We got inside the building. The sign on the building said brothel but the owners played with the letters so that it seems as if the name motel is written on the signboard.  

“So, who do we have here?” said the lady at the reception table. She was a young woman, having brunette-coloured hair, the ends curled, and she had sharp features. She was almost as tall as me which is 165 cm. In other words, I was the shortest in the whole group.

“It is me, Richie. I booked no. 21,22 and 23.”  

“Let me check.”  

She goes through the entries in the register and after a bit of reflection, she looks into my eyes and says, “Who is this guy? He is with you. You know the rules, Sir. It is only one per person. Rules are the same for everyone even if you are a patron.”   

“I know Ms. Candy. First, hear me out.”

I think the two of them are on some terms as the conversation suggests, and Richard referring to himself as Richie shows that he considers the other person on an equal or friendly basis. Not a lot of people referred to him by that nickname.   

He passes a gaze to his friends, and they leave the reception, and they go down the corridor just to get lost, among the many hallways that branch from it.  

“He is a friend. I brought him. It is his first time. The champion does not see a point in being attracted to girls or doing these things. So, I brought him along. Can you do me a favor this one time, please Candace?”   

“Even if you say so it is not possible. You know that for our clients’ services, you must book in advance preferably with advance payment too. Otherwise, the one you want may not be available.”   

“Isn’t there anyone? Anyone who might be interested or anyone who is his type?”   

I was quietly seeing and trying to make heads and heels of what was going on. I still had not realized the predicament I was in and how this was going to affect my life from now on... I decided to get my doubts across.   

“Hey, Richard? Where are we exactly? What is it about the numbers and reservations?”   

“Do not worry. You will know shortly. You do not have experience in this lifestyle. Let me oversee this, ok?”  

In the meantime, Candace went through another series of entries, and after about 15 minutes of digging she said, “There is one available, though I don’t know if that is what you are looking for.”   

“We will take the one available. Who is it?”   

“Elliora, the youngest among us. About the same age as him. You are all two years apart from him, right?” she turned her face and eyed me.  

“No problem. We will go with that,” said Richard.   

“Are you sure? I am warning you. The boy does not seem interested in the least sense and he is becoming creepier by the second. The look in his eyes gives me chills.”   

“It is just your imagination, Candy. Do not worry. Now give me the keys, my friends are waiting...”   

Candace gives four keys to Richard and goes back to her reception work, while Richard grabs me by the arm and takes us into the hallway. The hallways were particularly spacious, there were paintings hung up on walls at a certain distance, and now and then there would be a room on either side with curtains drawn, from some rooms smoke came out, and still others were too fragrant to breathe. I wasn’t allergic to smells though the quantity was so sheer that I would sneeze occasionally. I tried to figure out what was going on, but Richard spelled no beans, there were no audible sounds or talks that could provide me with any hints. After a bit of maze running, we found ourselves with the other guys.  

“Ah, finally you two arrived.”   

“What took you so long? I was thirsty. Can’t you be a bit more considerate?”   

“I am sorry guys we just ran into a bit of a problem. Let us get going. Here are your keys.”   

All of them enter their respective groups while Richard points to another room down the hallway to me and gives me a key.  

“Go for it, ok. Do not stagger when anything unexpected happens. I hope you enjoy.” Richard says encouragingly.  

I get moving with the key in my hand, might as well go through with it when I have come this far. It doesn’t seem like that I would be in danger of some kind or must run for my life. The room was a few paces from the place where we split up. The room had a door just like the others. Now that I rethink, there were sections in the building, ones that were cheaper and the expensive ones. We surely entered the latter. I put the key into the lock and turned it to unlock.

I had a strange and uneasy feeling about it as I entered the room. The room was quite extraordinary. Red curtains were hanging in front of the windows. There was a table, on which a pack of milk and two glasses were placed on it. There was also an ashtray placed on it. A seat with its back in the form of a heart, with white facing and golden buttons stuck on it in a criss-cross manner, and two red cushions placed on it. The seat was big enough for two people to sit on. The lighting in the room was no less than magnificent. There was a chandelier and two wall sconce lamps. The walls were embellished with a decent wallpaper having a color that may be some shade of red, but it was not clear in the mesmerizing light that illuminated the room. I was lost in this spectacle when the door behind me clicked and then it clicked again but this time it seemed as if someone locked it. I turned back to look at what happened, but I was taken aback by what I saw.  

There was a girl about my age, standing in front of the door. Her skin was as fair as the snow, her eyes had the sparkle that you see in the stars at night and her cheeks were red and feverish. Her face had a deep expression one that was neither of innocence nor of guilt. A pure, unwavering, smiling expression that masked a thousand anguishes and curses and unimaginable pain. Her dark, black hair fell on her shoulders and some straps of hair were covering the front of her body. I was not only shocked but also captivated by what was I seeing. It appeared to me as a dream, far too real but far apart from being true.  

“Are you Enoch?” she said in a soft voice.  

I was still in shock from this mirage unable to reply to the heroin that my mind had made up. She didn’t quiver or hesitate, plus the fact that she was the one to lock the room. If anything she was quite used to it. Now every piece connected well, the look those three passed while we were at the festival, the thing with payment and client, the reference to lifestyle, the curtains, the fragrances. It was the depths of human sin and corruption, the pace where people came to shove off their steam, the elites came to spend their money and add pleasure and excitement to their dull lives, the place where women were stolen of their respect and sold every day for needs that should otherwise be provided by their family or the government, it was the place which had been existing in some form since the ancient times and the sin though condemned and having a drastic effect on society, was never taken seriously to be sorted out.