His eyes followed me with every move I made. Those black-as-pitch eyes that seemed to have no soul. I'd seen the man before, a distant memory.

The pulsing rythem of the music swayed my body into movement as piece by piece my clothing was taken from me. I didn't try to hide the pain, or the shame. No, rather I embraced it. It reminded me that not everything in life was free, and everything had to be gained through hard work.

I slid around the pole, grazing the side of my shoe across the side of one of the man's faces and winked down at him as he smiled. Within seconds, his hand was around my ankle, tugging me close to him. I smiled, winked, and wagged my finger at him. Then I moved to my left and gave my attentions to another man. All the while feeling a gaze on my back.

When finally my shift was over three hours later, I had $520 in cash from my panties alone, not considering the hundred or so in the heel of my shoes and even the fifty or so in my bra.

I sighed to myself as I moved from the stage, pulling on my jacket as I went. I was nearly to the door when a tall blonde man I had not noticed before sidles up behind me and taps my shoulder. One, two, three. Sharp little pats on my shoulder.

I turned around, prepared to fight if I must but the man just smiles at me, offers me a cigarrette, smiles again when I decline.

"I am Gilgamesh," he says, his right hand extended, pale and thin almost grey. I notice his lips, black, as black as his eyes.

"Terry," I said. That's what they call me here. Short for Terrence, my alias. I needed a name to call myself so no one would recognize me. Daughter of a debutante, reduced to stripping her clothes for a living. That's also why I dyed my hair, and covered my birthmark. No one could know it was me. "Can I help you?"

"My boss wishes for you to grace his birthday party with your presense. He is willing to pay you a large sum of money."

I shook my head.

"My shift is over and we aren't allowed to do things like that."

"How does $1000 an hour sound?" he asked hopefully. I paused. I'd been short on cash lately and I needed it so I could go to school. I didn't want to bare myself for ever. I thought over the possibilities. The gig would last no more than three hours, I was sure and that was $3000, it was a win-win situation.

I nodded my head and the man, Gilgamesh, took my hand and lead me to a destiny I never knew I had.