Chapter 3

Marina was getting used to the town by now and becoming increasingly impatient. Mr Marcelinus was willing to help but worried about some people hanging about near his house. So she was staying with his servant at her small dwelling for a few days until he was sure it was safe for her to go back to his.

Marina was curious about the beautiful young white girl who fought from time to time at the market. She had not seen her for a couple of weeks and was worried for her.

Then one day she heard a collision in the street near where she was staying. Two rickety old vehicles had collided. One of them was a taxi, similar to that which had taken her to the hotel months ago,. Perhaps it was the same taxi.

The servant, who had been on a shopping expedition, came running into the house. She looked extremely excited.

"Miss Marina, a prison van smashed into a taxi. The driver of the van was killed and the prisoner escaped after overpowering the only guard who hadn't been injured. They are looking for her"

"Her? A woman overpowered a guard? She must be some woman!"

Marina was about to go into the street when there was a commotion outside. Voices approached and then went off into the distance. Then she looked into the yard. There was the eighteen year old fighter! So her suspicion had been right! It was she who had taken advantage of her first ever chance to flee from her tormentors!

"Come in! Quickly! We have a cellar where you can hide in case they come back. I may not look it, by the way, but I am white too!"

They hurried Lilly (for it was indeed she) into the cellar,

"I tell boss white lady escape." The servant left.

Marina went downstairs again and spoke to the escapee.

"Hi, I'm Marina. I'm English. I saw you fight a few times. You are good. I'm afraid I also saw you kill that older woman on my first day here."

Lilly hung her head and a tear trickled down her face.

"I'm Lilly, and I'm English, too. The girl I killed was called Martha, from New York, and was my best friend. I don't suppose you understand, but I had to do it. She told me to kill her before the fight. It was a death fight - like in the arena in ancient Rome! But when it came to it she fought hard to live and to beat me. I've had more bad times than I care to think about in these past two years, but that was easily the worst! Please believe me! I hate myself now!"

"Two years? You've been in prison since you were only a child of sixteen?"

"I was a bit wild at the time and ran away with a man who brought me here left without me. I was put in prison. My parents will think I am dead - which I might as well be. The guards said I was a promisingly strong girl and would do much hard work. I worked as one of the guard's concubines for a month or two. What pigs they are! Then Martha noticed me and took me under her wing. She taught me to fight and I quickly became quite good. Six months ago she said I was ready to join the team.

We entertained the prison guards and a lot of bigwigs, including our disgusting Consul, Mr Fucking Hargreaves and his equally abominable American colleague, by beating the shit out of each other! I hate those bastards! There's a lot of betting takes place at the prison fights. My third fight was against Martha in front of all those jeering people who come to see white women disgraced by being nude in public and having to fight each other. But I was told that if I refused to take part, I'd go to the quarries and the mines.

"There was a girl, three years ago, who sickened of being a fighter and was sent north. Brave girl! I was too keen on keeping my privileges. I might be courageous enough in the ring but I'm a coward where it really matters!"

"I don't blame you. I can't think you've anything to be ashamed of. The true villains are the scoundrels who put you in such a horrible position." said a sympathetic Marina. "You don't know who the other girl was? The one who was a good fighter but refused to carry on with it?"

"Angelica - or something like that"

"Angelina, Lilly. She was my dearest friend since we were both three. I've come here to find her and either take her home or end up working side by side with her. As long as we're together, again I'll be happy."

"It's more likely you'll end up slaving away with her. A hell of a lot more likely! If you're thinking of staging a rescue, forget it1 There's no way you could get near the mineral workings. All the staff are vetted and you'll not fool them for a second. I bet you don't even speak a word of the language."

Marina spoke a few words and Lilly looked impressed, but she still shook her head.

"It's clever the way you use that lisp, but it won't fool them for long. I only see one solution, Marina! Someone must get a message to Angelina and persuade her to change her mind about fighting for them. Then she'll be brought back to the prison here, in this town. She'd stand a chance of getting away, like I did. I know she was good - very good. If I gave myself up, I'd be sent up there for sure and get to see her. I'd tell her you were here and that friends were able to get you both out of the country by boat. Then maybe one day you'd both raise such a stink that all the rest of us would be freed. I'll go back."

"Are you sure, Lilly? You'd do that for my friend?"

"I killed my best friend, Marina. If I helped yours I might be able to get back just a bit of self respect and stop hating myself so much. I'll be off. It's wrong to endanger you by hanging around any longer. I'll be sent up north in a few days and put to work soon after that. With any luck, Angelina should be back in town within ten days."