They pulled her up, not rough but not gentle either. Up,there were narrow metal stairs to the deck.
Fresh air, a starry night and the ocean in every direction.
Another ship sat alongside, much bigger and rustier. Men were laying planks between the two vessels.
"Walk," one of the men said.
The planks bent under her weight. Below, black water churned between the ships. One slip...
Hands grabbed her on the other side, pulling her aboard. The deck was crowded with cargo containers. More men, all watching her with professional interest.
Money changed hands. American dollars, she could see.
Down were more stairs. These corridors were narrower, dimmer. Through one door she glimpsed faces - women, girls, too many in too small a space.
Her new cell had two cots. On one sat a young woman, maybe twenty-five, with dark hair and tired eyes.
"You're new," the woman said after the door locked.
"Yes."
"First time?"
Lior nodded.
"I'm Sofia. You?"
"Lior."
