Chapter 2

While I was lost in thought, Tracy was also lost in thought. I suppose, thinking about what comes next. I really needed to have some sort of gimmick to predict the future for me. What’s my next step going to be? Tracy seems not to be in a lot of pain, but definitely, she is not comfortable. Or she’s hiding it very well.

Our Burgers, chips, and double-thick malts were delivered, and we tucked in. Rather, I tucked in. Tracy took the entire hamburger in her hands and bit into it.

“Slowly Pumpkin,” I said, fearing she might strangle or choke herself. “Remember, you haven’t eaten for nearly two days. Take it slow.”

“I am STARVING!” She exclaimed.

“Yes, but your tummy needs to get used to the food. Don’t frighten it. Otherwise, you will just get sick.” I tried to calm her. Tracy looked at me with those emerald eyes, stopping in mid munch.

“You’re right. Sorry. But it is delicious. AND I AM STARVING.” Giggle.

There’s that giggle again. I smile. Then. Change of subject.

“Where are we sleeping ... or, more to the fact. Where am I going to sleep?” Green eyes questioning me.

“Not far from here. A place called ‘Sleepy Trees’. It’s a Guest House that I, almost every time I am here, go to.”

“And they will think nothing of it if you bring a lost waif, looking as if she came out of ‘Teenagers Gone Wild’, along?” The hamburger was now history and the chips halfway there.

“No. First, we go shopping. You need a new wardrobe. Secondly, you get your own room.” I said. I forked my chips over to her plate. “I had snacks and you could use some more of these chips.” I fibbed.

“Shopping? Are you going to spend more on me? I ... I don’t know how to pay you back?” and the smile faded away.

“I bought you. Now I must keep you.” And I smiled. I got a giggle in return.

“And after shopping and whatever, when you’re alone in your room and I’m in mine, you could sneak away to wherever lost waifs go, and it will not bother me. No. It will bother me because I will worry my ass off if you’re safe.” I got a long soulful look from her.

“I will not make that mistake again...” Her voice trailed off and the hurtful look returned.

“Hey, Sunshine. Cheer up! We don’t know what yet, but we’re gonna make the most of it.” I said. Tracy sort of picked at her chips on the plate before her, taking a sip of her malt.

“You’re not gonna cuff me to the bed, lock the door and leave the light on?”

“Tracy, You’re not an animal. We are going shopping. You need something to wear besides a smile. Everything! From the feet up to where you girls wear whatever. Even pyjamas. Then, we are going to the B ‘n B. You will get your OWN room, with your OWN key. Your OWN shower. You can watch TV and turn off your OWN light before you go to sleep. End of discussion.” I said.

“Wow! You really are assertive.”

“Tracy?”

“Yes...”

“Stop-pit.”

“Okay ... It’s ... it’s just new to me. Nobody ever has been this nice to me. Mom tried ... but also failed...”

Tears were forming in those green eyes. She took the napkin to dry her eyes. Looking at her I knew I was a little harsh. She did not need this right now. She is confused. How confused I did not know, but I needed to be gentler with her. Get her to transition from slave to human. A human with a future. What the future will bring I also had no idea?

After that little event, the meal proceeded much more relaxed. Tracy was a great conversationalist. I discovered that behind that flaming red hair and green eyes lurk a brain that could make nuclear fusion a reality.

I paid the bill for the meal, with a hefty tip for our waitress, we left to go up the road to a shopping mall. Once there I took Tracy to one of the up-market clothing stores. She needed EVERYTHING! She got everything. I sometimes had to force her to get stuff.

“I don’t need a bra.”

“Yes, you do. Get six or seven. I only do laundry once a week.” I said. Tracy just looked at me and selected some bras to her liking. Practical stuff. Actually, all the clothes she selected were nice, fitting, and practical. Not flashy.

“You do your own laundry?”

“Yes, I do”

A few shops later, we were walking out to the car with a shopping cart full of colourful bags and boxes. Even shampoo, shower gel, toothpaste, toothbrush, hairbrush, and a washcloth. My credit card took a hit, but hey, compare that to the smile and sparkling eyes next to me. Tracy was on the verge of skipping out to the car.

We drove off. The afternoon was going into the early evening. The sun dipping over the mountain to the west.

Tracy got subdued again. Staring out the window with not seeing eyes. Lost in thought.

“Penny for your thoughts?” I said.

“On the other side of that mountain is the sea.” She said. “Are we going to look or is it too far away?”

“Only about thirty minutes. You want to see the sunset over the sea?”

“Will you do that for me?” Softly said. Almost a plea. How could I say no.

“Sit tight, Sweetness. Let me show you the sunset over the Atlantic Ocean.” I said and took the turnoff to the mountain pass. As a matter of fact, the road to the Guest House was along the mountain pass road. I just needed to go on straight instead of stopping at the Guest House.

I drove to Fisherman’s Peak. A well-known lookout point, high above the ocean swells breaking on the cliff face below. The mountain towering another thousand feet up behind us.

Tracy drank the scenery in. With the sun low over the sea, it’s going to be just about another few minutes before the sun will set. Sinking away into the sea.

“This is beautiful. Reminds me of home.” Tracy whispered. I could only slightly hear her voice. She sat quietly next to me on the bench next to the stone wall separating us from the near thousand feet fall to the sea beneath us. Her legs stretched out in front of her.

“Where’s home?” I asked.

“West Coast of Ireland, a town called Burro West. Near the City of Tralee.” she sighed.

“What happened Tracy? I softly asked. Tracy folded her arms, an unconscious move to shield herself.

“I grew up in a place called Burro West. I did not know who my Dad was. He apparently jumped ship when my Mom was pregnant with me. When I was about ten, Mom remarried a guy called Barry. Things were not always laughs, and giggles, as money was tight. When I was getting my ... my periods ... Barry, he started touching me when Mom wasn’t around. I was twelve then.” Tracy drew her legs up under the bench, tugged her hands beneath her thighs, leaning a little forward, and stared at the sunset. I kept quiet. Letting her speak.

“Mom died. Cancer. I cried for a week. Stepdad had no work. Got laid off. Then two weeks after the funeral, a man and a woman came to the house. I was in my room. I did not know what this man and woman talked about with Barry.” Tracy began, just audible above the breeze through the little bushes around us. I sat quietly Not moving.

“Barry came to my room.” Tracy continued. “He told me that we are short on money. The two people that came to see him, told him that it was better for him and me if I went to a Boarding school. The Government will pay, and we need not to worry about school fees and such.” Tracy had tears forming in her eyes.

“I don’t know if these people were genuine from the Social Services. Two days later they came for me. I was taken to a house in the city. Beth, if that is really her name, told me to stay at the house until they could take me to school.” Tracy relayed her story.

“About three days later, Beth came and took me to a large house away from the city. There were other girls there, Some my age, some older and some way older.” Tracy was silent for a bit. Stifled a sob and then continued.

“We were made to work in the garden, the house and sometimes in other houses on the same ground. Some of the older girls were taken away for a time and then came back. I didn’t know then that they were used as, how you call it, Sex Slaves. Some of them were crying and some were treated in the sickbay of this school. Although we never saw the inside of a classroom or were given any lessons.” Tracy was by now swinging her legs under the bench. Eyes still locked on the horizon, as if being oblivious of my presence.

“Some girls were taken away, never to be seen again. I was once told to undress for an examination for my health. Only, this was not in the sickbay. It was in the principal’s office. There were only men in the room. I was scared, but knew what happens to girls not following instructions, I complied. Some of the girls, after not doing their work the right way, were beaten. Sometimes with a strap or leather belt. Sometimes with a rattan cane over their bare butts. I have seen the welts when these girls returned to the dormitory.”

Tracy was by now sitting with a bowed head. Looking down to the ground and slowly tracing the outline of a cobblestone with the toe of her left foot.

“One of the men asked me to turn around slowly. Another man then said to all in the room that I didn’t have tits and no hair ... Down there ... you know.” And Tracy blushed redder than a fire truck.

“This went on about every four to five months or so. Men came. I was taken to the Principal’s office and made to undress completely. Until one day. Just about two months after my fourteenth birthday. This time one of the men touched my tits. Pulling my nipple. Then he told me to spread my legs. He then touched me ... there ... pushing his finger into me...” Tracy sat up, flicking her hair over her shoulder.

“He then told the men in the room that I was not prime, but ready to go. Whatever that meant. I was taken back to my room and told me to pack my things. Then I was taken to a car and we left the place. I was taken to a house in the city. A different house than the first time. I stayed there for about a week. Then other girls came. There were about ten of us.”

“After about another week, a man and a woman came and told us that we are going on an educational tour. We would leave the next day. We, all the girls and me, were very excited. We thought we would go to London, but we were put on a ship and we sailed in the night.”