Last year I gave up my job and decided to travel around Europe for a few months. I didn't have a plan of where I wanted to go, just some savings and a backpack full of essentials. After leaving home, I made my way through France and explored Germany, and then somehow ended up in Holland. I'd always wanted to visit Amsterdam - a part of me revelled in the idea of a place where drugs and sex were so open, though I'd been raised to think I should feel the opposite.
On the night I arrived there, I felt a guilty thrill as I walked through the city's red light district; window after window of scantily-clad women trying to attract the attention of the men watching lustfully. I secretly wondered what it would feel like to be behind the glass myself and feel the eyes of a stranger lingering on my body, imagining what they wanted to do to me. I felt a mixture of pleasure and apprehension at the same time.
I had decided I wanted to stay in Amsterdam for a while, and explore the city properly. However, I needed to find a job to make sure I had enough money while I was there. I enquired in a few Coffee Shops until I happened upon a place that had a job vacancy. The man behind the counter smirked at me as he looked me up and down, which made me feel slightly uneasy. I knew I wasn't bad looking. I had long dark hair and hazel eyes and a naturally curvy figure.
"Sure, we have a job for you." he said, his eyes lingering a bit too long on my breasts, "Follow me". I raised an eyebrow questioningly, but he began walking towards the back of the shop and so I followed. He opened a door that had a sign saying "Staff Only" and led me down a corridor with several closed doors on either side. He stopped in front of one of them and pressed down the handle, pushing the door open. Inside there was a double bed, a sink and another door leading from the other side of the room. I started to feel panic rising when he gently pushed me into the room and closed the door behind us both. He pushed his body up against me and I could feel him breathing into my ear.
"Men will pay a lot of money for an English girl." he whispered, his hands slowly moving their way around my body. I pulled away from him, shocked, and he just stood there smiling at me. "Think about it." he said, then turned and left the room, locking it behind him before I could do anything.
I tried the handle several times and banged on the door, but nobody came to help. How could I have been so stupid? I turned and went to the door on the other side of the room. It was unlocked, but what I found was even worse; it was a window looking straight onto the street. Even though the cubicle was empty, the unnatural red light was filling the space and I could see people walking past, some looking in curiously. Exasperated, I walked back into the room and sat on the bed.
Some time later I felt a hand stroking my cheek, waking me; I must have fallen asleep. It was the same man from before. "So, what do you think?" He said, his hand still lingering. He slowly stroked it down my neck until it was resting on my breast. "What makes you think I would sell myself?" I said indignantly, moving quickly back, away from his wandering hands.
He quickly grabbed my thigh and his smirk turned into a more menacing expression. "Because I think you have no choice. If you want to leave here, that is." I looked at him, weighing up what he said. "Plus, you could make some money in the process. You might even like it." He grinned again, his hand sliding up my thigh. I moved away from him, but this time didn't try to escape. The thought of prostituting myself scared me, but I actually could use the money. Plus, it seemed like I didn't have any other choice. He saw my change in expression and stood up, saying, "Good.", then picked something up off the end of the bed. "Put this on," he said, throwing what looked like a rather skimpy bikini at me, "and these." he added, pointing out some red stilettos. With that, he swiftly left the room and I was left to get changed.