HOPE

The Unexpected.

Tuesday, JUNE 30th.

Days had run swiftly and it was already the end of the month. Well, the month didn't want to end alone, it seemed. It's end brought about Kiera's dismissal.

Madam Chelsea had brought some guests. Some really perverted male guests who came with big cars. That had never happened since Kiera's stay. They were four men - two dark-skinned and the others light-skinned. The tallest of them had a scar to his forehead and a very notorious look. What could have made these men come to Madam Chelsea? Kiera had thought. All Madam Chelsea did was order the girls around to satisfy her guests with a very good meal. One of the men, whom Madam Chelsea had called Don, gazed upon Kiera inappropriately and she cringed as she looked at him suspiciously for a mili second before returning her gaze to the tiled floors. The girls were all lined up in front of these men. Earlier, Kiera had heard them speak in hushed tones and knew something was up.

After taking a long, hard look at the girls, they each whispered into Madam Chelsea's ear. Madam Chelsea's gaze fell unto Kiera immediately and she was pointed out. Lois too. And two other girls, Mara and Heather. The rest were asked to go back to their room. Madam Chelsea took all four of the girls to a corner to speak with them. She smiled at them for the first time in ages and Kiera knew something fishy was up. The girls exchanged unpleasant looks. The men sipped their drinks as they relaxed on the leathered cushion. Madam Chelsea had never allowed them to sit on her chair or even glance at the television. They were like slaves to her. It's either they are in the kitchen or at the bedroom all twelve of them shared.

"Lucky ones, aren't you?" Madam Chelsea was all smiles. The girls looked even more confused as they looked at Madam Chelsea like she grew a thousand ugly horns. "Well, if you still don't get it, I'd have to relieve you off your duties today." Kiera's heart did a somersault. The others girls had their eyes wide open like a saucer. But they didn't say a word. They dared not. "What?!" Madam Chelsea exclaimed. The girls looked back down. "It's not like all four of you have any place to go to if dismissed from here." "You should be grateful I brought some very rich, sponsors for you." She smiled mischievously."Spo...spons..ors?" Heather asked, stuttering. "Yes. And guess what! They've promised to see you through school. Isn't that great? You should be thanking me on your knees instead I'm recieving unrecognizable expressions. Come on! Look happy! Be happy!" Madam Chelsea ranted. "What... what's in it for..for them ma?" Lois summoned all boldness to ask. "How do you mean?" Madam Chelsea frowned a little bit. "What do they want from... from us in..in return?" Madam Chelsea laughed. "You are such a fool! What do you think they'd want other than your services as house helps ?" She laughed again. The girls exhaled in relief but Kiera didn't. She wasn't too sure about all these. Madam Chelsea was too bubbly for all these to be normal. They were being sold off! For sure!

Thirty minutes later and they were zoomed off and out of Madam Chelsea's sorrow-laden compound. But who knows what the future with this so called sponsor holds? DOOM! The word flashed capitally on Kiera's mind. She pitied herself and the other girls. All the while, she'd been staring out the car window, thinking. Her head turned by the mind's willing and what she saw made her heart skip a few beats. Her eyes were wide open and fear came flooding into her heart with a heavy force and her body shook. Kiera prayed to disappear into thin air as what was beside her was unfathomable. Black eyes, phangs, and blood dripping out of his face. What was happening? She let out a scream as he opened his mouth wide enough to eat her flesh. She screamed but couldn't hear her own voice.

The girls looked at her in disgust as she sat upright. One of them called Abigail let out a very long hiss as she sent daggers through Kiera. Kiera blinked rapidly as she took in her surrounding. The room was...the room? No longer in a car with that vampire? Oh! It now dawned on her. She sighed in relief and saw that her clothes were wet with sweat. Her forehead glistened too. The room was filled with girls. They seemed to be preparing for the day's work. Leather bags secured at corners. Those bags contained their clothes. Worn, tattered dresses. She had to get dressed too or suffer the consequences. Getting up from the mat she laid on, she sighed once more in utmost relief. She thanked God it was all a dream. Apparently, she had woken up screaming, reason for the weird glances she got. There were no sponsors, no smiling and all bubbly Madam Chelsea. Oh! If it were real... Kiera couldn't think of the outcome. Thank God she still had her job. There was a lot to be thankful for and Kiera muttered some thanksgiving to God and wishes for the day and days to come. Even though she sometimes didn't really understand this great being that lived up there. She could never understand why all the misfortune headed her way. But she couldn't do anything about it, could she? Kiera sighed for the millionth time and went to prepare for the day.