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TITLE: In the Presence of Mine Enemies By Jeremy Iman 06/05/07 |
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“Mr. Azalea has explained the process to you?”
“He has, and I’m willing to pay a fair price, provided I’m offered first pick. I’m looking for the gem of the bunch, the cream of the crop if you will, and Mr. Azalea said you would be more than happy to grant my request.”
The bearded man smiled and leaned back in his chair. He crossed his arms and broke eye contact before speaking. “I’ve had many men come in and make the same request. I hope you keep in mind, before you make your offer, that a fair price to you may be an insult to me. As long as demands from the West, from men like you, keep increasing as they have, our prices will continue to do the same. You understand, I’m sure?”
“Of course,” he said behind squinted eyes and a smirk. “This is not my first purchase. I was under the impression that Mr. Azalea explained to you our long history together. I know how things work, and I have no intentions of insulting you. Quite the contrary. I am here to make you a very wealthy man.”
“Well then, I am honored by your presence.” He paused and reached down into a briefcase that was propped up against a table leg. After pulling out a small stack of papers, he continued. “Shall we begin?”
He raised his hand and motioned with two fingers to another Middle Eastern man who had been standing in the back, near the curtain. Soon after, a line of eight young girls entered the room, single file, and stopped near the two men. They were positioned so that they were standing tightly together in a line and facing the bearded man and his buyer. They were small and terrified, some crying, some sobbing, some had already passed this phase and were looking at the ground not saying or doing a thing. They ranged from ten to fifteen years old, give or take, and were all of Middle Eastern descent.
“This is our newest shipment, straight from Pakistan. They’re the best quality goods we’ve had here in a long time.”
“I agree, and am glad Mr. Azalea recommended you to me. I haven’t seen a group quite like this in a long time. Most of the ones in India are older, and have been sold many times already. You stand to make a fortune off of these girls. I had almost decided to quit the business altogether until I heard about you. This, this is very nice.”
He stood and pushed the old wooden chair in near the table before looking at the bearded man and asking “May I?”
“Of course.”
There was a soft look in his eyes as he circled the line of children and inspected them several times over. He never touched them, except when lifting their chins to get a better look at their faces, but they were frightened nonetheless, knowing full well what was going on.
After awhile, the bearded man stood and made his way towards the girls. He stopped beside his buyer and looked the cowering child in front of him up and down.
“I think this one here is the one you’ll be wanting, no?”
“That one is fine merchandize, don’t get me wrong, but I have my eye on this young one here. I think you can agree she is the finest of the bunch.”
The other man frowned. “Are you accusing me of withholding that ‘gem’ that you seek? I see the very thing you desire by looking at this one here. I have been nothing but honest with you.”
“You misunderstand; I meant nothing by it, only that this one is the one I desire. I will take her with me and you shall receive your payment after she has been,” he paused, “tested.”
The bearded man objected. “I thought Mr. Azalea explained things to you? We don’t have that system of operation anymore. You test the merchandize here, in the back, and you pay before you leave. Nothing against you my friend, but policy had to change due to lack of payment in the past. You understand?”
“These are sad times we live in. You can’t trust anyone anymore. Of course I understand. I assume we will be given the proper amount of privacy while back there? I don’t work in front of an audience.”
The man smiled, “I assure you, everything will be to your liking. I pride myself in satisfying my clients in every way. Shall we proceed?”
The man who had lead the girls out now lead them back in, save for the chosen one who was pulled aside and set beside her buyer. Before she was let go, though, she turned and bit the hand of the bearded man who had a firm grasp on her shoulder. He drew back in pain, only to lunge forward seconds later with his other hand high above his head. The other man quickly pulled the girl aside, which caused the attacker to freeze in mid-assault.
“I won’t have you harming her now, she’s soon to be mine. That is, unless you’re in the business of selling damaged goods?”
“That runt! She won’t get away with─”
“Don’t you worry about that. I’ll see to it that she gets what’s coming to her. Her debt to you will be paid in full.”
He sighed and glared down at the girl before adjusting his suit and swallowing hard.
“Your only audience will be the other girls. They’ll be locked in the cages though, as not to bother you, and the guards will retake their posts out here until you feel you are finished. Exit through his curtain at that time and I’ll have your bill prepared. This suits you?”
The man pushed the little girl through the curtain and into the back room. “It does.”
Minutes grew tired and passed away. Soon, the noise in the back room faded like the yellowed curtain that divided the building, and it was all but dead quiet within. The guards stood with their guns by their sides, yawning every now and then but remaining alert for the most part. As the night progressed and deepened, a soft knock landed on the front door. Its hollow proclamation caused everyone in the room to jump, and all heads jerked to the front. Guns were lifted and held in the firing position, and the bearded man motioned for one of the guards to stand off to the side of the front door. Then, he slowly, cautiously, stepped towards the source of the sound, carefully, quietly, placing one foot in front of the other, bringing it down gently, and repeating this rhythm until he was able to tightly grasp the doorknob. All remained silent, wondering if the peace-breaker was still present, and their curiosity was eased by another light knock on the wooden door.
“Who is it?” the bearded man asked roughly in an authoritative tone.
“A friend from America. Mr. Azalea sends his regards.”
The man on the inside looked to the left, puzzled. “America? I am not expecting anymore Americans tonight. I’m not expecting anymore Americans for a few weeks. What is your name?”
“I would tell you, but it would be a fake. I do not understand, Mr. Azalea said all I had to do was mention his name and that would be enough. Should I take my business elsewhere?”
The bearded man motioned for the other guard to come towards the door. He turned the knob and slowly pulled back on it. Guns were raised as the American stood before them, looking bewildered.
“I must say, this is definitely not the welcome I expected. I know your goods are of exceptionally high-quality this go round, but you need to learn how to treat your business associates a little better.”
The bearded man’s mouth was open with confusion. “Mr. Azalea sent you? From America?”
“That would be what I said, yes.”
Quickly he turned around and stormed into the room. He pushed a chair to the side and it smashed hard into the circular table. Candles lost their balance and stumble from side to side, spilling their waxy blood unto the surface. He gripped the yellowed curtain and thrust it aside violently and then stopped.
He stood in silence. He stood for many seconds and then stood some more. Slowly, and softly at first, a gentle chuckle began forming in the pit of his stomach until it turned into a ravenous growl. He flung his arms downward, ripping the curtain from its rod and causing it to pile on the floor. A warm night’s breeze blew in through the open door, traveled past the American, past the guards, past the bearded man. It caused the remaining glow of the candles to flicker once, twice, three times until all the flames, save the candle on the table where the buyer had been seated earlier, were exhausted. Like a gentle spirit it drifted softly, delicately, through the empty cages, over the vacant beds, and out the freshly broken window at the end of the building.
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