The Lost Girls

Prologue

The gag in my mouth muffled my screams, but it couldn't stop the tears from streaming down my face.

It had taken several moments for my eyes to adjust to the darkness, and it was in those moments that my fear had been manageable. I'd taken that time to take stock of where I was, and what had happened. The floorboards against my cheek were rough and worn, and I could hear a faint draft rushing through the walls like restless ghosts, so I must be in an older home. As much as I strained my ears, I couldn't hear anything outside - no cars, no evening buzz as people lived their lives.

So I was in an older home, away from anyone who could help me.

It's okay, I'd told myself bravely. You can get out of this.

That was all before my eyes adjusted, and I could see the pictures taped to the walls, and terror and anguish surged like poison through my veins.

It was like a rabid animal had replaced the quiet, prone girl tied up on the floor. My legs kicked and thrashed on the floor, and my fingers strained and reached around the zip ties on my wrists. Muffled, horrified screams fought past the dirty fabric in my mouth and filled the musty air of the dark room. My fear had been manageable all up until the moment that I saw her face, and many others, covering every inch of the walls.

I sobbed and screamed, but the house stayed silent. Coherent, brave thoughts had stopped moving through my mind - instead, her face was branded and seared to the insides of my brain, and I knew I would never, ever be able to get over this moment if I miraculously got out of this alive.

It was so awfully, brutally clear that Ruby might have died here.

And I could possibly be next.