~ THE REEF CLUB

° Sabrina Hayden °

When I woke up today my clothes were destroyed with the awful smell of drinks and sweat and on the floor with bottles of drinks were laying, I don't remember what happened last night but I don't have to know what happened. It's exactly what happens whenever I came to The Reef Club. I work here as pole dance and sometimes I work serving drinks to the customers. Sometimes I had to serve drinks to the old men, ignoring their lustful touches, and sometimes I had to dance for them to earn money.

My legs are sore because of dance and I can see bruises around my chest, more than usual. Today is the day I have to go to the graveyard to meet my mother who has passed away only when I was fourteen years old.

I hopped off the bed carefully leaning on everything possible. I took a quick shower since I only have a few minutes before Tommy the manager of this club would arrive, I have to hurry before I would be caught by him.

I brushed my teeth because my mouth was reeking with the awful smell of alcohol mixed with the sperms of those men who forced me to give them head since it's in my contract condition that I won't lose my virginity by those lousy men. So many of my customers don't force me of that particular thing but also don't let me alone by giving them heads.

This is what Tommy said to me when I first time came here to work. He said, "In this business, there is no girl who could save her virginity for too long if you wanna save it for someone with whom your parents had planned to marry you, keep it in your mind that he won't want you once he would know what kinds of works you do in here. You can save it for that guy but you still have to serve the clients." It's been four years when I first came here, at that time I was only sixteen and I had to work to feed myself and my family.

Today I'm going to turn twenty and it's also going to be my fifth year in this club. Which is famous for its illegal works and Tommy was the head to drive this business of human trafficking, drug deals, and many more, although is just a pawn of rich people who are the kings and queens of this business.

I changed the clothes I have in my closet which is a black dress that goes down to the floor and the sleeves go all the way down to my wrists. It was my mother's dress. She brought it for herself but now I'm using it to wear it to meet her in the graveyard.

I slipped on my white sandals and walked out of the room after throwing everything into the trash like I am supposed to. As soon as I walked out of that room I was welcomed by my drunken father laying on the floor of the club.

He was like this since my mother's death. Whatever I earn by working in this club, he spends it on drinking.

Just when he saw me he started cursing at me loudly getting all the attention of the people in that club, I ignored him and walked him. I reach Maximus, he's the bartender in this club and he's my good friend. I got up on the countertop and sat on it, the black marble sent chills in my body with its cold and hard surface.

"Your old guy is ready to curse at you so early." He chuckled and handed me a shot of tequila for my hangover of last night. He knows every night I got drunk and he gives me a shot of tequila for it.

"You know it's not a new thing, max. It's just I don't care about him anymore." I looked at my father by the corner of my eyes and gulped down the cold but hot liquid of tequila shot in one go.

I coughed by its intensive taste. "So you going to meet your mom?" He shook his head lightly at me and I nodded sighing loudly.

"Yeah, I gotta go. My old lady is waiting for me." I tapped on the counter and slipped down it to make my way out.

"Be careful on your way, Sabs." I heard Maximus's voice from behind me and I waved my hand at him, "See you in the night, Max." I called out and pushed the door of the club as I step out.

The sunlight hit my eyes, making me blind for a few seconds. Working in the club in that dim seductive red light has turned me into a bat who cannot see in daylight for the first time I come out of the club. I reached for my side bag and fumbled to grab out my sunglasses.

It's an original Rayburn, it was given to me by one of my customers for whom I danced, and getting impressed by the dance he gave me these sunglasses.

I crossed the road and waved for a cab. I hopped in the cab and told him the direction. The graveyard where my mother is laying peacefully is out of the city in the middle of her hometown. It was her last wish to sleep in that land where she was born.

It is an hour away from the city so I closed my eyes to get some rest. I woke up from my short nap with the sound of the cab stopping and I looked out the window. I sighed getting out of the cab.

Childhood memories came flooding back to me. I remember the days when I was just an innocent, little five-year-old girl.

When I'd be asking for a puppy on my birthday, dressing up as Disney princesses, and sneaking into the kitchen to steal biscuits from the cookie jar.

Before I grew up. Before my life was flipped upside down and twisted inside out.

A trace of a smile is left as a shadow on my face as I remember my Mother while making my way to her, crossing several tombs.

But then reality hits me, and a wave of sickness washes over me. Tears threaten to break out but I know that if I let them, I won't be able to stop.

In the back of my head, I can hear Mother's voice telling me to be strong, like the strong, brave girl that I am, but the sinking feeling that churns in my guts reminds me that it's all in my head.

Soon I reach her tomb and put down a flower bouquet which I brought for her.

At this thought, I lean against the strong Oak tree trunk behind me resting my head against it so that I'm looking up at the blue sky.

A breeze then blows past, causing the weeping willow's drooping branches to waver around me.

This was Mother's favorite tree. She said such beauty can no longer be seen amongst the hustle and bustle of a large city. She did love nature, and I guess that's why she asked to get buried in her hometown rather than in the city.