To Fall or Rise: Chapter 1

Women gathered together, shivering in rags or blindly staring out, clutching at furs. Two women on the opposite corner cooed out cat calls.

“Come on. Don’t waste your life. What else is a woman’s purpose if not pleasure? Don’t throw your only power away.”

The crowd of women glanced at the fallen and the returned their gazes to the colored sidewalks. They had already waited most of the morning, and the doors hadn’t opened. The swirls of blue and orange and green, yellow, red, and purple had been some comfort, at least something to focus on to tune out the lies. The squat building in front of them was a bright yellow with orange and red paintings of small silhouettes. The colors spoke of warmth and shelter.

“We take care of each other.” One leaned dramatically against the other. “Food and clothes for you always.”

“Not so many clothes,” one of the older women murmured, and the group seemed to find some fortitude as they laughed.

The fallen seemed not to notice. “You think those dried up grannies will take care of you?”

The group stood tall against the pounding of the harlots. Between attacks, the matriarchs of the group murmured insults to strengthen the defenses.

The sun reached its zenith, and the women sweated while the fallen reposed in the shade of a building. No one had passed the warring factions this day. It was as if a warning had been put out and the street evacuated for fear of innocent victims.

“What happens when you want a little something?” Making a suggestive gesture, one of the prostitutes made her meaning all too clear. Her friend pointed at one of the youngest of the group. “Have you ever even experience the way a man can love you?”

The girl blushed and turned her face away.

“What do these hags give you anyway? If you waited outside of our door, we would welcome you in with joy and offer you fruit and wine. Our god will treat you well. This goddess makes you sit out in the hot for a chance of her grace.

“They’re right, Merin,” one woman hissed.

The one addressed jerked her head up. “Say it louder, so we’ll both be murdered in the street.”

“Or we’ll thirst to death here instead.”

Merin shook her head and said, trying to appease her, “This is a test.”

She rolled her eyes. She’d heard that many times before. “I don’t want to throw my youth away to serving old hags.”

“So you’ll sacrifice the rest of your life, Bana? You won’t be young forever, you know, and men don’t play with grannies.”

They glared at each other, similar faces bent into matching scowls.

“I’m tired of doing what you say.”

“Oh really? Was it my idea to leave the house for a man that wasn’t my husband?”

“For the last time, you didn’t have to follow me!”

The group was silent in a strained quiet that only came from eavesdropping. Even the fallen were quiet.

“You are my sister!”

“And I am grown. I have long toddled out of my wet nurse’s arms.”

Merin colored. “Then leave. I won’t worry.” She turned her face away.

Bana sniffed. “You act like I was waiting for permission.” She slowly walked through the group, head up. They parted as if they didn’t want to touch her. When she was halfway across the street, the fallen nodding and laughing, the youngest who had been asked if she had ever been loved by a man, ran behind her. Bana glanced at her and wrapped her arm around the girl’s waist as if they were the best of friends.

“Yes! My new sisters, you have made a good choice. We’ll never leave you out to dry as the hags leave their slaves.” The two skipped around their recruits. “Let’s show you to our mother and our god. They will love you.” Bana didn’t look back.

“Sluts,” one of the matriarchs muttered, but the defenses had failed and the group did not strengthen.

The door swung open silently and a hooded woman peered out. “Come in, my dears. I hope the fallen didn’t scare you. We have to wait for them to leave.” She stood out of the way for them to enter. Merin did not look back.