As soon as the door closed she hurried across the room and took me with her, dragging me by the hand. “Never cry here. Never. Bite your lip and be still. You’ll get used to things, you really will. Shshsh, be quiet.” I got another tenuous hold on myself and sat on the foot of my bed picking at the tassels on the bedspread. “I’m sorry. I just… can’t seem to keep myself in check.” “The first few days are the hardest. It gets easier (in this Kayla proved to be wrong) if you just learn the rules and follow them as close as you can. And, for god’s sake stay on John’s good side. Its painful when you’re not.” She turned and pulled up her nightie. Marring the creamy flesh were angry red welts, a few crusted black with blood. I had to look away. She turned back to me and whispered, “Don’t let him hate you too. Be quiet, be good.” I nodded. And, from that time started learning to choke back my own sobs and swallow my pain and fear. Silence and masks were the only friends a working girl had.
