December was already a bad month. You couldn't go outside, there was hardly any sun, so many blizzards. Not that it was particularly nice in the summer but at least we could go outside and escape for a bit. Or at least two of us could. One would always have to be left behind as a collateral. Father knew all too well that we would not leave the others behind. My sisters would have no luck in escaping even if I was left behind. They could not speak English. Where else could they go beside here? No one would take them in. They had no money to go anywhere. Even with English on my side, as father was convinced that I would only get a good job to take care of the family if I had it, I had not the money to leave.

Father had the money. Somehow, the unemployed man had enough to buy what was needed to keep us alive and pay the bills. And somehow, he had the money to pay for some extra things that I did not understand. What were they for? How did father come by them? My sisters knew. They would get a look in their eyes when they saw them that I could only describe as fear. He would take them into the bedroom and lock the door. They sounded as if they were in pain. As more and more of these things turned up, I began to associate them with pain for my sisters and tried to protect them. However the first time that I did so, my sisters' screams were louder than ever. I stopped. Protecting them from father only caused them more agony.

On our outings, I tried to ask about what went on behind the closed doors but never got far. They would shake their heads, the younger would simply fall silent, the elder would tell me it was better if I didn't know.

This year, December was worse. The snow fall had gotten drastic. Father had been gone for four days, left to get some more food, we hoped. The longer he was gone, the closer we got to starving. When he came home, there was plenty of food to eat. Together, we shared a meal that made my stomach hurt to the point I felt it would burst. I was deceived. This wonderful meal was nothing more than what was needed to keep our attention from the wooden crates that had come home.

After dinner, father took out some cloth from the boxes, red, a color I hadn't seen often for clothing. He told them to take off their clothing, and ripped off Yekaterina's when she was too slow. Despite knowing that I might make it worse, grabbed Natalia and pulled her back, huddling into a corner in attempt to protect her. My elder sister cried as the too tight material was forced onto her, holding her breasts up to make them seem larger. It barely covered anything. And then, a fake bouquet was tied into her hands, the rope digging into her skin.

"If you make one sound, you will be killed." He said sternly, sticking a sock in her mouth and wrapping a piece of cloth around it.

She was shoved into one of the crates in a way that I had not thought possible, her cries muffled as he nailed the lid down. It was kicked out of the way as if there wasn't someone inside of it. As if it wasn't my sister.

"Shhh." I said softly, trying to soothe my sister.

It was useless. We both knew it was. Absolutely pointless. Father only grabbed her and did the same thing as he had with Yekaterina.

"Отец!" I screamed, grabbing onto his arm as he started to move them. "Что ты делаешь? Куда вы их? Прекратите! Пожалуйста!"

I stumbled backwards, my hand clutching my now reddened cheek.

"English, boy!" he spat.

"Please! Отец, just tell me!" I begged, "What are you doing?!"

Father shook me off of his arm again. He basically dropped the box he was carrying and turned to me. "They are going to get 'better life'." He said mockingly. "With new husbands in America. It will be good for them. Make big families to take care of. Do not be worrying, they were not sold for rubles. It was… a 'pretty penny'… as said."

"Отец! Sold?" I asked, "They will die! They will not make it. They cannot speak English! Men will kill them. You would send them to deaths over 'pretty penny'?"

He was silent. We both knew the answer. He would sell them for money in a heartbeat and he already had. They would more than likely never see each other again, let alone me or our father.

"Let me go with them?" I suggested, "Sell me as translator. I can go for little money. As much as they will offer. Less mouths to feed, more money for you."

He only laughed. "Sell you?" he snorted, "No, could not. You will make more for me later. But you will come with. Help deliver them. I cannot carry both."

"Но-"

"Хватит! Мое слово является окончательным!"


*Отец - father

* Что ты делаешь? Куда вы их? Прекратите! Пожалуйста! - What are you doing? Where are you taking them? Stop it! Please!

*Но - but

*Хватит! Мое слово является окончательным! - Enough! My word is final!