He was still laughing through bloody teeth.
“You still belong to me,” he said.
I spat blood and answered:
“No. I survived you.”
The rest came out slowly.
Kareem had hidden gambling debts.
Samir offered money for introductions, schedules, access.
Kareem convinced himself it was harmless.
Then it was too late.
He was arrested for conspiracy and child endangerment.
He cried in court.
I felt nothing.
Samir received multiple life sentences under new trafficking evidence uncovered in the raid.
Other women came forward.
Ghosts became witnesses.
Names became records.
Truth became steel.
A year later, Lina and I moved again.
This time not to hide.
To heal.
We rented a small apartment with sunlit windows I no longer closed at dusk.
One Saturday she handed me another drawing.
I braced myself.
There was our new home.
There was Lina smiling.
There was me beside her.
And around us were many stick figures holding hands.
Women.
Children.
Inspector Rahmani with too much hair.
Nadia carrying groceries.
Even a judge with giant eyebrows.
