When Life Begins Again

Chapter One

A woman walks into the room and starts talking as she looks over all of us. “Alright girls this will be your new home for the rest of your lives. You will be cared for as long as you do as you're told. Someone will clean you up and get you ready for the show. No need to tell me your names because I already know them. And know that if you try to run away you will be punished.

I looked around the room to see who was all there. Nothing but girls close to my age some older and younger. I didn’t see anyone I recognized. I sighed in relief at the knowledge that they didn’t catch my siblings. I pray to God that they’re safe and did as I told them.

The woman walks over to me looking me up and down. She looks a bit old but not too old, maybe in her 40’s or 50’s. Her hair was tied back into a small bun. It was blonde but it didn’t look natural. Her eyes were narrow and dark brown. She had some wrinkles but had her face smoothed out cosmetically. She nodded appreciatively and smiled at me. “You will do perfectly once you’re all cleaned up. You’ll be my star,” she said to me, reaching out to put her hand on my chin.

I didn’t like any of this, but it was not a good time to get away. I’ll wait till the time is right, then I’ll make my plan and get away. Hopefully my visions will guide me. I smiled at the woman and said, “Thank you madam, may I ask what I’d be the star of?”

She removed her hand from my face, even more satisfied with the way I talked and sound. “You’re going to be a dancer darling. And the prettiest one I’ll have. With your blonde hair and those deep blue eyes everyone will fall for you. We just need to fix up your hair and give you some red lips then you’ll be perfect.”

“I’ve never danced before in my life. How can I be a star?” I asked her, confused.

“You’re adorable Annabelle. We’ll teach you of course. And then you’ll go out on the stage and give the boys a show. And the rest of these girls will be your back up. Can you sing?” she asked me curiously.

“Sometimes but I’m not a professional,” I told her.

She smiled widely and said, “Perfect, even better. Come with me. My name is Dalia, but you can call me Madam, I like the way it sounds.” She then turns and makes her way through the girls.

I follow her. I don’t see what she sees in me. I don’t think I’m all that beautiful. Hopefully I can find my way back home from here. Wherever here is.

Dalia leads me into a dressing room with mirrors and dresses. “Sasha, please take this lovely girl and fix her up for me. She’s a jewel buried under a rock right now. I need you to dig her up and make her shine like the beauty I know she is.”

Sasha walks over to me and looks me over then nods her head and looks to Dalia. “I see what you mean. I’ll have her fixed right up and then I’ll bring her to you,” she tells her proudly.

Dalia nods and leaves the room.

Sasha takes me over to a stool at the vanity mirror and starts gathering up a bunch of products. Then she tossed a cape around my shoulders and said, “First we’re going to wash your hair.”

She has me stand up and go over to the sink in the attached room. This place was strange. It wasn’t my home, and I don’t want to be here.

“Please sit down on this chair and lean your head back,” Sasha tells me, pulling the cape behind the chair as I sit.

I lean my head back into the sink and I feel warm water washing over my head, into my hair. For as horrible as it is to be trapped here, this was nice. I closed my eyes and pretended that I wasn’t kidnapped and brought here against my will. This is my life now. I’m a show girl for Dalia.

Sasha scrubbed through my hair, washing out any dirt that got in there. “Your hair is a big ball of mess. Why haven’t you been taking care of it?” she asked me as she slapped some shampoo into my hair.

“I take care of my hair, but I don’t know what to do with it. I find it unmanageable,” I told her honestly.

“Your hair is manageable; you just don’t know how to manage it. Don’t you worry girl. I’ll take care of you now,” she told me as she massaged the shampoo into my hair.

A few minutes later she brings me back to the stool with my hair wrapped in a towel. Once sitting down, she unwraps the towel and starts putting some products into my hair and brushing it through with her fingers.

“What exactly are you putting in my hair. So that I know for when I do it myself,” I asked her, curiously.

She smiled at me in the mirror and said, “You won’t be needing to do it yourself ever again, but I’ll tell you anyways. These are products for curly hair. It’s to help manage and maintain curls without having that hairball look. You’ll see once it’s all done. You’re a very beautiful girl.” She leaned down till her mouth was beside my ear and whispered, “They will not let you go. They’re going to keep you till you are no longer useful then they’ll discard you with the trash. So, you might as well get comfortable because this is your life now.” She grabbed a blow dryer and began drying my hair.

I sat still, staring blankly into the mirror. Could that really be true? Would this be my life from now on? Would I never see Julian and Molly again? I can’t let that be my truth. I must find a way to escape this place. For now, I will act the part and do as I’m told. When the time is right, I'll make my move. And then I’ll find my siblings. “Thank you, Sasha. I will take that under advisement.” Then I smile and let her play with my hair.

Once she was finished with my hair she turned me to face her and took out her makeup kit. “Now I’m going to add some simple makeup to accentuate your features. Make sure not to move while I do this,” she told me.

I stared at her as she applied some foundation to my face. She has short straight copper red hair and had freckles all over her face. Her skin is pale, and her eyes are green, kind of an almond shape to them. Her lashes are slightly long but not too long. She's a beautiful woman in her own way. “Are you one of Dalia’s girls?” I asked her.

She stared at me for a moment and said, “I am, but not in the same way that you are. I just take care of all the hair and makeup. She told me I was uncoordinated and didn’t want me ruining her show. It was lucky that I was good at hair and makeup, or she would’ve disposed of me. Now, could you close your eyes for me? I’ll let you know when you can open them.”

I nodded and closed my eyes. I now see that everyone here is a victim of that woman. She needs to be stopped. No one should be forced to live this way. “May I ask how long you’ve been here?” I asked her.

“Ten years. They killed my parents and ripped me from my home. I had nothing to go back to and no one was looking for me. This is my home now,” she told me as she put some eye shadow over my eyes. “I heard about what happened to you. I’m sorry you couldn’t get away from them. You can open your eyes now. I just have a few more things to do and then you can change into your outfit.”

“What outfit?” I asked her, trying to see beyond her.

“You’ll see when I’m done. Now stay still,” she told me, adding some powder to my cheeks. Then she took out a lipstick and put it onto my lips. Once she was done, she told me to close my eyes again and sprayed my face with something. Then she spun me around and told me to open my eyes.

I stared back at myself in the mirror, it felt like I was looking at someone else. This girl was gorgeous. That couldn’t possibly be me. “That’s really me?” I asked reaching up my hands to touch my face. My hair was loosely curled falling onto my shoulders stopping just below my breasts. My hair was smooth looking and not frizzy at all. The blue in my eyes looked like the ocean and my face looked just like mom’s. My eyes started to water as I thought of her. Flashes of the vision I had of her death rang through my mind.

“Please don’t cry, you’ll ruin your makeup. And don’t touch your face. That is, you. All that I did was make you shine,” she told me, taking a handkerchief to the corners of my eyes.

“I’m sorry Sasha... It’s just... I look like my mom and seeing myself like that made me remember the way she died. I’ll be alright,” I told her. Then I stood up and looked around the room.

Sasha walked over to the closet and pulled something out, then she walked back over to me and handed me a dress. “This is the outfit that you’ll be wearing.”

I took the dress from her and looked it over. It was beautiful just like one of those sparkly dresses they wore on dancing shows. It was a light blue with flares of pink at the bottom. And there were sparkles all over it. The dress was knee length with a flowy skirt and underneath was a snap up part like you’d see on a onesie for a baby. “I love it,” I told her, smiling.

“I’m glad you like it. Now go change in the little room there and then I’ll take you to see Dalia,” She told me. “And I’m sorry about your parents. Nobody should have to see that.”

I nodded and headed to the room she told me about and stripped down to nothing but my undergarments. Then I slipped into the dress Sasha gave me and walked back out to where she was waiting for me. “I can’t get the back part done up,” I told her.

“That’s not a problem. I can tie it up for you,” Sasha said as she came behind me and grabbed the ribbon to tie up the back. Quickly tying it together she finishes up and says, “I’ll set to go, so, let’s go. And don’t look upset or be unruly or you’ll be punished. She wants obedient and happy girls.” She took my hand and led me to a room further down the hall. “Dalia, she’s ready for you,” she says, ushering me into the room.

Dalia turns around and I stumble forward from the push. She looks me over appreciatively once again and smiles widely. “She’s perfect, just as I knew you would be my darling. Can you spin around in a circle for me?”

I did as she asked and spun around in a circle.

She was amazed by me and couldn’t stop smiling.

“Beautiful, even better than I could’ve imagined. You did a fantastic job Sasha, you may go,” she told her, shooing her out of the room. She then grabbed my hair and ran her fingers through it. “Absolutely beautiful. Annabelle. I will send you with my dance instructor and you will learn to dance. Then you will have your first show this weekend. So, you better work hard and don’t disappoint me.” Dalia said as she led me to another room.

I stepped into a room that looked like a dance studio with a pole in the middle of it. A beautiful middle-aged woman stood off to the side with a few other girls. She was long and slender, with jet black hair which was straight with a slight wave to it. Her skin was dark but like she had a tan.

“Sabrina, this is the new star of my show. I need you to teach her to dance and make sure she’s ready for this weekend’s show. I want to see outstanding results,” Dalia said, tossing me into the room.

Sabrina looked me over then looked over at Dalia and said, “Alright Dalia. I won’t disappoint you. She’ll be the best dancer you’ve ever seen by this weekend.”

Dalia nodded saying, “Good.” Then she walked out of the room.

Once Dalia was gone the rest of the girls stood up and walked over to me.

“Hello everyone, I’m Annabelle,” I told them all as they got closer to me.

“Hi Annabelle, I’m Sabrina you’re dance instructor, and these lovely ladies are Jasmine, Angelia, Gloria, Sylvie, and Rose. They’ve been learning to dance for the past week or so, so they can also help you to learn,” she tells me, pointing to each girl as she said their name.

“I can’t say it’s nice to meet you all under these circumstances but I’m thankful for any and all help you will give me in learning to dance,” I tell them honestly.

They all come around me and give me a hug, understanding what I’m going through as they’ve been through it themselves.

“Alright ladies, it’s time to practice. Would the five of you go practice what I taught you over there while I get Annabelle started?” Sabrina asks the girls.

They all nod and head over to the other side of the room to practice their dance moves.

I turn my attention to Sabrina and wait on her instructions.

Sabrina directs me over to the pole in the room and begins showing me how to dance with it, as well as other stuff.