Page 16 of Deliverance

"Take off your robe."

I stared at her.

"We can either do this the easy way or the hard way."

I closed my eyes and untied the silk belt.

"All the way off," she ordered.

Still, with my eyes closed, I let the robe fall to the floor.

"Your bra and panties too."

My eyes shot to hers, and Madam stood. "Now," she snapped.

I did, taking my bra off first and then stepping out of my panties. She walked around me, taking in my nude body. I wanted to crawl into myself and hide. I knew she was judging me. If I wasn't what she was looking for, would I be sent back to be sold?

After she made her round, she took a tape measure from the table. "Spread your legs."

I closed my eyes again as I parted my legs, and she took measurements of my arms, my chest, my stomach, my waist, my hips, and each thigh, and wrote it all down in a small black notebook.

"What's your name?" she finally asked.

"Erin, ma'am."

"You're to address me as Madam. Do you understand?"

I swallowed. "Yes, Madam."

She wrote something in the notebook. "And your age?"

"Twenty-four."

"Are you from New York?"

"Yes, Madam."

"And what did you do for work?"

"I was a teacher." The words tasted like acid in my mouth. I loved teaching, and to say that Iwasa teacher made my heart feel as though it was slowly coming to a stop.

The pen stilled in her hand. "A teacher?"

"Yes, Madam."

Her dark eyes widened with excitement. "What did you teach?"

"Tenth grade English."

"But you can teach any age and subject, correct?"

"No. I have to train for the grade and subject."

She thought for a moment and then grinned. "Doesn't matter. You might have extended your time here longer."

"Longer?" I breathed.

"The girls are only here for two or three years."