Author's Note: This Story is a spinoff of the series "Marcus Bleak and the Sex Robots". Even though a few characters in this tale appear in the series, it can be regarded as a stand alone story.
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Amsterdam International Teleport,Amsterdam
Tuesday, 06 September, 2050
10:38
There was a low rumble as the building shook from the tremendous power surge that preceded the bright flash in one of the teleportation tubes on the second floor. The thick, voluptuous figure of Chiamaka materialised in the previously empty tube, her trip from Lagos as quick and as simple as flicking on a light switch. The tube's glass door slid slowly open and the well built prostitute walked into the terminal, her heart fluttering. She couldn't believe she had finally arrived. Teleportation terrified her but she was desperate to start her search for her sister. Adanna had come to Amsterdam a decade before her to become a sex worker but after five years of continuously sending her holographic messages she had suddenly stopped. Chiamaka could not understand why she would suddenly just stop communicating with her. What had happened? She had to find her.
She went to a different teleportation tube to collect her luggage and then made her way to the taxi bay. As she walked through the crowd of travellers people turned to stare at her. Despite her size she was a looker and her exaggerated curves trembled and wobbled under her flimsy short dress. She wasn't self conscious. You didn't get far in her line of work if you were.
She walked to the closest taxi and the trunk automatically opened. She put in her luggage and walked round to get in the back as the trunk shut again. The back door swung skywards and she got in. She slid her Mastercard into a slot under a display system in front of her and a mechanical voice asked her destination.
"De Wallen," she answered tiredly. The display lit up with a map and a red dot started blinking which Chiamaka assumed was her taxi. The door hissed shut and the taxi pulled out into the traffic. It drove automatically through the streets and she could watch her progress on the map as the dot moved across the screen. She sat back on the plush leather seats, her eyes closed. I'm coming, darling sister, she thought.
I'm coming.
Oude Kerk, De Wallen, Red-light district of Amsterdam,
11:30
Chiamaka stared with tears in her eyes at the bronze statue of a woman in a doorway. The inscription said: "Respect sex workers all over the world." All her life she had been ridiculed and despised, forced to endure the revulsion of others because of her profession and yet here was a statue erected in her honour. This was a city far ahead of any other in the world. At last she could see a place she could call home, a place where she would find others like her, a place where she would be loved and adored.
What was so wrong with prostitution? All she did was sell her own body, she had never hurt anybody and if she hurt herself in the process it was her choice. What made what she did for a living so terrible? Every woman engaged in prostitution, the currency and technique only differed. At least she was honest enough to call herself a sex worker. She was proud of her job. Women sold their souls and bodies everyday for money, diamonds, clothes, shoes, favours and even affection. They just didn't stand on the corner to do it. What made them any holier than she was? At least she didn't pretend to be anything else.
What annoyed her the most was that some of the men who required her services despised her too. They had no qualms about carrying out their sick, perverted fantasies with her but they would all put on the cloak of respectability once it was over. They didn't care for her feelings and called her names like she wasn't even human. Then they would all go home to their wives and act like the perfect husbands. It was amusing anytime she ran into one of them in the cinema complex or at the mall with his better half in toe. She would see the sudden panic in his eyes and he would quickly avert his gaze hoping she wouldn't acknowledge him. But why should she? She was a whore who was only interested in his money. That was the beauty of girls like her. You could fuck her all you want and not worry about her falling in love and ratting you out to your wife. She was a professional.
De Wallen or De Walletjes is the largest and best known red-light district in Amsterdam and a major tourist attraction.
The bronze statue called Belle was made by Els Rijerse and unveiled on the Oudekerksplein in front of the Oude Kerk at the open day in March 2007. Chiamaka had found where she belonged.
Then she noticed her.
Chiamaka thought she was the only one standing there in the pouring rain staring up at the statue but now she could see she was no longer alone. Another lady stood nearby about ten feet from where she was and was staring right at her. At first Chiamaka thought she was just a tourist but then she noticed her provocative clothing and decided she must be a hooker like her. Why was she staring at her? Was she just looking at another fallen woman like her? She had strong African features and was well built like her but her face was far prettier. In fact her face looked perfect. Her huge pretty eyes continued to watch her unblinkingly and Chiamaka felt spooked. There was no expression on the lady's face yet she felt something emanating from her, a certain aura of malevolence like that of a poised cobra. Suddenly Chiamaka recognized who she was.
What it was.
A sex robot was staring right at her. She shuddered and felt goose bumps break out over her dark skin. She hated sex robots. They were the rage now and were stealing business from human prostitutes like her. Johns preferred them because they could take all sorts of punishment, didn't give them diseases and never got tired. Also men had the impression that they were not cheating on their wives when they had sex with these sex robots. They said it was no different than masturbation while playing with dolls. They weren't common back in Africa where they were regarded as taboo but in other parts of the world their popularity was growing. It wouldn't be long until they completely phased out human prostitutes from the streets.
Chiamaka wondered why the sex robot was staring at her. She wasn't alive so why was she looking at her with such interest? It creeped her out that a soulless machine was watching her for no apparent reason. Chiamaka glared at her and turned to leave. After walking for a while she turned back to look at her.
She was gone.
The Bird Of Prey Bar,
De Wallen
18:42
The first point of call was to meet a pimp named Ganja. He was so named because of his wild, erratic behaviour and his addiction to the wide selection of choice weed to be found in the cafes of Amsterdam. A Nigerian immigrant he had escaped his country during the second civil war which split the country along religious lines. Now he was the go to contact for most African girls looking to make a career in prostitution in Amsterdam.
Chiamaka called his contact number and a gruff but jovial voice directed her to a seedy bar in the Red Light District. The bar was frequented by pimps and human prostitutes well past their sell by date. When she walked nervously through the door she noticed the place was filled with cigarette smoke. She also perceived the lingering odour of despair and desperation. This was where women like her, seduced by the fantasy of a better life, came to sell their souls. She redialled the number and saw a short fellow perched on a bar stool pick up his phone which was lying on the counter.
"Hello?" His voice was a lazy drawl with a hint of menace in it. Chiamaka shivered.
"Ganja, it's me, Chiamaka," she said. "I just entered the bar."