before snorting. “Guess it don’t matter. We all want somethin’, that be true. But I got work to do. Your clothes be fine, but these shelnas be rich. I wear your clothes, I can’t work. I lose out.”
Shanti dug out two gold pieces, more than this woman would make in three nights. She tossed them on the table. The coins bounced twice on the stained wood before rolling to a stop.
The woman’s eyes rounded before her gaze resettled on Shanti. “You rich girl, huh? Look like a scrap, though. You stole that money, that’s what I bet. Up to no good, too. Lucky for you, I been with some of these fools before—not the officers. No, the grunts. They a mean, nasty bunch. Used me up bad. I no forget.” The woman nodded decisively as a fierce light came into her eye. “I no forget.”
The woman sauntered the two steps to the table and snatched up the coins. She placed them in her mouth, one after the other, biting down to judge the quality of the gold. Satisfied, she tucked them deep into her bodice. “Help me get this here trash up ’n we trade clothes. Good thing you wearin’ sacks for clothes, neh? Otherwise, this no work. Skinny thing, you are. Still might not work.”
Without delay, Shanti helped hoist the loudly snoring man to his bed. The woman took a small jar out of her large skirt pocket and dribbled a thick liquid onto the man’s phallus. To Shanti she said, “They no question when they wake up in they own mess. Don’t even notice it not the same stuff.”
Sounded reasonable.
The woman turned and put the jar on the table. Without preamble, she stripped out of her clothes and held them out to Shanti. Shanti did likewise and exchanged.
“Binding the breasts, eh? Look at that muscle, girl. Goodness me, you isn’t skinny, no way. You toned.” The woman stepped into the pants—not nearly as roomy on her—and turned serious eyes to Shanti. “You cut a throat with this group and they track you down easy. They not like regular Graygual.” She spat on the ground after saying the name. “You gotta be sneaky, hmm? Bide your time.”
Shanti stepped into the skirt and tied the fabric in a knot at her middle. She slipped the shirt over her head. It looked like a blanket.
“Here.” The woman reached for Shanti.
Hands coming at her made alarm bells sing. Shanti swept the woman’s hands to the side with her forearm before stepping forward. Her palms slapped down on the woman’s cheeks, ready to crack her neck before her brain caught up with her movements.
Shanti froze, letting the situation soak in. Immediately embarrassed, and hoping she hadn’t scared this woman out of her willingness, she ripped her hands away and stepped back.
“Apologies. I startle easily.” Shanti spread her hands to the sides. “Sorry. Please. Fix whatever you like.”
“Auuhhwee!” A haphazard smile crossed the woman’s face. Fear was completely absent in her eyes, replaced by a hopeful sparkle. “Oshawn heard my prayer! He sent you. Get in close, He said. I did. Good and close—here I am. And He sent you!”
The woman’s smile dwindled as she fixed Shanti’s binding to show more cleavage. “There be a lot of us. A lot of women been done wrong. Not by these officers—they pigs, but the normal sort of pigs. No, the grunts. Young girls, old women, young boys—it no matter. Women and children being escorted through towns now. Men watching their womenfolk when these pigs around. We be quiet, okay, but we be ready to do our part. We ready to pay our vengeance. We ready to fight back!”
“I don’t—” Shanti shook her head as the, now familiar, helplessness overcame her. She’d seen this plight across the land. She’d seen the bodies, bent and twisted, left in the streets as bait for flies. The young gave her the worst nightmares but she had no way of helping anymore. No army, no title to get an army—she was just another lost soul looking to right a wrong. She couldn’t help the fallen when she could barely help herself.
As if hearing all these thoughts, the woman’s gaze intensified. “You doubt. That okay. We all have doubt. But Oshawn sent you—he has a purpose for you, just as he has for me. You meant to find me, girl. My waiting is over. I’ll spread the word, and when you ready, we ready. My name be Tauneya. You ask for me