The customer

It had to be in the dark
The dark
In the night, in the city
Deep in the city.
Where no one would hear the screams of a child
Deep in the city.
He walks with his coat collar up
Hiding his face in the dark
The dark.
And his feet pound the rhythm of dark
Along with his heart.
He walked with a shadow to cloak his intent
His intent
From his darling wife and son
His dear dear wife.
And the city around his closes its eyes
They all close their eyes
As he walks in the dark
Deep in the city
Right up to a faded door.

STOP.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
CREEEEEEAAAK.
Dim light spills like diry oil across the pavement
Smearing across his face
His clean shaven face.
He steps through the doorway and into a room
A room
A small filthy square that smells like hell.
And he’s led by a nod towards a girl
A girl.
And he moves slowly towards the girl in the corner.
He lifts her face like a gentle father,
A father.
And he knows he could be her father
-She’s only 14.
But he’s not here to save her.
Live a vice of cold iron his hand clamps her arm
And together
They…
Walk…
To the sagging stained mattress.
He pushes her up against the wall
The wall
And lets her fall to the ground at his feet.
The click of his belt buckle sounds loud in the dark
The dark.
And her whimper is lost in the dark.

Ruthless fire of his lust has burned away her name
And she is not human to him
As he cruelly thrusts himself into her
To hear her scream.
And the scent of her tears and blood makes him high
With the feeling of power.
And he beats her until he is tired.

He rises.
Buttons his shirt.
He leaves the door open as he exits the room
And dim light falls on her body
The child
As she lays like stone on the sagging stained
Matttess.

Small bills are exchanged
As he walks into the night
The night.
And breathes in the dark and lights up a cig
As he walks under bridges and down empty streets.

Up to a white painted door he strides
Wipes his shoes on the mat that welcomes him.
And he unlocks the door and check the mailbox
And walks into his house
His home.
He eats the last piece of cake in the fridge
Then brushes his teeth and crawls into bed
Into the arms
Of his wife
His dear dear wife.