What is this life?

What is this life?
This chapter is dedicated to Tohma-chan
Chapter 10

Eiri Yuki is in his apartment having tea with his sister, Mika. It’s the first time in over two months that the two have been able to see each other. Looking over the top of his cup, he asks: “So, tell me sis, what was the real reason you didn’t attend Sakuma’s birthday party? Were you really sick or was that just a rouse that Seguchi used?”

“What do you think? Do you honestly believe that I wanted anything to do with that spectacle Tohma was putting on for that ahou, Sakuma? Give me a little credit for having retained some sense of common decency. Mika sips from her cup and glares at her brother.”I wouldn’t have attended that circus if Tohma gave me the option. I saved him the trouble of asking me to remain in my room by feigning illness. He knows I wasn’t sick, he didn’t want me there, anyway.”

Eiri lowers his cup and places it on the table. “I don’t know why you stay with the guy? He’s cruel to everyone else around him and he doesn’t seem to treat you well.”

“I love him. He may be ruthless with other people, but he does actually treat me fairly well. I don’t want for anything, except a little more of his time. His businesses keep him occupied.” Putting her cup down, she continues. “When he isn’t fucking that Sakano creature, he does spend quality time with me. I know it’s not an ideal marriage, but it works for me.”

“Well, I don’t like the way you’re treated. I’m sorry but that guy is just wrong for you.” Eiri has a genuine look of concern on his face.

“Eiri, I don’t want to talk about my marriage. Why did you ask me here today, and why make it so secretive? I had to lie to Tohma to some see you. I don’t like doing that.” She stares at Eiri. “Why couldn’t he know I was seeing you? He knows we have tea together, and I come to the art gallery from time to time. What’s going on?”

Eiri debates if this is such a good idea after all. Should he involve his sister in something that could possibly cause her husband to become violent towards her? “Mika, how much do you know about Seguchi’s businesses? I know you’re aware that warehousing and shipping aren’t his only concerns. You know about the slavery too, don’t you?”

A perturbed look comes over Mika. “Eiri, what does any of Tohma’s business dealings have to do with you?”

“Sis, I’ve been working with Seguchi for over nine years now. He delivers his sex slaves through my galleries worldwide.” The atmosphere in the room becomes quite heavy. “He told me that if you were to continue to be treated well, I better get with the plan. I had no choice.”

“Eiri, I had no idea. I wondered why you and Tohma have had such a strained relationship.” Mika is genuinely surprised. ”I didn’t know you were involved in that part of his life. I just figured you didn’t like the kind of marriage we have. I mean, it’s no secret that Tohma isn’t faithful to me. He hasn’t been since shortly after we got married. Hell, he prefers Sakano in his bed.”

Eiri decides that perhaps this is the time to ask her for the favor. “Mika, do you like the idea of Seguchi peddling boys for sex. It’s important to me to know where you stand on the matter.”

Mika is taken aback. “Eiri, I detest it! He kidnaps young men and turns them into sex toys for the rich and perverted. Sometimes I hate him for it.”

“Well, sis, would you help me to do something about it?” The question is on the table. This will tell him if what he’s planning could work.

“Eiri, I love Tohma; but if there’s a way to put a stop to this, I want to hear it.”

Eiri sighed. “I didn’t say I could stop him from doing it, not completely. But I may be able to help some of the boys that he’s hurt. Can I trust you not tell him what I am planning?”

Mika observes the question in Eiri’s eyes. This is serious. It isn’t something that he’d do casually. He wouldn’t put her in jeopardy. “Eiri, ever since we were little, I was the one that you confided to. You can trust me.”

“Mika, Seguchi took two boys from Tokyo almost four months ago. One of them was given to Sakuma at the party as a birthday present. That boy’s friend has been sent to someone in Istanbul.” Eiri took a calming breath. “The Turk in Istanbul is the one that got Seguchi started in this whole mess. He is the most sadistic prick to walk this earth. He doesn’t use the boys for just sex. He uses them for games of torture, too. I want to get the boy back. I need your help.”

Mika didn’t hesitate. “What do you need from me?”

“You’re going to get Seguchi out of Japan for a week. He can’t be here to have any contact with the Turk. Can you do that?”

Mika shrugged. “I don’t know how, but I’ll get him out of here. How long do I have to work on this?”

“Ten days.”


Five days later, in a Turkish palace antechamber:
The man in Arab robes is pacing back and forth, feet stomping more than walking. His hands are behind his back. The look on his tanned face is that of someone about to explode. Anger is too mild a word for the way Sheik Taki feels. An exploding stick of dynamite would be less intimidating than the wrath this man is releasing. Several men wearing military-type uniforms are assembled. "I want him found! No one runs away from me and gets away with it! Why hasn't he been found yet, the squad was sent out over four hours ago? I want Hiro brought back to me in irons! He will suffer for this indignation!" The words barreled out of the Sheik's mouth like cannon balls. "What are you doing just standing there? I want that slave here now! Go find him!"

About fifteen miles from the palace:
Hiro stops behind a low dune for a moment. He is gasping for air. He’s been running for several hours now. His slave clothes are torn. His feet are swollen and sore. The bindings from his sandals tore quite some time ago, and now he’s running in bare feet. His mouth is dry and there’s sand caked around the edges of his lips. Sweat is evaporating as quickly as it drains from his pores. The cloth wrapping on his auburn hair is stained from perspiration. He needs water.

The harsh Turkish sun is high in the sky now, making the sand glisten like tiny diamonds. He’s hot, hotter than he’s ever been in his life. There’s nothing but sand and heat. Why is there never a cooling breeze here. Kami! How he hates this country!

Hiro detests his new Master. The man makes Seguchi-sama seem like a much better choice. Master Seguchi is rough, but he is tame compared to Sheik Taki. This man doesn’t just like his sex rough, he likes to torture his slaves too. Seguchi-sama bites and slaps his slaves with leather straps. Sheik Taki uses red-hot branding irons and whips with barbs on the ends. Sheik Taki is the first to cause Hiro to pass out while having sex. Hiro doesn’t want a repeat of that last encounter. It took four days to recover. The next time, he might not survive.

Hiro isn’t sure where he is. There’s a small town. He sees several one and two story adobe buildings. There are lemon trees and other desert shrubs surrounding them. There’s no sign of people roaming around.

Hiro leaves the safety of the dune and ventures towards the nearest building. It’s not very big, about twenty feet by twenty feet squared. It too, is made of adobe. Hiro spies a door and window in the back of the building. He makes a run for it.

This last trek across the burning sands is the hardest for Hiro. His heart is pounding as he approaches the back door. Crouching low, he peers in the open window. He’s right. No one appears to be home. The door has no lock, so he’s able to open it and move cautiously inside.

He enters a combined kitchen/dining area. There’s a crude wood burning stove and a small, outdated refrigerator in the kitchen area. Other than a splintered wooden table with three ramshackle chairs, the room is empty. There is no sink, but there is a wooden bucket on the table. Kami be praised! There’s water in the bucket! Hiro picks up the bucket and starts drinking the water. It’s not really cold water, but it’s the best tasting water he’s had. He splashes some on his head and body, creating a small puddle around his feet. The coolness of the water on the swollen feet eases some of the pain.

After his thirst is quenched, Hiro slowly moves through a curtained archway into the only other room. There is a small cot on one side of the room. Piled next to the cot is a mass of crumpled clothes and a pair of shoes. He carefully maneuvers the room, keeping low and out of sight of anyone that might look through the small, undraped window. There is a water sack on the floor under the window. Hiro makes a mental note to take that.

Hiro grabs a robe, pair of shoes and the makings for a turban. Retrieving the water sack, he slips back into the safety of the curtained off kitchen. After removing his tattered clothes, he uses the rags as a washcloth to cleanse his chest and upper arms. It’s so arid in the room that the water evaporates off his skin quickly. He notices the water that splashed onto the floor minutes earlier has also evaporated. He puts on the sack cloth robe and pilfered shoes. The shoes are a little tight, but they’re better than subjecting his feet to more assault on the hot sand. He carefully tucks his red hair up inside a makeshift turban. He fills the water sack to its brim, places the plug in the top. After placing the water sack over his shoulder, he exits the back of the building as stealthily as he entered it.

Now that he is somewhat clean and dressed appropriately, Hiro ventures into the small town. Staying as close to the shadows as possible, he scopes the area. He seems to be near the center of the town. There isn’t much activity. A couple of tented booths adorn the bazaar. Two goats are tethered to a pole outside one such tent. Chickens freely roam the sand covered pavement and inside some of the booths. Aside from a few vendors still setting up their booths with earthen wares, there are not many people here.

Hiro spies a seemingly unoccupied booth. On the small table under the tent he sees loaves of bread in a basket. He slowly makes his way to the booth, looks in to find it empty of human life. He steals in and takes a loaf of bread, tucking it under his arm. He exits the tenting.

As he starts to make his getaway, he is grabbed on the forearm by a strong hand. Immediately, he feels metal clasping to his wrist. He looks up to find two men wearing the colors of Sheik Taki’s guard. They found him! His arms are wrestled behind his back, and the other metal band of the handcuffs is clamped on the free wrist. After being properly confined by the irons, a cloth sack is placed over his head and he is dragged away. No one apparently cares what is happening to him. Either that or they are too scared of the Sheik’s men to interfere. Damned that Sheik Taki! The slaves aren’t the only ones that fear him.

The ride back to the palace takes a fraction of the time it took Hiro to make his way from the place to the town. If there is any consolation, it is the fact that he is riding in the back of some vehicle, and not walking the hot sands of the Turkish desert.

One of the guards kicks at the seated young slave when the truck makes an abrupt stop. “Get up!” Hiro’s yanked up from his position on the floor of the vehicle and dragged out. He’s thrown on the sandy steps.
Someone pulls the sack off his head, and when he looks up, he finds himself staring in the face of one very pissed Sheik Taki. “Well, you made it all the way to Adapazari before we found you. I am impressed. No one has ever made it that far before. I hope you enjoyed your trip, because it’s the last one you’ll ever make out of here alive” Turning to the guards nearest Hiro: “Take him to the dungeon and wait for me!”

Hiro struggles as two of the sheik’s guards grab him. As he is being hauled away, fear swells in Hiro’s chest. His master’s dungeon is filled with all types of ancient torture devices. It’s been said that anyone who enters is never seen again. Hiro starts to pray that someone, anyone, will save him from what’s about to happen to him.

TBC