Chapter 3
ALICIA
"Stop! This is the place." I pay the cab guy and tell him to keep the change as I vault out. I stare at my phone and notice the red dot on the map has stopped as well. I look up at the building and see a sign that reads Stardust, and I shudder. Good lord, what is Tanya up to this time? What could she be doing in a place like this?
I want to, I want to turn around and head back home, but I've lost my sister once before and I know the number of sleepless nights I got. It's not something I want to readily go through again. "Dear lord, please give me some courage," I mutter silently.
I close my eyes and channel some inner courage. After some seconds, I feel a burst of adrenaline rush and I open my eyes, chin up, and walk towards the door. The closer I get to the entrance where two heavyweight-looking bouncers stand, the more my courage fades. By the time I'm close to them, I'm completely wiped out. There's a long line of people waiting to get in. When I look closely, I notice they're of varying ages. Young, middle-aged, and old. I stare unbelievably at the man with greying hair at his temples, wondering why he's not with his family on this night.
"Get back into the line." A voice barks at me, causing me to jump. It's one of the bodyguards. He could probably crush me with one of his huge hands but I swallow past the fear and paste a tentative smile on my face.
My hands are trembling so badly, I'm sure he notices. I hear sniggering and try not to look. "Hi!" I wave. "I . . . err, I'm looking for my sister."
The scowl on his face disappears and he throws his head back and barks out a laugh. "Yeah! You'll probably find your parents in there as well." He jerks his hand behind him where loud music is pouring out from. The smile slides off his face as the scowl returns. "Now get back into the line."
I can't go back into the line since I didn't come out of it. I grip my phone tighter and notice with dread, the red dot signaling Tanya, has begun to move. I can't have her disappearing on me once again. If she leaves this club without me seeing her, I don't know when next I'll ever set eyes on her. Dread and desperation well up inside me, fueling me with courage.
I move closer to the bouncer. "Please, sir, I need to find my sister. She's been missing for the past week, and . . . well, I put a tracker on her phone but lost the signal. I've only just got it back and I know she's in there. If she gets missing once again, I don't know when I'll ever be able to find her."
"Hey, girl, your father lied to ya, you're not a princess, you're just another ordinary girl on the streets like me. Go back to the line and stop acting smart." Someone from the line of people waiting to enter, shouts.
The bouncers look at me pointedly, as if to say I hope you heard that.
I can't give up now. "Please, sir, I would have called her to come out, but she blocked my number and I can't reach her."
"Yeah! I know her type. They waltz up here acting like their shit doesn't smell when in fact it reeks. You're not better than any of us. Get back in line." Another impatient person shouts.
"You got that right!" Another person continues. "You don't even look like you belong here. Run back to the convent where you belong and stay there."
A few people laugh while most just grumble. I wish I could somehow make the ground open and swallow me, but I push down the embarrassment their words cause and focus on the bouncer instead. Maybe he'll be more sympathetic. Maybe.
The bouncer rolls his eyes and reaches into his jacket and alarm bells flare loudly in my brain. He's going to bring out a taser or a gun. He's going to kill me, that is until I see the phone in his hand.
"Take it and call your sister."
Relief pours into me and I close my eyes briefly before opening them once again. The phone is still in his hand, he's waiting for me to take it from him. I practically snatch it with profuse thanks and dial Tanya's number. It goes to voicemail instead. I try a second time but the same thing happens.
I ignore the sympathetic look he gives me as I hand him back his phone reluctantly and move to the side. The second bouncer pointedly ignores me and continues checking people's ID cards and allowing them inside.
The bouncer who gave me his phone moves away from me and puts his eyes back on the line of people.
I can't blame him, he tried his best.
I'm borderline desperate now, considering how the red dot on my phone keeps moving. I see a leeway when the bouncer who gave me his phone is busy talking on his walkie-talkie, and the other one is also busy admitting people inside. The entrance is unguarded. I have no other choice but to do it. Before they can stop me, I rush forward and slip inside.
Loud music pulses from hidden speakers and the floor beneath my feet thrum with the vibration as I step inside. Strobe lights flash left and right, momentarily blinding and confusing me. The smell of smoke, alcohol, and something fruity, is pungent in the air.
The whole sight coupled with my buzzed nerves has begun to give me a headache. I hope I haven't made a mistake by coming here, but I'm desperate to see Tanya and speak with her.
I'm about to surge into the crowd when I see them. Hordes and hordes of them.
Women.
Some of them are half naked, while others are. . . still half naked.
They strut around, preening like peacocks like they're in an auction and their almost bare bodies are for sale.
That's when it hits me.
Of course, their bodies are for sale. Why else would they dress this way? And the men. . . they look at them greedily, lapping them all up, drinking them up, probably undressing them with their eyes as well.
Well. . . there's not much to undress.
This is a whole different world here, one that could easily swallow up someone like me.
I suddenly feel small, like an insignificant gnat.
I'm about to surge forward when a strong hand clamps on mine and whips me around. I come face to face with the bouncer that gave me his phone.
One look at his face and I know he's angry.
Scratch that - he's livid.