Susan. She was fourteen, same age as Kelly, and she was scared more than anyone Kelly had ever seen.

"Why am I here? Why does he hurt me? Why can't I go home?" she would ask whenever alone with Kelly.

"Word of advice: there's no way out."

"There HAS to be!" she said frantically, "When he's sleeping?"

"I'm not supposed to talk to the new kids."

"What do you mean 'new'?  how long have YOU been here?"

"Two and a half years," she replied quietly.

Susan hugged her, "I can't imagine being here for that long! Do you have a family?"

Kelly nodded, her eyes welling up. She hadn't thought about them in years so as not to make the pain worse.

"What did I tell you about the tears?!"

"I'm sorry, Master, it won't happen again! I just got soap in my eye!"

He struck her to the ground, grabbing a pot and beating her with it until she bled. Susan stood back and watched in horror. She pushed her way past and ran for the window, trying to get it open. She could hear screams, telling her not to run, and then thumping on the floor vs footsteps neared her. She got it open just in time and screamed at the top of her lungs, yelling that she was in trouble and screaming for help until he came up and gagged her.

He started beating her with the pot until she was bleeding profusely out many cuts. When he finished, he dragged her into his bedroom, "You're gonna pay for this. No one runs from me and NO ONE ever escapes. No one heard your cries, this city is much too loud. You'll be stuck here with me forever."

Kelly cried as she listened to the scream of her new companion echo through the small house. She didn't want to hear it any longer. She ran from the house, not thinking straight, and into the street, getting hit by a car. She passed out instantly and was brought to the hospital by the person that hit her. As scared as he was, he drove her, covered in blood and still bleeding out in his front seat.

Upon arriving, he carried her inside and in to the emergency room where he called for help. Almost immediately, doctors and nurses rushed forward, grabbing Kelly and laying her on a bed, wheeling her quickly away. The man stayed behind, still scared, thinking he did all that to her. He sat down and waited in agony for hours on end.

When a doctor did come out, he was just dozing off, but woke right up on mention of his name, "Yes, that's me."

"Mister Jeffery's, do you know where this girl came from?"

"No, sir, I accidentally hit her with my car and she was bleeding a lot so--"

"You'll be happy to know she's only got a broken arm from the accident. The rest is from something else."

"What's it from?"

"Abuse. She's been beaten with large objects for what looks like a very long time. Upon examining her fully, we found she has wounds that resemble those of sexual harassment. She looks to have been raped and beaten many times."

"Human trafficking?"

"It appears to be so."

"Oh my lord...Do you know who she is yet?"

"We're still waiting on DNA samples, but we should hear back in the next few hours. If you so desire, you may come see her."

"Yes. I-I want to."

"We've informed the police, they're on their way. If you would be so kind as to tell them where she came from, which house I mean, they'll make an arrest."

"Of course. I only hope the evil bastard is still there..."