STOP PRETENDING

Prologue

Oh God...
She fought the sudden wave of nausea that had suddenly began to contract her body into a fetal position.
Could it be all that wine she drank that after nearly giving up her promise she made to Siobhan that she'll message her if she heard any suspicion about Harry? And if it is, then this is the worst hangover ever. Wait... I haven't had a drink in years. Not since fifteen years ago.
That's so lame.
But... Wait. No. It can't be. A silver of clarity returning, she shook her head, swallowing a moan when the room around her tilted.
The flu. Dammit! She'd had the damn flu shot. She lifted her hands to rub her eyes, but—
Tied. Realization rushed in. She gave her arms a panicked jerk, shooting pain up through her shoulders. Her hands were tied. Behind her back.
The room wasn't dark. I'm blindfolded. She lurched to one side, hearing the clank of chain before her movement was abruptly checked.
Terror seized through her, quickly filling her mind.
Tied. Chained. Blindfolded.
A scream rose in her throat, but came out as a muffled croak. Her throat was dry as a rock, the side of her lip cracked.
Not a hangover. Drugged. I was drugged.
How? When? Where? Who would have? Who could have? What had they done to her? She drew a breath trying to calm herself, breathing steadily and deeply.
Think. Think hard!
The musty odor of the room burned her nose. Ugh! It smelt like a wet dog. The smell had sent her head spinning again. She clenched her teeth. Rode the nausea through. She listened, but there was nothing. Only the sound of her breathing and her heart thumping loudly. Nothing. No music. Nor any wind or voices. It was just her.
Okay, okay. This sucks. This really sucks. Calm down. Think.
She forced her arms to relax.. She moved her fingers, her toes. Straightened her spine, careful not to make any more sudden movements.
She was on a bed. A thin mattress. With a sheet. And a pillow. Slowly, she rubbed her cheek over the pillow. Rough. The room felt musty, but the pillow felt clean.
Suddenly a heavy door opened, letting the cold draft wafting through the whole room. And the smell of lemons. And the beginning of a shill scream, muffled by the quick closing of a door.
Who was screaming? Who was here? Another scream sounded.
Wait. I recognized the scream.
Oh God... It couldn't be.
Siobhan. She's screaming. Somebody has her and they're hurting her. They'll hurt me next.
Wait, someone else was with her. Who could it be, for heavens sake?
"Good, you're awake." It was a mans voice. Not a little boy or girl. An adult. "I've been worried about you." He said sarcastically.
She could hear the mans heavy feet drifting across the floor as if he was coming towards me. Count his steps. One, two... Four...five,..eight, nine, ten.
Ten steps from the door.
"Who are you?" I said. "Why —?" The mattress shifted slightly. Only just a little. Cool hand cupped against my face. I moved away from him - whoever he was.
"You had a fever." The man said. "It's better now. Are you thirsty?"
"Since when did you care? Let me go! Get this freakin' blindfold off me!" My voice rose. "LET ME GO!"
"I cannot let you. I don't want you to escape and tell the police." He went on, in a calm voice.
"Why not?"
Somehow she can sense this man smirking at her.
The man cleared his throat. "I'm allowed to take care of you." He said, ignoring her question. Panic won her over so she lunged forward and began rattling the chains.
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?"
The mattress abruptly shifted as the man got off the bed.
"Nobody. All will be revealed soon."
"WHAT?"
Another faint scream that came from upstairs. It was Siobhan again.
"What are you going to do with Siobhan? Please don't hurt her!" But the mans footsteps wafted away - already heading to the door.
"Wait! Please! Please don't go. Where am I?" A slight hesitation. Then the man cleared his throat.
"Home."
"No. This is not my home." I said quickly. "Home is where my friends are."
"Friends?" He paused. Then chuckled. "Ah! You mean the lovely Siobhan? What a gem she is." The way the man said that made me feel sick.
A sob rose in my throat.
"Your stupid friend didn't do what I told her. And her brother. Now she's going to pay the price."
"No... NO!"
The man ignored her and the door closed heavily.
"Hello? HELLO?" Nothing.
What was going to help next?
She was left alone. In the darkness, hearing the painful screams from Siobhan.
Blindfolded. Scared. Alone.