Earning Her Keep (Child, 496 words)

by Emily

Her uncle's boots clomped up the stairs to her attic room, his annoyance plain in every step. "What's keeping you, girl?"

"It's my new clothes, Uncle. They don't fit me." She attempts to cover up as he strides through the door, trying in vain to pull up the fabric of the too-tight blouse with its too-low neckline.

He looks her up and down with satisfaction. The new clothes fit perfectly, actually, skimming seductively over the curves of her emerging womanhood. "That's how they're supposed to fit. Time you started earning your keep around here."

Horrified realization on her face, memories surfacing of customers' hands on her body, pinching and groping as she hurried past them serving food and drinks in the inn's common room. They didn't used to do that.

Defiance, long forgotten. No. Not this. She shakes her head. "I won't, Uncle. No." Her voice barely a whisper.

He crosses the room in a few strides, grabbing her jaw in his hand. "You listen to me, girl. We've fed you and kept you since your slut mother left you on our hands. Do you think it's cost us nothing? Do you think you're better than any of the other girls I've got serving down there? I've got a Guildmaster waiting downstairs and he's willing to pay me a good price for your maidenhead. Unless you've been whoring around with the boys behind the stable. Have you?"

She struggles out of his grip, finds her voice at last. "No. No, I won't, I won't! You can't make me!"

"Yes, I can, you little trollop!" Grabs her wrist with one hand, grabs her brush from her bedside table with the other. Pulls her over his knee, still struggling. Pulls up her skirt.

Begins to rain down blows on her exposed backside with a practiced hand.

Soon she is sobbing. Still defiant though; he can hear her saying "No" over and over through the blubbering.

"What the Guildmaster is willing to pay for you will buy us a new roof! He's had his eye on you for years and I'm not about to let this cash slip through my fingers." The hairbrush continues to fall. This is as long as she's ever held out.

Finally she slumps limply over his lap, still sobbing. "Stop," she manages to choke out. "Please -- stop -- Uncle. I'll -- do it." Her backside has turned a brilliant shade of red. There are even a few flecks here and there. It will be a shame to send her to the Guildmaster all marked up like this, he reflects. But on the other hand, maybe it'll give the Guildmaster ideas too. Maybe the little slattern will finally learn to mind.

"Damn right you will. Now pull yourself together and go wash your face. Guildmaster Henschel is waiting in the private room in back. You will go serve him his dinner there and then you will do anything else he wants."

Resignation. "Yes, Uncle."

Oh my...now when I say this is a horrible story that's no reflection on the writer. She has written, quite well, a very unpleasant exploitative tale of what happens to a young girl left in the care of a very nasty man. You really feel the shame and embarrassment of the kid who realises she must sell her body or else be brutalised at home. Nicely constructed but the whole plot left a rather nasty taste.

I liked the historical setting and the dialogue seemed realistic as well, which is not an easy thing to do in stories set in the past. I liked the fact that the author left the aftermath to the imagination. This worked well. The story was well-written, especially the spanking. I truly enjoyed this story.

A very edgy scenario told in a clipped, visceral style. A glimpse into a world most of us are fortunate not to inhabit any longer. However, the story lacks a consistent point of view. It could be interesting told from either character's perspective, but the girl's is probably the better one. I wanted to know HER thoughts at the end, not her uncle's. However, the writer certainly shows promise. "Trollop." Such a tasty word, too little used.

I really liked this one.

I love the dynamics of this story. It has some edge and sinister elements to it, which go right along with my warped way of thinking. It is well written. Growing up is painful enough, but to be as vulnerable and trapped as this young girl would be horrific indeed. Nice job.

There's a lot to love about this story -- at least for me. I really enjoy childhood stories about cruel, nasty adults and this story has a worthy villian. The author does a great job looking at something dark and telling a painful tale within the contest's word limit.

However, because of the length, for me the switching point of view both doesn't work (we get to hear too little from both characters) and distracts from the story's intensity and the darkness of the story itself. Still, it's a compelling story and hits so many of my favorite buttons I can only give it many cheers.

This story is extremely dark. But the author manages to convey a complete story in very few words, including memorable characters and an ending that leaves me wanting to know more. I like that the characters are unnamed, and that the girl's age is never stated. Sad, well written, and very compelling.