The Cunning

5

Madison stared at the walls. After hearing about Annabelle, she swallowed her pride. Getting a slap was one thing, having a drug habit forced on her was another. She wasn't going anywhere anytime soon and if she wanted to keep out of harm's way, she would need to keep her head down. At least until she had a solid plan.

This was real. It was happening, and it was happening to her. Her life as she knew it was falling apart and all she could do was stare at the wall. She didn't even turn to see who walked in an hour later.

"Hey. Madison, right?" An unfamiliar girl perched on the edge of the bed. She was vibrant and cheerful. Vibrant because, obviously, no one was filling her veins with brown fluids and cheerful because she was there of her own accord. Her cheeks glowed, and her perfume was sweet. A little too sweet.

Madison narrowed her eyes. "Who are you?" she asked. The stranger unloaded a collection of eyeshadow palettes, mascaras, and lip glosses from a Louis Vuitton handbag.

"I'm Lily. The guys usually get me to come by and see the new girls, give them the rundown on how things work here. It takes a weight off their shoulders and it's nice for you to be able to talk to another girl." She was so blasé, as if they were newcomers at summer camp, not a brothel. The nonchalance stunned Madison into silence. Lily didn't seem to notice and carried on.
"I know the situation is scary," she lowered her voice to come across as sincere. Madison wanted to slap her for it. If she had any idea she wouldn't be so fucking bubbly. "I'm sorry that you're in this awful predicament, but I'm here for you. You can talk to me about anything-"

Madison recovered from her silence at the sheer audacity.

"Predicament? I haven't missed the last fucking train. I'm here against my will," she snapped. "If you were any sort of woman, you'd see this place was burnt to the ground with those animals in it." Lily pursed her lips and Madison sneered, repulsed by Lily's presence. "You are not my friend. Don't come in here and act like any of this is okay."

Taking a deep breath, Lily lifted her chin and pushed her shoulders back.

"Okay, I'll cut the shit," she said, her chirpiness gone. "You think because I'm here and not being forced to sell my body means everything going on under this roof sits well with me? It doesn't. Unfortunately, I'm Adam's sister, and if you're not part of it, incriminating yourself, you're a loose end. I'm sure you can imagine what they do to them." Madison didn't respond. "I am sorry-"

"No, you're not. If you were, you would have gone to the police or something-"

Lily interjected, shaking her head. "It's not that simple. I have a daughter to protect. As another woman, I'm sure you'll understand having to do things to survive. If I were to grass, his sister or not, it would be game over for me."

Madison's shoulders sank. She swallowed the lump in her throat but wasn't able to do anything about the tears in her eyes. "Why me?" The question came out as a strangled croak. Lily embraced her and Madison didn't fight it.

"The only advice I can offer is to keep your head down and mouth shut," Lily said quietly.
Madison allowed herself to melt into the hug. Lily was right, she would have to do whatever she needed to survive. Crying would not get her out of there, and answers to 'why me?' questions didn't matter. She needed to pull herself together.

A final hollow sob shuddered from Madison's lips at the realisation that Lily's hug may be the last affectionate touch she would experience, then she stopped.

Lily sat back and dried Madison's eyes, applying cream to reduce the swelling. "The men don't like to see the girls sad. It fucks with their conscience," she said. Madison nodded, deciding it would be wise to listen to her for now. To learn the ins and outs of the house and the people that resided there. If she ever wanted to get out, she had to come to terms with the sacrifices required and gather information.

As Lily applied Madison's make-up and twisted her hair into a bun, she listed the house rules. The girls weren't allowed to swear, drink too much, or smoke because it was all seen as unattractive.

"They force the girls to take drugs. That doesn't make sense?" Madison said as she received another layer of mascara.

"Does any of this make sense?" Lily replied, leaning back to admire her handiwork. "Half the time, they pick and choose when they enforce the rules anyway. It's whatever suits them." She sighed, chucking the mascara back in her bag where the rest of her make-up was lying loose at the bottom. "They're men, we're puppets. They dress us up and sell us off."

Madison didn't appreciate her use of the word 'us', as if Lily couldn't simply go home once she was done applying lip gloss.

"Remember," Lily went on, pouting at Madison, encouraging her to mirror the expression. She did, scrunching her nose at the sticky feeling of the gloss being painted on. "Bottom line is, don't talk back and stay out of their way. Don't give them a reason to pay attention to you."

They finished in silence. Madison stared at herself in the mirror, unsettled by the reflection in the form-fitting black dress Lily had picked, revealing both her cleavage and legs. She'd also spritzed her with an unnecessary amount of cheap perfume, telling her Jase hated the smell.

Before she left, Lily stopped at the door, looking over her shoulder. "It was nice to meet you, Madison."

"I hope your daughter never gets wrapped up in a place like this," Madison deadpanned. Lily nibbled her lip, leaving the conversation there as she slipped out.

*

It was dark outside when Jase returned to the bedroom. Madison had no concept of time, only able to take an educated guess from the colour of the sky. She hadn't touched the toast, the butter now a greasy film on soggy bread.

"I told you to eat," Jase said.

"And I told you no," she replied. Jase huffed. He didn't have the energy to deal with her defiance.

"You need to line your stomach-"

"I'm seventeen," she interjected, finally breaking eye contact with the mirror and looking up at him in the doorway. "I'm not even old enough to drink." She wanted the comment to throw him, to humanise herself and remind him how young she was. It was a seed she needed to plant early.

"You expect me to believe a seventeen-year-old is opposed to drinking at a time like this because it's against the law?" Madison said nothing. He shrugged. "Starve yourself then. People are arriving soon. When your door is unlocked, you'll come downstairs. You'll smile, giggle, and flirt with the guests and you won't make a scene. No one here is interested in saving you."
Madison's nostrils flared at his arrogance, glowering in his direction as he left.

"Prick," she mumbled once he was out of earshot. If making herself more human in his eyes wasn't going to work, she would have to resort to blackmail.

*

If you're enjoying the story so far, please don't forget to vote! 

What do you think of the characters  up to this point?