"Eat this, fast!" the lady in front of me says, or rather orders me before turning to leave the crowded room. She looks no less scary than those vamps of old hindi movies or the current generation of MILs in daily soap operas.

I ignore her, though I feel my mouth water after seeing the plate laden with food. I hadn't have eaten for last ten days, or since the time I was brought into this abandoned building after a long journey. Even if my stomach rambles furiously, I can't give into the demand of my body. Because of the valid reason I have.

The sensible girl I am, it didn't take me long to realise that I was kidnapped from the hotel parking lot. But it took me by surprise when I came to know why I was kidnapped. I'm to be sold, it's a human trafficking racket, I was trafficked by!

This accounts the reason for me boycotting food, in which any drug can be mixed and I won't even know what would happen with me if I lose consciousness. Chances are high for it, but I can't give up without trying once to free myself. Even if I'm locked in a suffocating place.

"It's strange how our lives have changed in a matter of few minutes," says a woman sitting next to me. Almost of my age, her case is worse than mine. Her husband was shot dead when she was captured, along with her one-year-old baby girl, who too will be sold, as the ugly woman threatens her. Seriously? A baby? For sexual activities? How much more can the world become insensitive? I can't understand and that makes me shiver.

I do not reply, not knowing what to say. Her life has become so miserable, my words won't sooth her pain at all. Only a faint smile is all I can pass to her, her name Ritika.

"Me and my husband were so excited to watch the new movie of our favourite superstar, but we never knew it would become my husband's last day of life, and my freedom," she cries, holding her baby tightly. Her innocent child can't understand anything, nor the dark future which some people are going to force her into soon. "Though, I have no wish to survive after my husband's death. I want to save my Kiana, from these vulture like people. Just one chance, is all I need to run away from here and save my daughter, who doesn't deserve this. Or even if I'd be sold, I want my daughter to get spared. I'd be relieved."

I stay mum, again. This time because of the lump in my throat. How woeful this situation must be for her and for every other girl who is here along with me. From teens, to woman in their 30s are here. All for the same purpose! Some are from slums, few professionals from MNCs and other walks of life. What wrong has any of them done to deserve this?

The day Ritika narrated to me about her incident, I cried. The next day, a girl was shot while trying to escape, we cried. The same day, a teen girl was sold, we both cried. And have continued to cry, everyday as the number of girls keep decreasing, getting sold off every passing day. Will this be my future as well, I have never thought. But I'm scared for myself, for Ritika, for Kiana, and for all the other girls. Yet, I'm helpless!

"There's one way to run from here," says one of the men, whose name is Ajinkya, to us. He has come to check on the girls at night to make sure none of them runs away or even try.

"How?" Ritika asks, her desperation heavily dominating her voice. But I fear about trusting this man; he is one of those vultures. Though, he's the only one who I have never seen inappropriately touching any girl or trying to threaten. But trusting him is surely not easy, for me.

"I will tell you, but promise me you both will get help for other girls as well. None of them deserve this," he says, looking down at his feet in an ashamed manner. I sort of feel his guilt is true, but you never know. I can't trust him with that ease, given he's part of this racket. And moreover, I can't understand why he's empathic with the girls who all were abducted for this heinous sin.

"We will! We'll get help for all of them!" Ritika promises. I can sense the sincerity in her words. She seems to have already trusting Ajinkya, after all she's a mother and all she wants is her daughter's safety. That has made her forget sensibility at the moment.

"But you won't betray us, right?" I ask. I need to have a confirmation! Ritika passes me a bewildered glare, but I choose to ignore it. If we're going to escape, I want to make sure the escape is smooth and not another way of getting us killed or worse.

"I won't," he says quietly, before narrating to us his plan.

Once he finishes his plan, skeptical though, Ritika and I look at each other with hope for our lives and Kiana's better future. Though, I still have doubt, the look on Ritika's face makes me say yes for this. At least, it'll be better to die trying to escape rather than be silent and see ourselves get the worst of punishments!

A/N: Do vote and comment! :)