Astray

by Carlos King

  While staying with Trina, Alexis is exposed to a life that seems almost perfect on the surface, and with her still being a child at heart, she really doesn’t grasp the full concept of what prostitution is and the risks that come along with it. All she could see is Trina leaving out by eight or nine p.m. and coming back home three or four hours later with cash topping around a thousand dollars a night.

  Alexis is actually warming up to the idea of street walking for a living. Anything where someone could be so free, work at their own pace and still bring home more cash in one night then most people earn on a monthly basis intrigued her. Trina, who isn’t a stranger to the temptations prostitution can pose, tries her best to keep Alexis from being lured into the world’s oldest, most chaotic profession. One night after working, Trina returns home and finds Alexis waiting up for her.

  “Girl, what you doing up so late?” Trina asked.

  “I want to go out with you tomorrow,” Alexis declared.

  “I’m tired, Alexis,” Trina dismissed. “I’m going to bed.”

  “So is that a ‘yes’?”

  “No. That’s an ‘I’m tired and I’m going to bed’. We’ve discussed this already. You’re a smart girl. Don’t waste your time doing something like this. What you should be focused on is getting yourself back in school or at least registering in a trade school.”

  “I know what you’re saying. It’s just…I can’t go back to school right now. With everything that’s happened to me, there’s no way I could go back to sitting in a classroom, trying to learn all the bullshit they preach. You even said it yourself…School ain’t for everybody.”

  “Neither is hooking,” Trina quickly replied. “This shit ain’t all you think it’s cracked up to be. You have to worry about cops, niggas trying to pimp you and constantly wondering if your next trick is gonna beat you, rape you or leave you for dead in a ditch somewhere. That’s what makes me different from them young girls out there. They came into the game with their noses all up in the air, not having a clue what they’re gonna do with the rest of their lives. Now me on the other hand, I got my shit all planned out. I have two more years of this shit and then I’m retiring. I’m going down to Florida to open a hair and nail shop with my little sister.”

  “You’re retiring?”

  “You damn right. I don’t wanna do this shit for the rest of my life. That’s why I’m trying to keep you away from it. You should do better.”

  “What’s better for me? Nobody will hire me to work in their restaurant or grocery store because of either my age or the fact I don’t know my social security number. And aside from that, I’m not gone let no man take from me like Dre or that old bastard Ellis did. From now on, any sex I have might as well be for money. Why should I give it up for free?”

  “I don’t know, Alexis. What about singing? From what you told me about that talent show, it sounds like you got some skills. Why don’t you try to be an entertainer?”

  “You have to be pretty for all that.”

  “And what makes you think you not, Alexis?”

  “The kids at my school convinced me.”

  “Well, they’re wrong. You’re a very pretty girl. You just never had a mother’s touch to help bring it out.”

  “Trina, I respect you and all, and I really appreciate you letting me stay here and everything, but I’m gonna have to start fending for myself eventually. Now hopefully you’ll help me, but if not, I’ll just find somebody who will,” Alexis declared.

  It dawns on Trina that Alexis is serious about her determination to join the business of illegal sex. Understanding how easy it is for a young girl to fall prey to the ruthless pimps who patrol the streets, Trina decides that since Alexis is set in her ways that it’d be best if she took the liberty of watching over her and showed her the tricks of the trade…No pun intended.

  Later that night, Trina is applying the final touches to her young protégé. Within a few hours time, Alexis has gone through a complete metamorphosis. She’s gone from a girl who normally wears her clothes two sizes too big to a sexy, curvaceous young woman. And the makeup applied by Trina has given her an appearance that makes her look ten years older.

  “That’ll do it,” said Trina, setting her eye-liner pencil down. “What do you think?”

  Alexis gets up and walks to a mirror. She can hardly believe the reflection she’s seeing is hers. For the first time in her life she actually feels attractive. She takes a few steps back from the mirror so she can further admire how the revealing dress she’s wearing perfectly grips every curve of her body. Alexis is truly in love with her new look.

  “What do you think?” Trina asked again.

  Alexis replies, “I didn’t know I could look like this. Up until now, I never really even knew I had a shape like this.”

  Trina jokes with her, “Yeah, we should probably find something else for you to put on. If you wear that dress out with me tonight you’re liable to steal some of my customers.”

  Alexis looks at Trina, tears in her eyes.

  “What’s the matter, baby?” a concerned Trina asked.

  “This is the first time I actually feel pretty.”

  “No one’s ever told you that you were pretty before?”

  “No,” Alexis answered. “Not unless they were having sex with me or making me do something to them. Those are the only times I ever got any type of compliment. But those types never meant shit to me anyway.”

  “Listen, Alexis, you are a beautiful young girl. Don’t let anything or anyone make you think otherwise, okay? And trust me when I tell you, you don’t need makeup or these clothes to bring that beauty out.”

  “Thanks, Trina. Sometimes I wish you really were my mama.”

  Trina smiles. “As far as I’m concerned, I am.”

  A couple hours later, the time has come for the two ladies to clock-in. As they head out the door, Trina turns to Alexis and issues one final warning. “You sure you’re ready to become a full-fledge member of the fast life? Street hustling isn’t for the soft hearted. You sure you wanna go through with this?”

  Alexis hesitates, but then decisively answers, “I’m sure.”

  “Okay…Here we go.”

  Hoping that Alexis would’ve changed her mind by now, Trina disappointedly allows her to leave the apartment first. Trina follows behind, flipping the light switch off and pulling the door closed behind her.

  CHAPTER 8

  THE MYSTERY MAN

  A considerable amount of time has gone by since Alexis’ first time out with Trina. A young girl who was once apprehensive and non-responsive with the vulgar conversations being held by Trina and the other girls, has quickly become just as outspoken and just as crass as the rest of the women she’s surrounded by. Alexis’ first night on the streets proved to be just as challenging for her as it was degrading, but it didn’t take long for her to adapt. She started off distrustful and very cautious of anyone who approached her, but now she has very little regard for jumping into the backseats of different cars or going into hotel rooms with an array of strange men.

  Although Alexis has taken on a very grownup persona in a dreadfully grownup world, it shouldn’t be forgotten that she’s still a child…A child who is still in need of adult guidance. And Alexis receives this adult guidance from the only person she trusts. Trina gives Alexis the green light on men that are okay for her to do business with and the red light on men she shouldn’t. She also keeps Alexis away from the more deceiving girls on the street who might try to take advantage of a young girl’s naivety. Unfortunately, as is the case with all mentors, they can’t be with their understudies every minute of every day.

  While Trina is servicing one of her regulars, she leaves Alexis with a few girls she normally works with. Sadly, the girls Trina had left Alexis with go off with clients of their own, ultimately resulting in Alexis being left alone with a lot of unfamiliar women. Despite Alexis’ surging anxiety, she keeps up a front of total tranquility.

  Alexis s
pots another young woman staring at her from across the street. She tries her best to ignore the girl’s gawking, but the girl’s unrelenting stare begins to weigh heavily on her patience. Alexis feels she’s left with no other option but to address the situation.

  “Can I help you with something?!” she snapped at the girl across the street.

  Unmoved by Alexis’ attempt to be intimidating, the young woman crosses the street, heading in Alexis’ direction. Growing uneasy, Alexis prepares herself for any type of confrontation the young woman may present.

  Just as the young girl draws near, she begins to speak. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to stare. I’m kind of new out here and I saw you standing over here by yourself. I figured I’d come over and keep you company. My name is Tatiana, but you can call me TT.”

  “My name’s Alexis.”

  “So how long have you’ve been working out here?”

  “I’ve been out here for about a month. I come out here with my friend Trina. How old are you?”

  Tatiana answers, “I just turned sixteen last week.”

  “Really?” Alexis replied, raising an eyebrow. “You look a lot older than that. I thought you were like twenty-eight.”

  “Thanks for the compliment, Alexis. How old are you?”

  “I’m fourteen.”

  “What?” Tatiana came back; even more shocked than Alexis was. “You’re fourteen years old? You look way older than that! I would’ve sworn you were in your late-twenties.”

  An all white SUV pulls up in front of the two young girls. The driver honks his horn twice to grab their attention. The two girls focus on the SUV and its driver. The passenger window rolls down slightly.

  “What’s up, baby? You working tonight?” a deep voice asked.

  When she realizes the man is talking to her, Alexis confidently struts her way toward the tricked-out Yukon. Upon her first glance at the driver, the first thing she notices about him is a fairly large discoloration on the right side of his face that extended down to his neck.

  “Did anyone ever tell you it’s not polite to honk?” Alexis said in a flirtatious manner.

  “You wanna go for a ride, sexy?”

  “Maybe. What’s in it for me? My time doesn’t come cheap,” continuing on with her enticing ways.

  The man displays a brief smirk. He reaches into his front pocket and pulls out a large wad of cash. “Sweetheart, does it look like I’m hurting for money? I’m pretty sure I can make it worth your while…As long as you do the same for me.”

  “I don’t know any other way, baby.”

  Alexis hops into the fancy SUV and says goodbye to Tatiana through the passenger side window. As the truck pulls off, the black Olds Mobile that Trina departed in earlier returns. As soon as Trina gets she immediately begins looking around for Alexis. Spotting Tatiana and recognizing that she’s standing in the same vicinity that she had left her protégé in, Trina approaches.

  “Excuse me, baby, but did you see a girl in a black mini-dress? She would’ve been standing in this area.”

  “You talking about Alexis?” Tatiana asked.

  “Yeah, you know where she went?”

  “She left with a trick right before you pulled up.”

  “Damn.” Trina looks up and down the street, uneasy. “You know who she left with?” Trina interrogated.

  Tatiana moves closer to Trina, “Nope, I’ve never seen that guy before. He was driving a real nice Yukon, though.”

  “Was it all white with rims on it?” Trina asked, her concerns mounting.

  “Yep,” Tatiana retorted. “Looks like Alexis hit the jackpot with that one.”

  “Did the man driving have a light-colored birthmark on his face?” Trina queried.

  “Yeah, I think he did.”

  “Shit! Which way did they go?!”

  Tatiana is puzzled. “Is something wrong?”

  “Just tell me which way they went, girl!”

  Tatiana points out the direction and informs Trina about the left turn it made a couple blocks up the road. Before Tatiana can even finish talking, Trina has already made her way halfway up the street. Sensing that time is of the essence, Trina takes off her heels and throws them in her purse. Tatiana watches Trina, who’s practically jogging now, hurry down the dark street until she disappears into the shadowy night.

  CHAPTER 9

  A DANGEROUS SITUATION

  Trina has searched several street blocks for the illusive white truck. She races from street to street until she finally spots the fancy Yukon parked in an alley. Exercising extreme caution, Trina closes in on the truck, but when the sound of a screaming Alexis screeches through the nighttime air, Trina throws caution to the wind.

  When she makes it to the SUV she tugs at one of the door handles, but the door doesn’t budge. Trina peeks through the window but the tint prevents her from seeing inside. Another distressful scream from Alexis forces Trina to act fast.

  Trina reaches into her handbag and pulls out a .357 Magnum. The chrome gun glares under the faint light of a nearby garage, clearly revealing its large size in comparison to Trina’s rather small hand. In haste, Trina swings the butt of the gun into the backdoor window. The glass shatters and reveals a bruised and bloodied Alexis and her dumbfounded abuser. Trina looks at a crying Alexis and immediately notices her torn clothing and shuffled hair. She then sets her sights on the driver. She sees that his shirt is off and his pants are unfastened. Trina aims her gun directly at the man’s discolored face and cocks the hammer. Frightened, the man raises both of his hands, slowly scooting away from Alexis.

  “Get out of the car, Alexis,” Trina ordered.

  Alexis gathers her belongings and braces them tightly against her chest. She slides toward the door, unlocks it and exits the vehicle. All the while, Trina keeps her Magnum leveled at the depraved man’s head.

  Once Alexis is clear from the vehicle, Trina says, “Wait right next to me, baby. Everything’s okay now.”

  “You didn’t have to break my window,” said the driver. “You could’ve tapped the glass with that big ass gun of yours. I would’ve gladly rolled it down for you.”

  “I thought I told you to keep your sick ass away from my girls, mothafucka!” Trina angrily asserted.

  “How was I supposed to know she was one of yours? I’ve been out of town for a while. I never seen her out there before.”

  “Any girl you see on that block is one of mine, understand?! If you bring your dick face anywhere near my block again I swear to God I’ll kill you! Now get your perverted, bitch-ass outta here before I blow your fucking head off!”

  Keeping the gun aimed at the driver until he’s made his way back into the front seat, Trina tries her best to restrain her tensed finger from squeezing the trigger. The man eventually starts the truck and drives off. Trina un-cocks the hammer of the gun and puts it back into her purse. She turns around, training her eyes on an emotionally wrecked Alexis. She can only imagine the horror Alexis must’ve felt. Trina takes a deep breath, walking towards the terrified young girl.

  “You okay, baby? Did that fucker rape you?”

  “No. He came close enough, though,” Alexis articulated over her tears. “I just want to go home. Can we please go home now?”

  “Yeah, come on. Let’s get you cleaned up.”

  The two head down the dark alleyway and walk back towards the dimly-lit streets. Trina wraps her arm around Alexis and tries to console her. A little while later the two finally make it home. Alexis takes a hot shower and slips into her pajamas. Meanwhile, Trina has set two cups of coffee out, along with two breakfast bagels. Not too long after set the individual places on the kitchen table, Alexis enters and takes a seat.

  With the events of what happened earlier that night embedded in her mind, Alexis ponders over several questions that plague her brain. “How did you know where I was?” Alexis asked Trina.

  “That girl you was talking to on the block told me that you drove off with some guy in an all white truck. Wh
en she told me his face was discolored, I had gut feeling you might be in trouble.”

  “You already knew him?” Alexis asked.

  “Yeah, we had a similar issue like yours occur a while back. Except last time it ended up with him getting his ass whooped by another girl’s pimp.”

  “Who is he?” Alexis inquired, sipping her coffee.

  “Just some sick son of a bitch who gets off on beating up and raping any woman he gets his hands on. I guess he sees hookers as easy targets.”

  “How did you know where we’d be?”

  “He’s not all that bright. For some reason he likes bringing girls over to the same area I found y’all in. He’s done the shit four times already. It’s like it’s a game to him. He never messes with the same girl twice and he never rides the strip more than once a month. That’s why it’s so hard keeping girls outta his truck. I’m sorry I didn’t warn you about him, but I figured since you were with me you’d be safe. I never thought about what would happen if he approached you while I was with a trick.”

  “How come no one ever reported him to the cops?” asked Alexis.

  Trina stares at Alexis with an odd look on her face. “I forget sometimes that you’re only fourteen and still new to this life. Look, with what we do for a living, we can’t go to the cops and complain when someone does us wrong. It’s like going to the cops and telling them that someone you was trying to buy drugs from took your money and didn’t give you anything in return. Not only do you make yourself look stupid, but you’re pretty much begging them to lock you up. When it comes to cops, we stay the hell clear.”

  Confused over Trina’s advice, Alexis looks at Trina and asks, “So what you’re saying is I should just forget that this happened?”

  “No, I’m saying that you should take what happened tonight and learn from it. For one, never get in the car with that punk ass bitch again. And two, start carrying something with you that you can use for protection. I don’t care if it’s a knife or a fork. The next time a nigga tries to rape you, you wait until he pulls his pants down and then you jab him in his dick. That’ll keep him from using that shit on anybody else. You understand?”