“What does it matter?” Fan asked, giving a hard little smile. “You worry about yourself. You’re in a spot.”
“Where am I? What does all this mean?”
Fan came over to the bed and sat down. “I’ve got to talk to you,” she said. “Don’t think I want to, but when I’m told to do anythin’ in this joint it’s easier to do it than to kick. The old cow downstairs has sent me up to scare you. Well, I ain’t goin’ to. I’m goin’ to tell you what’ll be good for you, and what you ought to do.”
Sadie said, “But tell me where I am.”
“Can’t you guess?” Fan said bitterly. “Take a look at me? What do you think I ama nun?”
Sadie felt herself go suddenly very cold. She flinched away from Fan.
“Skip it, sister,” Fan said roughly. “You don’t have to take it that way. You’re in the same boat as me. I don’t know why they’ve picked on you, but they’re goin’ to put you through it. If you take my advice you’ll do as you’re told and get off lightly.”
Sadie looked at her in horror.
“There’s a nigger who runs this house. She’s tough. Make no mistake about it. She’s had dozens of girls like you through her hands. Some of them stuck it for a hell of a long time. They wouldn’t do what she wanted.
But they did in the end. You’ll do it too. Maybe you don’t think you will, but you will.”