I prefer not to reuse pieces from the past, but as soon as I saw this week’s picture my mind was transported back to 2017 and a vignette I wrote for Friday Fictioneers. It received one of the largest number of comments I’ve ever been blessed with including quite a few from our current blogging community!
Thanks to Sadje for hosting What Do You See?
.
.
.
She slips in and out of the shadows, hiding in the dank
alleyway. Dressed to allure, she slides into view
when a prospective client
appears.
.
She came here on a promise from her home overseas, lured by
a job, a home and a future; to send much-needed
money to her parents, her brother,
her sister.
‘
Little did she know what
awaited her.
.
Concealed at a safe distance, her sinister pimp watches
his terrified victim as she plies his
loathsome trade.
‘
One day she will disappear; unknown, anonymous.
No name just a number.
‘
She’ll be replaced by another,
and another,
and another
.
Image credit: Engin Akyurt @ Unsplash
Well penned Keith. A deeply moving poem. You presented a truth few have the courage to bring into the light. Thank you for reposting this one. This story deserves to be told and re-told, in my opinion.
Thanks for your kind words,Suzette.
This is indeed a heartbreaking reality that most people prefer to ignore. So many innocent lives have been ruined under the guise of opportunities. Thanks for writing about this important issue.
True Sadje, sadly so. It’s going on largely unnoticed in towns and cities across the world.
It sadly is very true.
Oh, this is heartbreaking!
It needs to be addressed more.
I doubt lack of awareness is the problem. As long as it’s lucrative for criminals to enslave young women in the sex trade, it goes on.
Indeed Christine, it’s been that way since time immemorial there’s no end in sight.
Oh, I feel I remember this one, Keith. Such a sad life for these girls…
Indeed it is, Dale.
So sad Keith, but true of so many.
Love the new gravatar pic!
Unfortunately so.
Thanks Di, that was my final glass of wine in Italy before heading home!
Nice one!
Still a great story, Keith!
Thanks so much, Nancy.
Always a pleasure, Keith.
Beautifully done, but sad… very sad.
Thanks so much, Chris.
We have too many of those here. The constant fight to help them goes on, there’s even a special house where the victims can recover, but more space is always needed. It’s awful.
Sadly those that help are outnumbered by those that continue to persue their evil ways.
This is so heart breaking and moving piece, Keith. Children also, both boys and girls are consumed in this buisness. There are so many NGOs trying to help but this mafia is much more powerful. Very well penned piece.