Zaina lived in a room above the drinking room of the meltery, but the only way to get there was around the back of the building through an alley that ran between the building and the eatery next door. The whole area was a seedy place—there were hookers outside the main doors to the meltery at night—but when she arrived here, she had no money, and the place had grown on her. Besides, the kitchen was good.
At this time of the day, the brothel was starting to get busy. Two fresh and perky hookers stood on either side of the meltery’s entrance, twirling their butts and bosoms at any passing male. One of the women eyed Zaina while she said her goodbyes to her friends in the street. Eshtar and Marek both lived in different establishments.
Zaina’d had an unfortunate encounter with that particul
