" . . .my worst fears"

Cold water splashed on me and a blunt object prodded me in the rearend. Someone with rough hands picked me up and tossed me in the air. I landed on someone. I heard a heavy door close, the sound of an engine, then I started to shake, and bounce. A long time later, the screech of brakes and the bouncing stopped. I heard that same heavy door opened, then clumped. Someone grabbed me, lifted me out and away from the coolness to horrid dry air. My body started to itch and tingle from the heat. I smelled sweaty bodies, dung and dirty animal fur. After a few minutes I was placed on furs, soft clean furs.

"'il-niswaan hawn!" Someone shouted.

Someone said, "9eed sa9eed!" and laughed.

"Allaah yisallimak!" came another voice.

The furs jumped alittle and I heard a grunt from someone next to me.

Someone slapped me on my rear.

I swallowed hard as I realized my worst fears. I wished I were back in Los Angeles, I didn't like it here, nor did I like the situation I was in. It was a nightmare, I was going to become the one thing I was trying to stop, a slave.

Someone grabbed me, and said, "You will be mine tonight." He had a thick arabic accent and his breath smelled of garlic and wine. The blindfold on me was snatched off my head. The light was bright forcing me to close my eyes. It took several seconds before I could open them again.

"Sabaah il-khayr!" The speaker was a tall heavy man. Large frame, big arms. He had a thick beard, his hair was thin, close cut. He was balding.

I gave him a dubious look.

He cleared his throat, "I lick you . . ." He waited for a reply.

I just stared.

He cleared his throat again and said more clearly, "I like you. I want to be your friend, yes?"

His eyes were a stunning blue, almost grey and their message to me was genuine lust.

"I like you." He said again. "Will like you me?"

I was in some kind of tent. Medium military tent. A table was squeezed in one corner, it had two plates and a large bottle of red wine. The fur I was on was colored brown, it felt animal, probably import. A woman laid next to me, her chest rose and fell slowly, asleep, I hoped. She was very pretty with long black hair. Large breast, contradicting a thin frame. Her face was turned away from me, but from the built, body structure, head to butt, butt to foot ratio I surmised she was korean, young.

He touched me, I jumped.

He smiled, "please, 'fraid, do not be. I here only to make you happy." He turned when someone stuck their head through the tent.

" 'ibn kalb!" He snapped.

The head disappeared. He turned back to me and smiled. "Pretty very, no, ah . . ." He seemed to be searching for words. "You are very pretty." He reached toward my feet, rubbing a rough hand across my leg. "I untie you feet."

He took out a knife and in one sweep the leather rope was halved. I flexed my toes and legs. They tingled.

He walked over to the table and poured wine into one of the glasses from the table. "You thirsty?"

My throat was dry, and the inside of my cheeks felt like I had cotton in them. I licked my lips. He sat next to me, placed a hand underneath my neck and lifted my head up. He let me drink until I nodded I was finished. Just them the woman next to me jumped. She was looking around wide-eyed, wildly.

I told her in Korean not to be afraid. "Ko'k-jo'ng-ha-da. A-ni-o." As an UN Agent you tend to learn some major languages through training or OJT. Our friend approached her. He placed the glass to his lips several times. She looked at me, then him. He placed the glass to her mouth and she drank, drained the glass completely. She collapsed. I maneuvered awkwardly around to her and place my ear against her chest. She was hot and dry. I heard a heart beep through the mass of flesh on her chest, under any other circumstances I would have admired her breasts, mine are rather small. Her chest rapidly pulsated. He looked at me obtusely.

"Untie me!"

He looked worried.

"If you want her alive, untie me! NOW!"

He took out his knife, another sweep of his hand and the leather strapped disintegrated from my hands.

"Water!"

He stared.

I gestured a glass to my mouth.

"Ah, you want glass of water." He walked over to a cot and fetched a canteen. I noted it was an American made canteen GI issued. I grabbed it, took the top off and poured water over her. I grabbed a cloth next to her, soaked it, dabbed the cloth over her body. "Untie her!"

He cut her binds in the same fashion he did mines.

I placed her in a position I considered would be comfortable. Poor girl, not only was she under nourished, she was suffering from heat-stroke.

I laid back down, feeling lightheaded. My condition wasn't much further off from hers.

"Very good." He said.

"Do you have any food?"

He nodded, yelled, "Ahab, nabeed."

A man popped his head in for a moment, left and returned in about ten minutes. The aroma preceded him by about a minute. He gestured me to the table. I got up, walked over to the table and sat. The seat was warm. He wiped crumbs off the table and sat next to me. Ahab brought the tray of food to the table. Cheeses, bread, and mutton. Ahab looked at me, then the girl, and back at me. He left the tray and walked out. There was hatred in his eyes.

"What your name?"

I took a bite of bread and mutton, it was so good to eat again. He smiled, touched me on the leg. "What your name?"

I flinched. "Paula."

"Paula. Good American name."

I swallowed another chunk of bread, cheese and meat. "Where am I?

He scratched his head. "I tell you not."

I gulped some wine down. It was very bitter and strong. I was already feeling the effects of the liquor. "Why? I don't like it here. I want to go home."

He shook his head. "I buy you, both. You are mine, this is your home."

I got up and walked to the opening. He jumped up, amazingly fast for his bulk, and grabbed me by the arm. I spun around and decked him.

He rubbed it off and smiled. "You hit like man."

I punched him again. He grinned, "Will train you."

He reached out and caught my arms, damn he was quick. I spun around, slammed my back against his chest and flipped him over. He didn't let go and carried me over through shear strength. He punched me in the stomach, I heaved the cheese and lamb on him. He grabbed me by the face, it was still tender from my last encounter.

"You are mine, I buy you, fahim."

I hit him in the stomach. He grunted and squeezed my face tighter. The pain.

He laughed. "you good, better than Ahab." And laughed harder. "But, not better than me."

I just looked at him, hard and cold.

"You not like, Mohammed Jahi-li? I like you."

"No I don't." He tossed me across the room. I crashed into several duffle bags.

"If, you no like Mohammed Jahi-li, maybe I teach you." He rubbed his crouch. "I want you."

I looked around to see if there was something I could use, anything. Nothing! 'Damn it, how do I get myself into messes like this!' He lunged at me, I jumped up and over him. I tripped over the young woman. He grabbed my leg and pulled me in toward him into a bear hug. He squeezed. I started getting light-headed. The last thing I remembered was seeing his ugly face twisted into a disgusting grin.