The End of Her World

Chapter Three

Katrina howled in pain and terror. Sarah cried in hurt beside her, making terrible, guttural animal noises. Katrina reached out toward Sarah, ignoring the throbbing pain in every inch of her body. Abruptly, two hands seized her. Katrina screamed out in pain. She turned toward the person. To her surprise, the person was completely gray. He leaned down (she was sure that it was a he) and murmured, "It's alright child. You'll be okay."

"Who are you?" she whimpered. "Where are you taking me?"

"To a place where you'll be safe," his voice was slow, deep and strangely melodic, like a rock fall.

"Take me back to my little sister!" roared Katrina, but her words broke off in a choked scream as shriveled bits of skin withered away from her skin, revealing angry red flesh, revealing charred bone. The gray man gripped her tighter and pain blazed through her body, green spots swam across her vision and Katrina blacked out.

When Katrina was ten, her father had lost his job in the Pentagon, because his superiors thought him too big of a competitor as if his former spree in the Marines would endanger their positions. Furious with the US Government, Katrina, who had spent most of her life watching what her father did, most of which included computers, hacked into the Pentagon's main database and adjusted the records to get her father back in his position. Her stunt generated worldwide attention and a little talk with the president of the US, Alma Douglas.

"So, Katrina," the president said, smoothly. Her face was smooth with makeup, and her hair fell in a gleaming unbroken sheen to her shoulders. Her suit was perfect, save a speck of dust on her lapel. "I want to know exactly how you broke into that database. Don't be worried. I won't be mad at you. I'm the forgiving type." But, inches away from Katrina's face, her eyes were as unforgiving as a rabid dog.

So Katrina wove a tapestry of lies, so rich and full of detail, Douglas couldn't help but believe the mendacities that sounded so reasonable coming out of the little girl's mouth. But the lies didn't last, when Douglas found out, she was furious. But her anger was deceptive, and well hidden, only visible in the shades of intimidation. Such as the letter that was sent to her days later. A letter laced with ricin.

Softness. Warmth. Those were the things Katrina felt when she awoke. She felt the airy softness wrapped around her, and her skin stung like fire. But she felt good. Better than she had ever felt before. Her compact muscles were strong and ready to go and her mind felt as sharp and clear as a crystal ball. Sarah! She tried to scream, but it stuck in her throat and choked her. Sarah was gone. Katrina needed to get out to get Sarah.

Katrina analyzed the situation carefully. She had been crippled and then been healed here. Could her taker be bent on killing her? Abusing her? Using her? Or, or, or... the options were endless. But the only logical conclusion that came to Katrina was that the man needed her.

Her arm throbbed and she looked over to it. A tube filled with yellow liquid snaked around her chest and slipped into her arm. The drug was unfamiliar and that scared Katrina. She knew all drugs from reading medical textbooks when she was three. She reached over and with single deft movement, yanked it out, heedless of the spark of that had flared up in her elbow. Katrina sat up, wincing as her head throbbed tediously. She cast an inquiring gaze over the room. It was a soft off white, with huge bay windows on the left side. Multiple machines hummed like machines near her right arm.