Chapter 10
In Miami, the evening came buzzing about with tourists crowding the casinos, but the Black Widow was alive with manly activity.
Men, young and old piled at the blackjack and poker tables, the slot machines, and booking rooms where they can take a call-girl to bed.
Angel dressed herself in the school girl dress, it felt humiliating, but she had to obey the rules.
Rosie, who was dressed in a sexy French maid outfit, held out her hand to show packed condoms.
"Give these to your customers, Ms. Legrand doesn't want any girl to get pregnant," she said and Angel took the condoms.
"Hey, new girl," Kenna called to her, "Why don't you take my first call, I'm too tired."
Angel looked at the schedule; Kenna had crossed out her first appointment and wrote 'New girl' over it.
"Room 1290, where's that?" Angel asked Rosie.
"I'll show you; you can't use the hallways because Legrand forbids us," Rosie replied and Angel followed her through mazes of dark halls and stairways.
Then, she noticed that there were doors that led to somewhere.
"There are tapestries in every room here, all call-girls must use them to go in and out of here," Rosie informed and pointed to a plate that read '1290'.
Angel began to shake, she did not want to go through with this, but Rosie pushed her in, "Remember the condoms and you can only leave if the man is asleep and make sure he is," she whispered and she closed the door.
Angel pushed pass the tapestry and found herself in a large bedroom with a queen size bed and gold-colored wall paper.
There was no one in the room and Angel thought Kenna was playing a cruel joke till someone opened the bathroom door.
A large man with a stout belly came out wearing only a towel and looked at her.
"You're not Kenna!" he shouted and Angel nearly lost it.
However, the man began to look at her features and at her outfit.
"You're new, what's your name?" he asked.
"Angel," she answered and a smile cracked on the man's face.
He walked up to her, grabbed her arm and pulled her to the bed.
He shed his towel, but Angel held out a condom and he took it.
"You've been a bad girl, Angel," the man said and began to do every filthy thing to Angel and she had to fight the tears as she was violated.
Two hours passed and the man dozed off to sleep, signaling her to go while he was out.
She returned to the dark back way and went back to the girls' wing and that's where Rhonda, Beta, and Kenna were waiting for her.
"You thieving bitch!" Rhonda shouted and began to whip Angel's back, a sting of pain shot through her.
"What did I do?!" Angel asked, but she heard Kenna chuckle.
"See, she is clueless," Kenna said and realization filled Angel.
Kenna had actually tricked Angel and Rhonda continued to hit her, till Beta stopped her.
"Wait, it's her first time, show her pity," Beta said, but Rhonda shot a look at her and back at Angel.
"All right, I'll spare you this one time, but if you ever steal a client, again, I will beat you to a pulp!" she angrily bellowed and left with Beta.
Angel stared at Kenna, who gave a snicker and walked away, just as Rosie came to Angel's side.
"I'm so sorry, I forgot to tell you that Kenna loves to play tricks on new comers and she enjoys watching others get beaten," the girl said to Angel.
Just then, Rhonda came back with an excited face. "That man from 1290 said you were a blast!" she exclaimed and Angel was surprised, and then, Rhonda pulled her up, "C'mon, we're getting your picture taken."
Angel followed Rhonda up the spiral staircase and noticed Kenna, an angry look was painted on her face.
Angel found herself back in Rhonda's pent-house and the woman gestured her to a blank wall and she walked over to it.
"Face me and you better smile," Rhonda warned and Angel took a deep breath and gave her best one.
"Very good," Rhonda said, snapping a photo, "Now you're officially a Black Widower."
Angel's fake smile vanished and a look of dread fell upon her.
"Don't give me that look; do you want to a whore out on the street? Besides I give you food and shelter and you should be grateful," Rhonda said to her.
"But I am not a whore!" Angel cried out, but Rhonda slapped her across the face.
"Tough shit, you're mine!" she shouted and lit a cigarette, "Now get out!"
Angel returned to the girls' apartment and she saw some girls chattering among themselves.
"Hey, that's the new girl." "Did you hear, a man said she was a blast." "Shit, Kenna will never forgive her for that."
Angel laid down on her futon and placed a pillow over her head.
A bell rang and the girls scattered away.
"Angel! That's our dinner!" Rosie informed and rushed off.
The woman realized that she hadn't had anything since this morning and she followed Rosie to the mess hall.
Tonight's menu was freezer-burn fish, slightly moldy bread, and a fruit cup that looked good.
Angel watched the other girls eat their meals, but she lost her appetite after she took a bite of the fish.
"You have to eat, otherwise you won't be strong enough," Rosie said to her.
Angel ate the fruit and felt a bit better and she forced herself to eat the fish.
"Hey, new girl," a voice said and another woman wearing a sexy cat-suit joined her.
"Her name's Angel," Rosie said to the woman.
"Oh, Angel, mine's Helga."
"Also known as the Cat from Hell," Rosie replied, but Helga gave a sneer.
The three talked to each other and Angel learned that both Rosie and Helga were sold by their families to the Black Widow.
"My parents and I never got along," Helga explained. "One night, they caught me with my boyfriend and they went ballistic, said they lost their patience with me and sent me here."
"My mother was sick," Rosie said. "My father didn't have money for medicine and Rhonda paid him to have me, but then a week later, I got word that both my parents died in an auto accident."
"Oh Rosie, I'm so sorry," Angel replied.
"What about you? Who sent you here?" Helga asked and that hit a point for Angel.
"My boyfriend," she answered and the two girls looked at her.
"Why did he do that?" Rosie asked.
"He actually sold me for drugs," Angel explained.
"I was right, men have no feelings," Helga replied.
Angel, Rosie, and Helga went back to the apartment and waited for their next client.
Angel then noticed Rosie folding paper and she beautifully arranged a paper crane.
"How did you do that?" Angel asked and then noticed a box full of paper cranes.
"They're origami cranes, this is what I do whenever I get bored," Rosie answered, "There is a legend that whoever makes a thousand cranes the gods will grant you whatever wish you have."
"A thousand?" Angel asked in astonishment.
"I'm at crane#309, do you want to help?" Rosie asked.
"But I don't know how to make a crane," Angel replied.
"It's all right, I'll teach you, but you have to have patience," Rosie informed and the two got to work.
"Do you mind if I ask you something?" Angel said to the young woman.
"No, not at all," Rosie replied, as she showed Angel how to fold.
"Has anyone tried to escape from here? You know, go for help?" Angel whispered her question.
"Helga said that when she came here, two girls did escape one night, said they would get help. However, they never came back. I think they just ran away without thinking about getting help for us," Rosie answered.
Then, Kenna came into Angel's view and she stared at her.
"You think you can win over the clients? Well, just you wait, no one will call for you and Rhonda will dispose of you," Kenna said, viciously. "It just so happens that I have been the top girl for three years in a row and I am not going to let you jeopardize my reputation," she added and Angel stood up.
"As I recall, you told me to take over your first client," Angel said and Kenna's face turned red. "So, it was actually your fault," Angel added and the other girls gasped in horror.
"Angel, no!" Rosie exclaimed, but it was too late. Kenna jumped on Angel and began to choke her.
"Kenna, stop it!" some of the girls shouted as a few of them pulled Kenna off of Angel.
"I'll make you eat you those words!" the hot-tempered woman shouted at Angel.
Kenna was taken away and Angel knew that Kenna would give her a hard time while she stayed at the casino.