The Red Forest Part 2/2

Behind the bar is a simple man, his brown hair streaked white with age and his face is almost permanently set in a grumpy, don't speak to me, kind of expression. Couples slip past him through a door way blocked only by a simple sheet of nearly sheer red fabric. Slowly Alexandra sits on a stool at the end of the bar, careful to keep her arms off the visibly sticky bar top. The bartender laughs as he places two more amber drinks on the counter. His harsh smile fades a bit when he notices her sitting at the end.

"Anything I can get you young lady?" His voice is weary, his hands constantly busy with something under the bar top. She barely notices these things though, the smell of food and drink making her dizzy.

"Work if you have any? And food?" His eyebrows rise high onto his forehead and then pinch together. If Alex looked close enough she could actually see the dirt clinging to his face.

"Work? Beg my pardon, but you don't exactly look like the working type youngster." His eyes locked with hers and she looks away. "What the hell am I doing in this bar anyway, he won't listen to anything I say". Another customer tries to get the bartenders attention, but he ignores them.

"I have nothing else to do." Alex says, trying to keep things impersonal, bordering or boring. He narrows his eyes at her.

"Well, you got any training?" he asks, sounding skeptical.

"Some but I'm new to the area. Things are..." Something suddenly didn't feel right about this place or the man standing in front of her, "definitely different here." She shifts on the stool as the two men a few seats down ended their conversation and the bartender weigh's her words. It was only then that Alexandra noticed the four different men standing stiffly in each corner. There faces were hidden behind large hoods and they leaned in the darker corners of the room, lazily watching.

"There is always an opening back there with the other girls, though that job is pretty much the same everywhere." He firmly points his thumb over his shoulder in the directions of the thin sheet of fabric. Alex watches, suddenly grateful she hadn't had anything to eat all day, as a man three time her age backs a girl at least one year younger than her through the curtain. Already working on undoing the girls fitted lace-up shirt. The man grinned horribly down at the girl who somehow managed a sweat, kind smile as her small hands worked at the belt holding his holly cloth pants up. Just before they fully disappear through the curtain the man drops three silver pieces into a large silver lock box.

"That.." she couldn't think of what to say, "Had he really thought I had meant prostitution when I had asked for work?"

"I should be going. I think I took a wrong turn and ended up in the wrong place. Thank you for the offer though; really." The stool squeaks loudly as she stands. She needed to get out of this building. She could feel the eyes on her skin again. Men at the tables now stalling they games for chances to glance her way. The men standing in the corners suddenly at attention.

"You sure? It's a stable job..." Alexandra begins to back away at his words and his face hardens. He is no longer the open and aged, grumpy old man she had seen when she walked in here. His scowl turned his face into a snarl that made her heart beet fast. She bumps into a couple of people on her way to the door and exhales with relief when the door frame smacks into her back.

"No offense meant sir, really. Just not my kinda work." Alex hollers as she pushes through the door. He says something back to her but she doesn't hear it. Several people curse at her as she tumbles through their conversating group, spilling their drinks. She doesn't take the time to apologize to them; she just wanted as much space between her and the bar as possible. Adrenalin keeping the pain at bay.

Her heart wouldn't slow down; not even after she made it around the corner and bent over, hands on her knees, breathing deeply. Fear climbs up and down her spine, making her legs tingle and she feelings of sickness crawl around her stomach like roaches.

Voices echo from behind her, just people conversating outside of the bar, and she focuses on that telling herself that things are okay, that she is okay. It was working until she hears a loud smack and people shrieking. A man spoke, quickly and loudly, his words slurred slightly.

"Where has that red-haired broad gone?" he shouts. No one answers.

"I would answer him if I where you buffoons." Another voice adds.

"And whys that Marcus, why should we care what this big, obnoxious man wants!? He nearly broke the door off it's hinges!" another voice, female this time, speaks up. Before they can come up with a good response someone mumbles gently, and footsteps sound. Growing louder, Alex bits her lip and pushes herself into the wall behind her. "What do they want? Why are they looking for me?"

Too afraid to find out what he wants, Alex begins quietly looking for a better place to hide and quickly finds one. A dark alcove was only a few feet away, cold and murky compared to the street. Fog was beginning to fill the space between the buildings and Alexandra held her breath. The foot steps of the men growing louder. She steps farther back into the alcove until the cold stone scraped her bare back.

"Why are we out here again Peter?" a male voice, the one who had spoken up before, asks and someone laughs.

"I told you not to call me that and cause I want that girl." The first voice responds, the laughter fading sharply.

"Come on man, you already have a wife, what do you need her for?"

"Because I need the money." The footsteps stopped," You're not gonna tell me you didn't see the way that bartender was looking at her when she left, the way everyone was looking at her." Their voices were close now, just around the corner. Alexandra squeezed her hand closed, so cold she couldn't feel her finger nails dig into her skin. Her breath curled out before her in swirling white wisps.

"Ha! You're an idiot if you think that Sherly buys his girls. They have to volunteer." This voice is different, almost board with the conversation.

"Shut up Carter. You don't know shit." Peter responds. The three of them start walking again, coming into view soon after and Alex can see that Peter is older then the other two. His barrel chest and long beard make him look gruff and wild. The other, second man, is tall and strong. His hair cut close to him scalp and his nose a little to big for his face. The third and last man was of average height. His blonde hair was shaggy and his clothes thin and summer-like. Alex wondered how it was possible that he wasn't shivering. He's the one who stops walking suddenly, his hair swaying with the movement and the tops of his ears glint in the light, long and pointy. He turns his gaze towards the shadows she hides in and looks right at her, or at least that's what it seems like. Peter and the other tall man continue walking on, as if their third-party member had never been there. Carter steps towards the small alcove. Fear makes Alexandra's legs feel like lead as he steps into the shadows and raises a finger to his lips. Suddenly his body is against hers, his cheek brushes hers and his breath tickles her neck, sending shivers down her spine.

"Shhhhh Sweet thing, I know you're scared but believe me," He says as she struggles to get her face away from his," you'll have a much better time with me."

"Please..." Alex begs as her legs refusing to move and her stomach turns into knots. How had he moved so quickly. If she screamed the other two would come back, would they help or join in? She pushes against him, but every movement is weak against his cold muscular body.

"Shut up and stop squirming." He snaps. He steps back holding her there with a hand around her throat and pulls a knife from his belt. She twist and turns, trying to make her body move. Trying to kick and scratch but she's frozen. He lifts her off the ground, air trapped in her lungs, and he begins cutting away at her dress until it hung open from hip to seam. She could do nothing but stare as he dropped the knife and reached for his belt, her vision beginning to blur. She could do nothing as he slipped himself between her legs and began rubbing himself against her, whispering the things he would do to her in her ear. Tears ran down her face. Her heart ached, and she strained against whatever was keeping her from fighting him, but she couldn't move. Panic and terror grew triple fold as he pulled her underwear aside and moved to enter her. She wanted to scream, she wanted to scratch his face, kick him, anything to make him stop what he is about to do. Everything slowed down. She could hear her heart beat in her ears, loud and strong. Could see the fog coming into the alcove, thick and heavy with water. Could feel the cold air on her thigh and his warm hand climbing higher. He pulled away, just long enough to adjust his angle and something tugs in her chest.

Her vision swims before her so she knew what she saw could only be a figment of her imagination, of what she wanted to do to this man. She knew this when she watched frost form on the outside of his mouth. When she watched his eye grow pink and blood shot and his cheeks blacken and ice grow threw them. She knew she had to be dreaming when his skin split and blood red ice crystals grew from the cracks in his skin and he stopped moving completely. His hand was the only thing still touching her, still keeping her prisoner. As she finally fades from this nightmare, the last thing she sees is a dark figure, a flash of light, and the sickening sound of shattering glass.