The Trafficked

34

Maya looked at the bed next to her where Perla had been. The mattress had been washed by the women and laid on its end against the wall to dry. Maya had watched them do it. The Kano had spread the blanket over the floor and pulled Perla onto it. Perla had been left in the middle of the room whilst the women washed the floor. Maya had looked at Perla for a long time. Perla’s body was stiff and strange-looking and she lay awkwardly. The Kano had shouted at them and he had hit her when she looked at Perla, but still Maya had not been able to take her eyes from her. She could not help thinking how uncomfortable she looked.

Now, three days later, Perla was gone, but her blood crept back out of the cracks in the floor and formed a black ragged line. Maya could smell it. Like bad meat. She kept staring at the line. It was as if every time she took her eyes from it, it moved closer.