5. LAS DEUX

With a loud noice of honking cars, Bella came back to reality. She found a small space in between the dumpster and a wall. It seemed to be some what clean.

Bella was pleased. She cleaned it up more with a help of a piece of rug and placed a torn newspaper on it. Then with a help of the brick, on which see was sitting while eating her food, and remaining newspaper she made a small shade. She was used to sleeping in a small cage, so she lied there well. She was kind of happy in a place like this as she realised that finally she was alone.

Next morning she was awaken by the loud noise of dumper truck, which came to empty the dumpster.

She washed her face and mouth with the water in her bottle and had her remaining bread. She then started thinking of what to do next and where to go next.

Once the most demanded beauty of this city who was courted by so many young masters. These young master only waited for her single smile. They all wanted to take her home to their parents, marry her and make her their's forever but today she had no place to go. She had no one whom she can call her family or friends. All thanks to a single statement made by that man, which changed her life overnight.

Suddenly a pamphlet flew from the dump. It read "Cleaner needed. Lodging and one meal included. Salary negotiatable."

Bella cleaned her clothes. She didn't have anything to make herself up with. She simply wetted her short hair and left for that address.

The place, " LAS DEUX" was 30 floors building standing tall in one of the most costliest areas of the city. This club was hardly 2 and half years old but had already gained lot of popularity amongst the young generation riches and tourists.

It has also ranked No.1 night club, consecutively for 2 years in all the leading charts of the country.

There are total 3 floors for underground parking. Ground floor for official work, marvelllous eye catching reception, dressing room for the attendants and waitresses.

1st and 2nd floor were country's biggest discotheque, which played the best music played by leading DJs of the country.

Many young masters have their personal booths for private parties from 3rd floor to 10th floor. And many also owned entire floor for after party fun

which 15th floor onwards. Each floor had its own key controller installed in the elevator.

Entire club was a beauty. It had a world class design. Italian marble, Italian furniture, carpets. Each and every room of this club had a different design. More then 50 leading interior designers were used to make this club.

Bella stood infront of the building for a while. Gathered her courage and went upto the receptionist and handed over the pamphlet. Without even looking up, the receptionist wayed her hand towards the manager's office.

Bella knocked on the door. A beautiful voice came from inside, and Bella entered. There was a beautiful nobel looking lady , of about 26 -27 years, who was sitting on her office table. She was in a red velvety off shoulder dress. She looked radiant in this colour. Her body was shinning and she had a beautiful aura surrounding her.

She seemed to be quite busy with her paper work and was in a bad mood. She was in desperate need of a cleaner for 6th floor to 10th floor.

These were the floors where the notorious young masters had their private booths and they were known to cause trouble. But also were the backbone of this industry. Once their party started, there was no limit to alcohol, fun, pleasure and money.

Without looking up, the lady said, "Are you going to continue standing her or will you speak?"

"Madam, I saw this pamphlet and I have come for a job." a hoarse ears piercing voice came. Claire, who was busy with her work, was so shocked to hear her voice that she shuddered and stopped her pen and looked up towards the source of this harsh voice. She was even more disappointed in what she saw.

"Why is your voice so grating and harsh?"

These four years in prison that she has spent, had made Bella accustomed in keeping her heads down, so even though the woman just called her voice unpleasant on her face, she merely replied slowly and gently, "I inhaled too much smoke."

The beautiful woman asked with another surprising looks, "Was it a fire?"

"Yes, it was mam." Bella calmly lowered her eyes at that moment. Was it really a fire or an arson?

Midnight, 3 and half years back. Tonight Bella was asked to sleep in a room rather then her usual place. She felt a little suspicious but couldn't tell. In the night around 3 a.m. , Bella started feeling suffocated. Suddenly the room was filled with heavy smoke which was coming out air conditioner's vents. She started coughing badly and wanted to get up and run. But to her horror, she realisied that her hands and legs were tightly tied with the chains to the bed. She couldn't let herself free.

Bella was coughing so badly that her eyes became puffy and red. Her face was all dark. It was difficult for her to breath. And eventually she passed out.

As soon as she passed out, a group of people entered the room. Checked her and carried her outside. They came at exact timings as if they were watching her all through out her struggle.

Next morning when she woke up, she found herself in her usual place. She tried to speak, but she couldn't. After a long time of trying again and again, she could finally speak.

As she spoke, same group of her jail mates with their leader came in and asked her to sing a song. Bella hesitated, a tight slap landed on her face. She swayed and feel on the ground and started singing.

Bella's voice was once compared to the nightengale bird. Today as she sang, she had little difficulty, her voice was little harsh but still clear enough. With this also , anyone can still appreciate her voice.

The leader was not happy. She suddenly with fear looked at the remote dark corner of Bella's cell and then called her sisters.

Her two sisters immediately left the cell for a while. Soon they were back holding 2 large hukkas in their hands. Bella was still singing.

She was tired, her throat was hurting. The leader saw her difficulty and declared that, "if you stop for a single second also then you will be punished. "

Bella was scared and she continued to sing. The sisters lit the hukkas and started enjoying. The leader took a puff, got up, held Bella's chin, forced open her mouth. Then she placed her mouth on Bella's mouth and exhaled her puff.

Bella felt disgusted and coughed harshly but soon turn by turn they would all inhale a good chunck of the smoke and would exhale in Bella's mouth till she starts coughing non stop.

This continued for more then an hour. Bella was tired, her throat was hurting by inhaling so much of smoke. Finally she stopped and asked for a glass of water as her throat was dry and burning as if it was on fire.

But as the leader had said before, "if you stop, you will be punished." She sticked to her words. As Bella stopped singing, the leader signalled, the jail mates held Bella's hands and legs tightly. Bella was lying on the floor. She was scared. She couldn't anticipate what's going to happen next.

The leader held her chin and forcefully opened her mouth and poured buring coal in her mouth and pushed it into her throat. Bella entire throat instantly started burning. There was so much of pain but the leader didn't stop. Bella was crying, trying to be free, begging them but nothing helped. After putting around 5-6 pieces of burning coal in her mouth, they tied her up and tapped her mouth and left.

Next time when Bella spoke, her voice was beyond recognition. It was so harsh and unpleasant like rubbing of sandpapers. Her voice box was totally damaged and no one cared to show her to a doctor.

The leader again came in her cell, looked up at the same dark corner and said to Bella, "Didn't you propose Mr. Henry Jackson sir in your sweet voice? Didn't you sing him the love song in that voice?" she continued "Hahahaha..... trying doing it now." and left.

When Bella was seventeen, Henry had turned twenty-one. His family threw a grand party. His father, Mr. John Jackson, was a very handsome and kind hearted man. He was very fond of Bella since starting. When Bella was only 6, he demanded her hand from Bella's grandfather, Mr. Mark Evan, for his son, Henry Jackson. After that whenever he met Bella, he would call her his daughter-in-law.

Maybe this is how Bella started loving Henry more and more every day. May be because of this Bella was confident that Henry will be her life partner.

On occasion of Henry's twenty-first birthday, Bella composed and sang a beautiful song for him. This was the first time that Bella sang infront of so many people. As she started , all the people gathered there including Henry were mesmerized by her voice. Everyone except Cindy, who was holding her wine glass tightly.

During the song, Henry was so attracted to Bella that he started walking towards the stage. Bella noticed that, she blushed and smiled, and continued with her song. As soon as Henry took one step, Cindy pretended to collapse in his arms.

He caught her in time and helped her outside. This party was planned in a five star hotel and many guests had their stay in this hotel itself. Henry helped the unconscious Cindy to one of the rooms which was booked by himself.

Bella finished her song but Henry never came up on the stage infact Henry was not even there when she finished her song. Bella was little disappointed but still was happy as she successfully made and sang the song for her true love.

Same night, one of the guests, who was from the music company, offered Bella a huge contract to make her own album with this song as the leading song. But without giving a second thought Bella clearly refused this 10 million dollars contract saying that this song is for her true and one and only love. Through the song, she recited her entire journey with that man. All her love, her feelings, her emotions were in that song. But unfortunately, that man was not there.

"Hey.... Hellllooooo....."

"Oh... Sorry mam...."

That nobel lady noticed that Bella was not interested in explaining further, and nor was Claire interested in hearing any sad stories at present. She frowned slightly and clicked her tongue. "Missy, I will be very frank with you. This won't do. LAS DEUX is the number 1 night club in the entire country with most high class clientele and frankly you are a sore in the eyes. I am sorry you are of no use here."

She gazed at Bella once again, making no attempt to hide her disgust. She clearly had a low regard for her. Ugly woman dressed in an over sized overcoat, which was faded, totally worn out.

LAS DEUX was not somewhere any Tom-Dick-Harry can enter or work, so even the regular attendants and waitresses need to have decent features and sexy curvy bodies.

She was suprised even to think that how can this woman even have guts to come in a place like this and ask for a job.

Claire stood up from her seat, and said rudely,

"Listen, this won't work. Someone with your looks and voice can't even become a waitress here so please leave." Claire's head was paining, she was already in stress for looking for a cleaner and then this ugly woman wasted her time.

"Madam, I am here for the job of a cleaner."