The Brothel

The place beamed of the color red, when Roxanne was pushed out of a filthy room and onto the corridor. She was still an amateur in the prostitution business and aged only 14 years. The place, here I talk about, is nothing but a brothel; a place, men felt disgusted by day and yet, was lustfully drawn by night; a place that housed a thousand broken dreams and yet, was never pitied upon.

Roxanne stood up in shame and looked around her; she saw men turned into animals and women turned into objects. As she was heading towards the bathroom, dabbing her swollen lips and hiding her face, she was called into Esmeralda’s room by Esmeralda herself.

Roxanne entered and sat herself on the bed, while Esmeralda offered her a towel and a glass of water.

“The wound looks not too serious – should be okay after a week or so”, said Esmeralda. Roxanne kept quiet and looked around her. She observed Esmeralda and assessed she must have been 40 years or more.

“I have been in this place for 20 years, now”, said Esmeralda to Roxanne’s surprise. She was taken aback for a second, but her emotions hardly gave away. “How old are you?”

Roxanne finally broke her silence and mumbled the words “I am 18.”

“Well, you look much younger than that! Why are you here, kiddo?”

“The guess, for the same reason you are – money.”

“Don’t you have a family to look after you?”

“I had one. Now, I don’t.”

Both Esmeralda and Roxanne didn’t speak for a while after this. Letting the words finally be consumed in the air, Esmeralda spoke again.

“I know how you feel. I came here under similar circumstances.”

Roxanne gazed up to look at Esmeralda. Esmeralda stood by the window looking at the rain outside.

“It was raining that night – I remember I was only 18 years old. Maa had suddenly fallen really sick and there was blood in her cough. I was so scared and was crying and screaming – my mother was unconscious and I thought she was already dead. I ran over to the nearby doctor and asked him to come. He didn’t though. He said ‘Hand me some money first. I never trust you rotten scum!’  I was helpless and I had nowhere to go, when a man approached me and asked me to go with him to his place if I wanted some money. I went, knowing I might never come back. He tore my clothes and bit my lips. I pushed him away and slapped him. But then, he forced on me, waving money in his hand. I tried to run away and screamed; but, there was no one to help me. He raped me for an hour and then, when he was done, he took out a few notes from the bundle of money he had held earlier and threw it on my face. I stood up, crying, while he watched me, and headed towards the doctor, grabbing the money in my hand. But, the doctor’s wife opened the door this time and immediately knew what had happened to me. She shouted at me and told me to never come back – she threw the money away”

“Maa died that night. Whether she was dead all the while or not, I don’t know. The next morning everyone looked at me differently; it was the look of disgust. I was not allowed anywhere. I was an outcast. It was then, I found this place. I was embraced in. I was given food and shelter and a means to live, for which I was to pay with my body. 20 years have passed since then; 20 long years.”

Esmeralda was interrupted by Roxanne’s hand on her shoulder. She turned around, her eyes moist and her lips smiling, and asked Roxanne, “Do you believe in love, kiddo?”

Roxanne waited for a second or two, reminiscing, and said, “Doesn’t it seem a word out of this world? Does it not sound unreal? As I recall now, I was in love sometime in my life. I am not sure if it was this life or some life previous to this. How strangely funny it is to think about it now.”

“But, you were in love? How wonderful that time is, isn’t it? I still remember him. We used to go to the same school; we were friends. He was always protecting me and vowing to marry me some day when he becomes rich and powerful”, Esmeralda chuckled and then, turned away from Roxanne. “I loved him. Even though I was only a kid, in some strange way I loved him.”

She looked at Roxanne, once again. “Now, he is married and has two kids. He is a teacher – teaches at the school and also in his house. I have not seen him for years – have only heard about him from others; clients, mainly. Although, all my fantasies have been consumed in this place, one still remains. I still dream that kid will come to this place, seeking me, and will save me from all these mess. I will be restored a normal life, again – we will get married, after that. Not a single night passes, without I dreaming this dream; and for that, I have been secretly saving some money of my own, over the years – Thought it might help us when we plan to settle somewhere.”

Roxanne cried listening to Esmeralda, while Esmeralda kept her gaze fixed on the rain.

“Kid, how would you like to fall in love again? How would you like to live a normal life once again?” said Esmeralda.

Roxanne looked at her, perplexed and said, “What do you mean?”

Esmeralda hoisted her feet and rubbed her eyes, and then, went to her locker and took out the money she has been saving, over the years. “Take this, kiddo. If I would have been a mother today, I would have had a daughter of your age. Think of me as a mother helping her daughter.”

“But…. I can’t. This is your dream – a part of your dream! If I take it away, what will you be left with?”

“My dream will endure, I promise. It will be with me for the rest of my life. I don’t need the money. I should better use it to save a life, instead – your’s!”

Roxanne hugged her and gave her a kiss with her swollen lips. Esmeralda kissed Roxanne, too.

“Now, go and live your life, kiddo. Love the people, you ought to love; help the people, you ought to help; and, save the people, you ought to save.”

And, Roxanne did exactly that.

__END__