SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST...

How long does it take to get to France by ship? I'm not anxious to get there but I am anxious to get out of this container.

The girls who were knocked out got up ten minutes ago. Karissa, the girl who sat next to me, went to their aid to calm them down and let them in on the situation. Of course they didn't take it too well. At first they started screaming but thank goodness the other girls got them to quiet down. I'm sure none of us wants another encounter with the men who put us here in the first place, especially that disgusting man who felt me up with his knife.

The sea feels rough. We can hardly walk straight in the container. The eleven of us got acquainted with each other. We ate fruits and drank a lot of water. I wonder how many other girls are in containers like us. Paul did say that we are the finest of their catch and that is why we're in a separate container. How many of us have families out there searching for us right about now. My mind diverts back to my parents. I wonder if they know that I'm missing by now. And what about the other girls here? The youngest of the eleven of us is Makayla. She is nineteen years old. She still looks petrified. I asked her how did they caught her and she told us her mother is a drug addict and sold her to the men for two kilos of cocaine. How could a mother do that to her own child? All the other girls got caught somehow but her story is the absolute worst. The person you suppose to trust the most is the person who sold you to your death.

We cannot tell whether its day or night through the container but we all fall asleep one by one. Karissa, Makayla and I are sleeping together, Lana and Mickey are friends who got caught together, they're right beside us, Mariah, Jordan and Simone are at the other end of the container and Terrell, Lexi and Rema are in the middle. All of us cuddled up in our own little circle for warmth and protection.

I don't know how long I've been knocked out but I woke up to Makayla tugging on my jacket. As I open my eyes I see the man from earlier. I don't know what he wants from us but his eyes is only on me.

"It's about time you got up," he said in a strong accent I have no idea where to place it, "come over here", he said to me, extending one hand for me to take while the other has a gun. I get up slowly. At this moment all the girls are up, looking in on what is going on. Karissa is holding my hand for me to not go while Makayla and the other girls look scared. I'm shaking with every movement I make. I slowly removed Karissa's hands from mines. I do not want him to use the gun on her because she was holding me back from doing as he wish.

I made a step closer to him and he instantly grabs my hand and yanks me to his side and away from the girls. My back is facing his chest and I can see the horrific looks on the other girls' faces. I'm trying to be strong, not for me but for them. Just because I lost hope doesn't mean they have too.

Is this it? Is this the end for me? Is he going to kill me in front of them? A thousand thoughts passed through my mind in a millisecond.

I suddenly felt his tongue across my ear then he whispered, "I hope you like it rough". My pores raise and a tear escape my eyes. Then the man rose the gun to my head. My eyes are staring into the mouth of the gun. "If a sound escapes your mouth I will blow your f&*#ing head off and throw your body into the ocean", then he leads me out of the container.

It's dark outside and extremely cold. I'm led to a door that enters the ship. From there he takes me to another door. He opens the door and shoves me inside. It's a suite. I'm shoved on the bed and he points the gun to me again. "Take off your clothes and don't say a word". I do as I'm told. I took off all my clothes while he watch me. I'm naked on the bed, trying to hide myself with my hands. I never imagined losing my virginity this way before. "Now I'll have the pleasure of f$#@ing the best catch", he said then he took off his pants and is now playing with his member. I instantly turn away. "Come here and kiss my d@!k bitch" he shouted while holding the gun out at me. I'm about to do as he says when suddenly I heard a loud POW. I scream loudly, looking at my body for blood, but found none. He's standing still for a second, his eyes looking into mine, then his body falls to the ground. From the doorway I see Paul holding a gun. Paul shot him.

I start to cry. I've never seen a dead body before nor have I ever came this close to being raped. Paul comes to my side and throws a robe over my body. "Shush my child", he whispers, then kisses my forehead. Four men come rushing into the room. Paul points to the dead body on the floor and shouts something in another language. The four men lift the body and takes it outside. "Let's get you back with the others", Paul said then guides me out of the room. While on my way back to the container I notice the four men throwing the man, who almost raped me, lifeless body overboard.

I'm back in the container with the other girls. I notice the tearstains on their faces. I rush over to the girls as soon as I enter. "Girls I do apologize to you for what happened, I promise it will never happen again while you're in my care on this ship" Paul tells us, looking at me. One of the men comes into the container with my clothes in his hands. He passes them over to Paul then exits the container. Paul steps closer to me, "I believe this belongs to you" he passes over my clothes. I take them slowly then whispers a Thank you to Paul. He nods then leaves the container.

"I thought you were dead" Makayla cried while she hugs me. I thought I was a goner myself. From that night's incident the eleven of us slept huddled up together in one corner of the container. I never had friends before. My main focus since primary school was becoming a lawyer like my dad so I never had the time for friendship. That made me quite anti-social. But somehow under this unfortunate situation, I met a group of girls whom I hope we never have to leave each other's sides. I don't know what I'll do without them from here on out.