Life on the street was not hard after the first few months.  You sort of get into a routine.  Even when it gets cold and wet there are places to go for shelter.  You make friends and have freedom.

        All that ended for me when I found a man hunched over the body.  At first I was unsure of what was going on - until he turned around and I saw the knife.  He snarled
and ran towards me.  I knew that he meant to kill me also and prayed that help would arrive.  It did and I was left holding the blade.

         The cop who came up behind me was a blessing - I thought.  What I did not
realize until my trial was that he did not see the man.  I was arrested and convicted for something that I did not do.

         The first couple of days in prison were very hard.  Most of the women were brutal
in their treatment of me - except for Angela.  She saved me from the worst of it.  One evening before it was time to turn in, she brought me a cup of coffee.  As we sat there drinking, I became very sleepy.  I remember her helping me up and walking down a hallway, but don't remember going back to my cell.

         The next thing I remember is waking up in a bright white room and the man in black.  At that time I didn't know why he frightened me, but he did.  I looked about the room looking for a way out.  He just sat there and stared at me.  "Good morning."
When he got up and came toward me I just huddled closer into the corner I had backed myself into. "Your not in prison anymore."  Yeah - right bud, I thought.  Where did they
get this one.  "Where am I?"  "The world thinks your dead.  Here's your funeral."  I sat there and stared at the picture.  All there was was an empty space expect for headstones.  I couldn't - didn't want to believe - believe that even in death my mother could not be bothered with me.  I felt a sharp pain of anguish run through me.  I could
feel the tears and that pain coming out - "my mama didn't come."

         I didn't understand - if my mother didn't want me - why did he?  I had to ask and
was sorry I did when he said "A woman with your looks who can kill in cold blood......"  That made me angry.  "I didn't kill anyone!"  The man in black looked at me and turned his back.  I thought I had a chance to escape - boy was I wrong.  I charged at him, but
he easily threw me to the floor.  Covering me with his body he explained "When you attack an enemy from the behind go for the kidneys, it disables them.  Consider that
your first lesson."

         "I don't want lessons."

         "We start tomorrow 5am."

         "And if I don't want to?"

         "Row 8, Plot 30."  With that he left.  I stared at that door for what seemed like hours.  Who was he?  Would he come back?  Was I going to eat or where they going
to let me starve.  I not sure of how much time passed, but a slot in the bottom of the
door open and a tray was slid inside.  Cautiously, I went over to it and picked up the
lids and found several plates of hot food and a pitcher of coffee.  Coffee - did it get me here?  Should I trust anything that they gave me?

         My stomach won me over.  I ate the food - it was wonderful.  I refused to touch the coffee.  "Not thirsty."  I looked around - there was no one there.  A few minutes later bottled water was slide under through the slot.  I knew that voice - it was "his" voice.  I
still didn't know who "he" was or where I was.  I knew that trying to get out of this room was impossible.  I sat down in the corner farthest from the door and waited.  I knew
"he" was watching me.  I could feel him.  What did he want?  I had heard stories about slavers on the streets - men who kidnaped you and sold you to fat, old men.  Was he
one of them?

         Suddenly the door opened.  In came a man and a woman - they scared me  more that "he" did.  Neither of them said anything, they just stared.  The woman clothes on
the bed "Put these on and come with us."  "I'm not going anywhere with you until you
tell me what's going on and where I am!"  "You have 5 minutes." she said and left.  The man stayed.  "Want a cheap thrill or a quickie?"  He continued to glare at me.  "Leave her." It was "his" voice again.

         I still couldn't see how he saw me, but for some reason knowing that he was near made me feel safe.  I quickly changed and waited.  The door swung open and the woman came back in "Follow me."

         We walked down a hallway to two glass doors.  Entering, I saw what looked like
a clinic.  That's it!  They're harvesting body parts and my body is next!.  I turned to run
and saw the woman's partner standing there.  I stood there weighing my options - he looked sort of frail.  Just as I decided to rush him, I heard "his" voice, "No one here is going to hurt you."  Slowly I turned around and there he was.  "This way."

         He lead me further into the lab.  At the end of the hall, he opened the door "In
here."  Knowing I had no other option, I went in.

         "Well, Michael, I see you've brought me someone new."  Michael, his name was Michael.

         "This is Nikita, Agnes.  Let me know when you are finished."

         I stared at Agnes.  She looked exactly like Angela.  "Yes, Angela is my twin.  She told me a lot about you."  "Now, shall we get started?"

         "What are you going to do to me?"

         "Just run some medical tests"

         "Why, so you can harvest my organs?"  I got up and went to the door "You'll have
to kill me first!"  Yanking the door open, the man and woman were standing there -
they reminded me of twins. I knew that I was a dead woman.

         "Nikita, can you please come back in here?"  I turned around - Agnes had not moved from her spot.  "We're not in the body parts business.  Hasn't anyone explained where and why you are here?"

         "No, can you tell me?"

        Anges looked at me for a moment.  "No I can't.  All I can tell you is that you won't
die today or anytime soon."  "Now, please, come and sit down."

         For the rest of that day, I was poked, prodded, ran on a machine, answered questions, was feed....  I couldn't remember the last time I had three meals a day.

         Many hours later (or at least it seemed like many hours later), Michael returned.
"Is she finished?"

         Agnes nodded.  "She's perfectly healthy considering the life she lead."

         "My life was fine before I came here!"

         Agnes just looked at me and shook her head.  I felt Michael come closer, "Come with me, please."

         I spun around and looked into his green eyes.  My breath caught.  Even though
his demeanor was cold, there was a spark of warmth in his eye, however brief.
Michael stepped aside and let me pass.  It was odd.  For all his coldness, he treated
me better than anyone else, including my mother, ever did.

         We walked out of the clinic and down another long hallway.  Stopping before a door, I turned and asked "More tests?"   Michael smiled.  I was shocked to see how
his whole face lit up, especially those eyes.  "No, this is where you will be staying."

         "Is this my new prison?"  He didn't answer.  After he punched some numbers into the pad on the wall, the door swung open.  Michael stepped aside "Go in."  I looked at him for a moment knowing that I had no choice but to obey him, but yet not wanting to.  Slowly, I entered.  Before me was a room that was completely devoid of anything but
the furniture.  "You expect me to live in this place?"  "There's no music, no color, no paintings...."  Turning, I saw that Michael had what could only be called a shocked expression.  "Tell me what you want and I will see what I can do."

         "Why?"

         "Nikita..."  Hearing him say my name sent shivers up my spine.  I wasn't sure
where he was from, but his accent made me think of sex.

         Thinking to test him, "Well I can tell you right now what I want."  "Ready?"
Michael took out a small pad of paper and look at me.  "Okay, I want a radio, some paints...."

         "What to you want paints for?"

         "I like to paint."  Closing his eyes I could tell he was thinking paint on what.  "Go ahead."  "Hmmmm some brushes, well you don't expect me to paint without them do you?, some decent clothes, that's all I can think of for now."

         "Alright, I will see what I can do."  "You better get some rest, I will be back at 5am.

         "And what should I do until then?"

         "Get some rest."  With that he left.  I stared at the door.  I tried yanking it open,
but it was locked.  Guess they don't want me wandering off.   I turned around and
figured that I should explore.  The only pieces of furniture in the room were the bed
and two chairs.  There were no other doors, no bathroom, no place to put clothes.  Whoever these people were they were not very concerned about keeping the place
or me for that matter clean.  Remembering that Michael had talked to me in the other room, I figured that he could see and hear me here.  "Hey, I need to go to the
bathroom!"

         "Go through the door."  It wasn't Michael's voice.

         "There are no other doors."

         "Go to the wall behind the bed."

         Another joker.  Alright, I'll humor the guy.  I went and stood directly in front of the wall.  Nothing.  I turned around and leaned on the wall.  "Okay, smart guy, where is the doooooorrrr."  I landed flat on my back.  I was furious.  "You could have told me!"

         "You didn't ask."

          I didn't ask.  Why did I feel I was playing a game with a kid?  That  voice was
very young, younger than mine.  Slowly I got up.  The "room"  contained a toliet and a shower stall.  I went to pull my pants down and  realized that the door was still open.

        "Hey don't I get no privacy?"

         "No."  That smart-ass voice again.

        "Look, I don't go to the bathroom in front of people - close the door."

        "No."

        "What you get off watching....." and with that the lights went out.

        "Happy?"

        "Yeah."  I swear if I ever get my hands on the owner of that voice he won't be
talking too much longer.   I finished what I needed to do.  "You can turn the light back
on."

         "It's lights out for you."  "Go to sleep."

         "Hey I do what I want."

         "Not anymore."