#singsooling

Banana Fish

Apollonia Stefanelli, now known as 'Sienna Golzine', was a gorgeous former stripper who then became Dino Golzine's daughter. Exploited since she was younger, she dreamt of living the life of her dreams together with her friend, Ash Lynx, aka Aslan Jade Callenreese. But fighting for a life like that was not easy, as they struggled with their inner darkness started to slowly swallowing them out.

Prologue

Chapter1

It was pitch black. How long had passed? An hour? A day? Or a week? Sienna remembered that she was drugged right after she had stabbed a man in the eye. Not an ordinary man, but a politician. A disgusting one at that. That man...was his name Jackson or Johnson? Sienna did not bother to remember her clients' names after they left cause she catered to many more customers compared to the other girls who did the regular shifts.

What a shitty life, she thought in daze.

Yeah, compared to the other children, her life was shit, but not as shitty as those of the child prostitutes. Unlike those prostitutes who sold their bodies, be it female or male, she sold fantasies. And she was supposed to create them to make her rich clients happy.

But what's the use now? In the end, they were all whores anyway.

Sienna's head throbbed as she tried to sit up. She then realised that she was tied up and began to struggle with it as she began to survey her surroundings. This was not the strip club where she belonged to. She could hear the noises outside her cage. The noises belonged to bidders trying to bid for kids they favoured as toys.

Damn it. Oh damn it. So she was in the middle of an auction. The strip club owner Luigi must be selling her off at a high price.

"It's no use. You cannot escape once you are here."

Sienna turned her head to the voice. "Have you tried it before?" She asked, her head hung low, touching her bare chest.

"Countless time." He said with deep melancholy.

"Can...you...at least tell me where is this place?" She sniffed, tears forming in her eyes as her long blond hair covered her face. She could feel the pitiful gaze of the boy on her which caused her to feel a bit shameful due to the fact that they were both naked.

After what seemed to be an eternity, the boy finally said, "Club Cod. A child sex- trafficking establishment."

The words were like the sharp edges of a blade. So she was a child prostitutes now? How laughable. How could life be shittier? God who was fair towards all? What bullshit! What exactly did she do to deserve a life like this?

" Hey. What's your name?"

The boy paused, looking back at her. " Why do you ask?"

" I feel that you will survive long." Sienna answered, as if all the melancholy in her was gone, and instead, a flicker of light was ignited in her. " So?

" Aslan. I was called Ash back at home." Ash introduced himself with a hint of sadness in him. His gaze meeting the girl beside him, hinting her to say her name. It felt so weird. Introducing each other in this situation when they would likely not meet each other again.

"Sienna..." She said, barely a whisper. " Nice meeting you, Ash. Despite our circumstances, I am happy to meet you at least..."

Suddenly, the cloth that covered the cage was lifted off and light began to engulfed the cage as Sienna winced at the sensation. There were adults, mostly men, who were ogling at the both of them like they were animals.

" And now, we have our main course!" The voice of the emcee boomed across the microphone, trying to sound excited. " This two beautiful children with blond hair, ages eleven come as a package. Pure whites and are as fresh as raw meat. Bidding starts from 2-hundred thousand dollars!" Both Sienna and Ash cringed at their description as they surrendered to their fates. Sienna's eyes landed on Ash, thinking about how pretty he was with his platinum blond hair and jade green eyes which somehow calmed her down amidst the horrendous situation they were both in.

"Six-hundred thousand!"

" Six-hundred and five-hundred thousand!"

" One million."

Hearing the bid, silence enveloped the room as all the audience gasped. One million for two kids that will die in a few years? Who is crazy enough to do that?

Both Sienna and Ash looked up, only to see a bald elderly man with grey eyebrows and and a thin trimmed white moustache. Seeing that the two children were looking at him, the man grinned, his smile wicked and dangerous, like a predator stalking it.

That smile would forever etched in Sienna's mind.

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And now eight years later...

Wind shuffled trash into corner, creating a loud 'thud' as they landed on the ground, attracting the mice while the odour filled the air, overwhelming Sienna who covered her nose in disgust.

" You should really get used to it, Sienna. No princess privileges here." The sound of splashed water could then be heard and there came a guy with platinum blond hair, his hood barely covering his handsome features. Sienna only huffed at her best friend's arrival, " stop being such a show- off, Ash. The noises can attract others you know that!"

Ash shrugged in response. " Who cares. This is my territory so I will..." Before he could finish, he was interrupted by Sienna's hand covering his mouth. "Shush! Hear that." She whispered, gesturing behind with her fingers. Her scent, which resembled vanilla, wafted through Ash's nostril, causing the blonde boy to turn his head aside as the tips of his ears turned red.

Multiple gunshots could then be heard. Two approximately. A dark figure could then be seen lurking towards them.

Sienna put her right hand into her pocket, making sure that her fingers were touching the handle of her revolver. Noticing this, Ash squeezed her arm, gesturing that the figure was not a threat. Trusting Ash, Sienna let go of the handle as she walked towards the figure behind along with Ash who was in front of her.

Groans could be heard as the two blondes moved nearer. It was a man, about in his forties and was collapsing on the ground.

He is not in Ash's gang but I never seen him with Dino or Arthur either,  so who is he? Sienna wondered, thoughts racing as she bent down to examine the stranger further.

"Help me." He whimpered, flumping to the ground. Two gunshot wounds clearly visible on his chest. Noticing this, Ash crouched down and he too, began to check on the man.

"Are you...No, you are definitely not alright." Ash said, frowning due to the large quantities of blood that the man had lost due to the wounds. Suddenly, the man passed Ash a bottle and gripped his shoulder, " 42 Westwood, L...Lost Angeles..."

The words he said next, shocked them both.

"B...Banana...fish."

He died right after saying that.