Stripped Escape

         “Ahhh, perfect, just perfect,” she thought sipping on her original frappucino as she read the sports page of the newspaper she had just purchased, “good job Leafs, way to beat those Habs.” Her coffee wasn’t too bad either, not too rich, not too light and definitely not too fancy. Lucy had often shaken her head watching the other citizens of her town ordering the fancy coffees with special details or ingredients. The one she had always laughed at was the low fat caramel-flavored coffee with two or more sugars with whipped cream on top.
         This was no Starbucks she was in. It was just a little locally owned coffee stop across the street from the high school where Lucy would finally graduate from. In a few months, she was to be a college student, a freshman in the registered nursing program at a nearby school.. As she looked at a table across the restaurant, she saw a young couple, likely her age, holding hands and taking part in what looked like a deep conversation. “I wish I had someone like that,” Lucy thought. As she took her final sip, her watch beeped signaling that it was noon, time to go back to school. In two and a half hours, it would be time for her to return home. “Oh god…”
         For others, home is where the heart is. For Lucy, home is where the harm is. Every night, beer bottles decorate the living room as Lucy and her brother Lukas fall asleep with a horrible lullaby of their father verbally abusing their mother. Today would be different as Lukas was planning on admitting to their father that he would be moving into his own apartment downtown. As the siblings entered the front door, Lucy took Lukas’ shaky hand into hers as he called for his father John who soon stumbled into the room. “What the hell do you want?” his father demanded.
“I’m leaving, Dad. I found a place downtown and am moving out tonight.” Lukas stuttered, gripping his sister’s hand tighter as time went on. Turning blue in the face with his fists clenched and shaking, John screamed, “FINE! You want to leave, LEAVE! After all I did for you; after all I sacrificed to raise you right! Get out of my house, you little asshole!” In fear of what would happen next, Lucy broke away from the grip of her brother and ran to her bedroom. “Stop it! Stop it!” she cried trying to plug her ears from her father’s continued screams.
         What seemed like hours later, Lukas entered the bedroom the two siblings had shared since birth with no sign of tears on his face, and no specific emotion could be seen in his blue eyes. “Lukas…,” Lucy whispered as he came closer to Lucy’s bed. He soon collapsed onto her hard mattress as she immediately wrapped her arms around him. With his head resting on her shoulder, Lucy began to cry. “Lukas, I’m so sorry! I couldn’t take the yelling anymore. I want out of here! Please, please Lukas, take me with you!” Now on his knees and his hands gripping hers, Lukas looked straight into Lucy’s eyes and told her a difficult truth, “Lucy, I can’t take you with me. You are more safe here than with me. I promise I will remain in contact with you and I will return for you one day. Goodbye, Lulu…” As Lukas let go and headed for the bedroom door, Lucy let out a loud cry, “Lukas! Please don’t leave me! Lukas!” It was too late; Lukas ran down his stairs and had already bolted out the front door. Lucy watched tearfully from her window as Lukas disappeared from her sight.
         As she buried her face into her pillow, she heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Had Lukas returned? Did he decide to bring her along to his new home? Was she finally free? Her moment of pure glee came to an end upon her discovery that her father had just entered the room. “So,” he muttered, “you wanted to leave with Lukas. Well, you know what? You’re not walking out, I’m kicking you out. You’ve got ten minutes and then get out!” Before she could stutter a word, he left. Scared and confused, Lucy grabbed her backpack and stuffed it with any clothes within her reach and the small amounts of food she had stashed under her bed. As she headed towards the front door, she glanced over at what was once her family. Her mother was in tears but her father made no eye contact and spoke no words. Gripping her shoulder strap, Lucy sighed and walked away from the prison she had called home.

         Lucy walked directly to the library where she typed up a resume on one of the computers. Lukas had not mentioned whereabouts downtown he’d be living and if she were to survive on her own until he was able to take her in, she’d need to have a source of income. After printing twenty copies, she relaxed on a nearby couch where she eventually dozed off. Lucy awoke to someone shaking her and exclaiming “miss”. As she tried to open her eyes, the mysterious person shaking her explained how Lucy had remained unseen and had slept all night in the library. The person then proceeded to tell her that it was time for Lucy to “return home”. Remembering her situation, Lucy rushed to the nearest restaurant to change in one of the bathrooms. Attempting to look halfway professional, Lucy replaced her tattered runners with a pair of high heeled shoes she managed to grab before leaving home. Unfortunately, this was not one of Lucy’s lucky days. The local clothing stores did not approve of her choice of fashion styles, the business offices did not like her lack of electronic knowledge and the fast food restaurants did not like her lack of customer service experience or perfect hygiene. The dealbreaker for all of the jobs together was that she did not currently have a home address.
         Remembering that today was a school day, Lucy realized that she would be suspended for missing school, yet again. Ordeals with her family had always caused Lucy to miss school days and if she were to get to the amount of missed days she had just reached now, she would be suspended without formal notice. Realizing that her life was now a complete mess, Lucy took shelter on the steps outside a nearby building. In tears reminiscing about any good times she once had and becoming more upset at the thought of being a homeless, jobless failure, she heard a voice. “Excuse me, Miss? Are you alright?” Lucy looked up to see a man, approximately in his mid-40’s in a nice suit with a cigar hanging from his un-chapped lips. Before she could even speak, he requested that she come inside to warm up. The building turned out to be one of the clubs Lucy always heard her classmates talking about.Taking a seat at a nearby table, Lucy chugged back a glass of cola the man had ordered for her. He asked her once again what had caused her such sorrow. In a fit of tears, Lucy cried about how her brother had left, how she was kicked out of her home and how she had no money and no place to go. Stunned but smiling, the man replied, “I have an offer for you, young lady. I will allow you to be my roommate, rent free of course, if you will work for me five days a week.” Feeling a small sense of happiness, something she hadn’t felt in a long time, Lucy asked what she would have to do. “Well, to be honest, you’ll be serving my club's male customers, the tips are exceptional.” Realizing it was either take it or be poor, Lucy accepted his offer. “Perfect…,” he replied with an odd grin.
         With the club not opening until later that day, the man, whose name turned out to be Dave, took Lucy to his apartment which was on the upper floor of the club. The club itself must have made quite a profit for Dave because the apartment was nicely furnished with all the luxuries a person could ask for. These luxuries included a hot tub, a big screen television, electric massage chairs and large music systems. “Make yourself feel at home, after all, you are now at home,” Dave happily commented, “I’ve got to run some errands. Feel free to grab some money off the coffee table and buy yourself something to eat downtown.” Lucy was amazed at how such a complete stranger became such a good, caring friend in less than an hour. Now that she could afford to buy more than a frappucino, Lucy decided to head once again to the coffee shop and try the turkey sandwich she had always seen advertised on the window she regularly sat across from. With the now bitten sandwich in her grip, Lucy had hoped that delicious, mayonnaise filled bite would never end. Before she realized it, she had consumed the whole sandwich in a matter of minutes. With her eyes closed and a feeling of pleasure running through her body, Lucy began to wipe her lips when she heard a mysterious male voice, “I wouldn’t eat those sandwiches too fast, you might start growing feathers soon.” Lucy looked up to see a handsome young man sitting across from her, smiling at her. She couldn’t help but to notice his beautiful green eyes. Realizing she was beginning to stare, she let out a schoolgirl giggle and replied, “gobble gobble.”

         The man’s smile grew larger as Lucy thought to herself, “my gosh, what did I just say?” As her cheeks grew a pale shade of red, he chuckled and replied, “I’m Max, and you're Lucy, right?" he replied. Stunned but hoping he wouldn't take the statement as an insult, Lucy responded, "yes, how did you know my name, have you been stalking me?" With his hand over his opened mouth as if doing a gasping motion, "maybe," Max commented. After the two got a chuckle out of their awkward introduction, they engaged in a long conversation about Max's life, his job and his hobbies. Just when Lucy was starting to feel less nervous, Max popped the question, "so, what does Lucy do for a living?" If there was one thing Lucy was not willing to do, it was to tell this handsome new friend that she was becoming a worker at one of what she called the dirty clubs downtown. As much as she hated building a friendship on a lie, she responded, "I'm a musical waitress at a small jazz club. I frequently perform saxophone solos." It wasn't a complete lie. At her high school, Lucy did play a saxophone and was the top musician in her class which wasn't bad considering how she was completely unable to practice outside of school. With a look of excitement on his face, Max mentioned that he would love to come see her perform at the club sometime. "I hope not...," she muttered.
         Upon returning to the apartment alone, Lucy found a note on the door from Dave. "Key to the apartment is under your nose, your bedroom is on the left of the small hallway. Surprise within. - Dave". Having read many of her mother's old mystery books from the attic, Lucy immediately figured out that the key was under the "Welcome" floor mat she was standing on. Once she entered her bedroom, tears came to her eyes. The king size bed was covered in teddy bears and adorable white bunny plushies. She had a walk in closet filled with glittery halters of every colour, many shoes of different styles to match every ensemble and her makeup counter had every shade of eyeshadow she could ever imagine with every hair product and styling tool she had ever seen a stylist use as she had watched from the beauty parlor window. Lucy grew up cutting her own hair and never really styled it due to the grease from not being able to wash it as much as others. Just as Lucy threw herself backwards onto her comfortable and very fluffy bed, a voice called out, "knock knock!"
         Looking up, she saw a tall, slim girl with wavy blonde hair standing within her doorway. "I'm Nicole, I live across the hallway. You must be Dave's new girl, Lucy." Hoping Nicole didn't mean Dave's new lover, Lucy sheepishly nodded. With her body bouncing up and down with her feet still on the floor, Nicole exclaimed, "I know we just met but I'm making you my new best friend," running up to Lucy and proceeding to hug her, she continued, "we'll be like sisters!" Removing Lucy from her tight grip, Nicole proceeded, "ready to practice?" Lucy became utterly confused. "Practice for what?" Thinking she was joking, Nicole let out a loud laugh but then realized Lucy was completely serious. "For the performance tonight. Oh my god! You've never done this before! I'm sooooo sorry, but don't worry! I'll teach you everything! It can be our little secret. I won't make you work the pole tonight, just hit on the customers. Come on, it's time you learned to get your sexy on!" Lucy excitedly explained. "Great....."

         Wanting to survive, even if it’s in a world of dancing for dollars, Lucy accepted Nicole’s offer of getting lessons including flirting her way to extra tips, cute costumes 101 and even working the pole. On her first night, Lucy stood behind the curtain of the stage, waiting for her theme music to start. "Hey sexy girl, you're going to do great tonight, my little shining munchkin," Dave insisted. A little thrown off by his odd tone and slurring, Lucy replied, "thanks Dave, gosh, I'm so nervous, I don't know if I can go through with it. I mean, I was never that attractive in high school, no boy ever had any desire to be with me or hold me or sleep with me for that matter. I just don't think I can convince these men that I too have sex appeal." His smile now gone and his finger waving at her, Dave lectured her, "now you listen to me, I didn't take you in just to have you pull a woes me moment. You work for me now and you are going to do your job.." In the middle of his lecture, Lucy's theme music blared throughout the club. Trying to control himself, Dave faked a smile, "that's your cue, you can do this, now get out there!" Before she could even finish taking her first step through the curtain, Dave gave her a smack on the ass which gave her a bit of a push. Trying not to let Dave's odd behaviour distract her, Lucy made her way to the pole. At first, rubbing against and twirling around a pole felt so awkward and asinine to her. Soon enough, she was able to use the music as a bit of a motivator and improvised her moves to match the beat. She wasn't sure how her moves looked from off the stage but the men seemed to enjoy it.
         Before Lucy knew it, she and Nicole were the club favourites and Dave ended up not letting any other girls live in the club apartment. Lucy was living the high socialite life. She was getting whistles everywhere she went, she was always found shopping in fancy stores and her and Max were really hitting it off. As tired and sore as Lucy was from performing so much, she was very excited as Max was surprising her with something for her nineteenth birthday. As she daydreamed on her bed about what the surprise would be, she suddenly got a face full of pillow. “Ahhh, Nicole!” she shrieked with a giggle. “Sorry hun, but isn’t it time you went to Maxie’s?” Lucy jumped at the idea of finally leaving and was about to exit when Nicole handed her an overnight bag. “I packed a special outfit just in case,” Nicole whispered with a wink but before Lucy could respond, Nicole left for the club, bunny ears and all. “Here I come, Max.”
         Lucy knocked at Max’s door but wasn’t getting an answer. The door was unlocked so she proceeded to enter. The room was dark which spooked her a little, she then shrieked when she felt two arms wrap around her waist. “Don’t worry little girl, I’ll protect you from the boogeyman,” Max whispered from behind her. Within a second, he disappeared into the darkeness in front of her but, to her relief, he lit some candles. “Now, I do believe it is tradition to get the birthday girl drunk during the celebration of the big one-nine,” Max continued holding two glasses of champagne. “Ohh, so you’ll be joining me?” Lucy replied. “Actually,” Max chuckled, “both of these are for you!” He then grabbed her hand and led her to the living room where he had a dinner of fettucine alfeddo ready along with a romance movie in the dvd player. Two glasses of champagne later, Lucy was ready for a different taste. While Max answered nature’s call, she helped herself to some gin he had in the kitchen.
         Feeling a bit buzzed, Lucy implicitly knocked on the bathroom door after placing on the cat ears and black leather boots Nicole placed in the bag for her. “Sorry honey, nature’s still calling,” Max shouted from within the bathroom. “Nature may be calling but this animal doesn’t want to leave a message,” Lucy purred. “Baby, can I at least change? I spilled something on my pants,” Max replied. “Noooo, baby. You won’t be needing those.” With the door open just a crack, Max peeked through and winked, “you go ahead and, he he, warm up.”
Normally, Lucy is very self controlling and would avoid doing anything stupid but before she could let her newly increased libido get the best of her, there was a knock at the door to which she answered. Standing tall there were two female police officers. Not a word had yet been spoken before Max rushed to the door wearing nothing but a towel. The officers explained that Lucy was needed to give a witness statement regarding a fight which had taken place at the club. Puzzled by not only the explanation but also the identities of these officers, Lucy allowed them to lead her out of the apartment, leaving Max worried. It wasn't until she climbed into the officers' vehicle that she realized who they really were. These were no cops, they were girls she danced with.
         "Just what is going on here?" Lucy demanded. With a smirk on her face, the brunette dancer driving responded, "the big boss was disappointed when the birthday girl missed her shift at what would have been her surprise birthday bash at the club." The second dancer dressed as a police officer giggled, "now you get his special birthday surprise." Both dancers burst out into disturbing laughter, leaving Lucy scared.

         Somewhat relieved to be back at her apartment, Lucy was startled to find Dave waiting near the door, dressed in a suit and tie. With a smile, he said, "close your eyes, sweetheart, I have a surprise for you." Forgetting about what had happened in the car, Lucy closed her eyes. She did not expect what would happen next, especially with the person she had trusted.
         She felt a tight grip on both of her small wrists and was being pushed into a dark room. Opening her eyes, the grips were released only to be re-gripped by the two girls. Before Lucy could even speak, she was forced stomach-first onto a bed and her hands were cuffed to the bars of the bed's headboard. Slamming the door, the two girls exited the room, leaving a bonded Lucy alone with Dave. Walking sinisterly around the bed, Dave began to talk. "You missed a shift tonight, Lucy."
         Causing Lucy to feel a sense of panic, Dave grabbed one of the paddles Lucy and the dancers had commonly used to playfully spank random male club patrons. "I know what you're thinking, it's my birthday and I should be allowed to have the night off. Well, I put a lot of time and money into your club appearance tonight. People paid double to get in knowing it was a dancer's birthday bash, we make a big deal out of such occasions. Caterers were hired, decorations everywhere. A personalized throne, diamond tiara, cake as tall at the poles you were to dance on. But no, you had to go get drunk with some loser. I know the birthday traditions, on her nineteenth birthday, the birthday girl gets drunk. Well, I know a tradition that happens every birthday."
         Lucy knew what was coming, sure enough she was soon cringing and crying out in shock. The paddle did not hit hard but left a sting whenever it came in contact with her tightly clothed behind. Gasping for breath, she could hear Dave laughing from the side of the bed as he counted what he called her birthday spankings. To her confusion, he stopped at eighteen. Throwing the paddle to the ground, Dave explained, "let's see, since you've turned the big one-nine, let's make the nineteenth one special. Now, you never did get a slice of that cherry birthday cake but I think this hit should pop your cherry.
         Panicking and struggling to free her hands from their cuffs, Lucy could feel her jeans and panties being pulled off. As he now stood at the end of the bed, Dave undressed and abruptly spread Lucy's long legs. Closing her eyes tightly, hoping this was just some horrible dream, Lucy grunted as she felt him enter her. Having remained a virgin until now, she had never experienced penetration, thus adding to what was excruciating pain. There was a pause for a moment followed by Dave struggling to speak, "just a little further." With a forceful thrust, his penis had been pushed further inside of her. Lucy soon felt a short sense of relief as Dave pulled his manhood out slowly but pain returned as he forced it back in. Time passed slowly with each rough thrust, no pleasure was felt by Lucy herself as Dave moaned in sexual satisfaction. Lucy's hands remained in fists with the side of her head pressed into the mattress. Dave's long but smooth fingers slowly rubbed and clutched her hips and behind. "Please, let this end soon," Lucy struggled to mutter.

         Lucy awoke in her own bed, her stomach feeling sick and her hands uncuffed. A note on her pillow from Dave gave her permission to have the week off. "Oh, thank god," she thought to herself as she tried to summon enough energy to get up. Before she could even stand, her cell phone vibrated, ringing out a sample of her favourite song.

"Ugghhh......hello?" she struggled.

"Lucy? Thank goodness, I've been so worried! Where are you?" a familiar voice questioned.

"Max, hi. No, no, I'm fine, I'm home now."

"What happened last night?"

With memories of the previous night's events relapsing in her mind,"let's not get into that. Max, I need a favor, can I stay with you for the next week?"

Lucy hated asking to live there, temporarily or not, as they had just met not too long ago.

"Of course. Stay as long as you need."

"Great, thanks..."

         Without any haste, she hung up the phone and packed enough clothes and necessities to last her until she returned to her room above the club. One word rang through Lucy's head repeatedly as she trekked to Max's by foot, safety. As Max trapped her in a large hug upon her arrival, Lucy felt awkward. She thought she loved this man yet she couldn't respond to his loving gesture. Something just didn't feel right anymore.
         "I've got to go do some banking and other errands, you look exhausted so feel free to stay here and make yourself at home," said Max as he exited his apartment. Plopping herself on the couch, Lucy turned on the television and dvd player, hoping the video that would soon pop up would not be one of a pornographic nature. Luckily it wasn't. The film showed Hugo Weaving in a Guy Fawkes mask acting as a musical conductor as London's Old Bailey was blown up in a fireworks-containing fashion. Lucy hadn't been allowed to watch films very often so this would be a treat which would also help her take her mind off of the negative memories repeating in her mind. This movie amazed her, the stance against powers hurting normal civilians, the forbidden love, she became so into the movie that she hardly noticed Max coming in and sitting next to her. As he wrapped his arm around her, she let out a skin curdling shriek. With Lucy gasping for breath, he attempted to comfort and calm her down, rubbing her cheek. Apologetic, Lucy returned her attention to the movie but hastily got out of her seat when he started rubbing her hip and side.

"Are you alright, hun?" Max panicked.

"I'm....fine," she lied realizing something just didn't feel right. Memories of Dave sexually abusing her repeated in her mind. "My gosh," she thought, "have I lost my trust in all men?"

Still concerned but not wanting to bother her, Max picked up one of the newspapers he'd just brought home. Before he could even turn the page, Lucy exclaimed, "wait, what was that?" pointing to one of the stories on the second page.

"Young bartender beaten by estranged, intoxicated father," Max began, "John Winters is charged with assault after brutally beating his son Lukas into unconsciousness at a local bar. Lukas, who moved out of the suspects' house at an undisclosable time, was bartending at the Neon Melon when John entered the bar already intoxicated. Witnesses say John began screaming when Lukas came into his sight and began to physically beat on the nineteen year old bartender with a nearby beer pitcher. Lukas is currently in the downtown hospital and is slowly recovering"

"Oh my god," Lucy gasped.

"Poor kid."

"I...I've got to go!" Lucy panicked as she grabbed her jacked. With Max calling her name, Lucy ran out of the apartment to be by her brother's side as he had always been by hers before he left.

"Hang on Lukas, I'm coming...."