At the Gateway to Hell Pt. II

I don’t remember what happened that day until the time that I met up with Loyana at the Coffee Bar. I’ve heard people say that when you look back at things then it’s the little details that you remember but I can’t remember anything of what I did that day. May be because the mundane routine of daily drudgery did not really leave an impression worth sustaining, or maybe it’s because I’ve come so far since then that now that part of my life seems like someone else was living it for me.

I divide my life into two water tight compartments, with labels that say – Before Loyana and After Loyana. Perhaps I should have labeled them as – Before the day I entered hell and after.

Loyana was on time as usual. Lush brown locks falling over the soft curves of her shoulders, a white silk shift that was shapeless yet emphasized every inch of the body that she’d acquired or been blessed with and her constant uniform of black slacks and heels. Her favorite black diamonds completed her successful attempt to create a vision of beauty both terrifying yet alluring. I had absolutely no idea what was going through her mind, but then knowing wasn’t going to do me much good.

“So, your’re late. As usual.” More of a statement than a reprimand.

I couldn’t contain my incredulity at the brazenness of the statement, “I don’t think that you mentioned any sort of time. I would have remembered if you had.”

“Let’s get down to business. I have a proposition for you. But whether you accept it or not you don’t breathe a word of this to anyone.” That was a promise that I did not keep.

“Does your proposition involve any kind of illegal activity?”

“It depends on what exactly you mean by illegal.”

“And how am I supposed to interpret that bit of information?”

“You’re not. You’re supposed to listen and make you’re choice.”

She picked up an exotic black silk rucksack that had been lying underneath her chair and put it on the table. With the air of a magician performing her favorite trick she pulled out a cheque and placed it on the table facing me. The amount that was mentioned on the cheque was much more than what I needed to cover the cost of my tuition.

Very softly Loyana outlined the deal. I would encash the cheque. Once the money was in my account I was to make myself available to the benefactor for what she termed as nights of unbridled passion and what I prefer to call as sex. Devoid of all kinds of trappings, in simple words I was expected to sell my body.

I didn’t say anything for the next ten minutes. When I did look up I, looked straight into the eyes of the devil who’d come to welcome me to hell. They were taunting me and yet were uncertain about what I would do. I realized than that I had no courage. No courage to see my dreams crumble into dust. To allow all my hard work to go to waste.

I did what even I didn’t expect I’d do. I picked up the cheque and said yes. When I looked at the devil again, it was looking at me with something that can only be described as surprise mixed with awe……..