made a lot more sense now. They had made a deal with those criminals and used me as a currency to repay their debt.
I sobbed for what felt like hours on end, until I had no more tears left. Then I forced myself to calm down and think with a clear mind. Crying wasn't going to fix anything. If there was a way out of here, I had to find it. I had to return to May. I knew she was lost and frightened without me. I had to stay strong and do whatever it took to survive this...for her sake.
CHAPTER TEN
The Past (5 years prior)
I didn't know how much time had passed, but it felt as if we sat in the solitude of that cramped space for hours. A muffled beeping echoed throughout the room. The door slid open, and the giant stormed inside with two other men. Traces of mind numbing fear crossed every single face around me. Something bad was about to happen. The giant's gaze circled the space with a flicker of excitement. He began pointing at different girls. If a certain girl got chosen, she just stood and ambled behind him without a word or single act of protest. The incredulous scene in front of my eyes resembled a horror movie. I still couldn't make myself understand this was real.
Any moment now I would wake up from this nightmare, and be safe and sound in my bed. May would have an expression of worry on her sweet, little face, and ask if I was okay. I closed my eyes, telling myself it was just a bad dream and I had to wake up. But when my eyelids opened again, I wasn't at home with May. Instead, I met the hard, cruel gaze of the man who pointed his finger at me and waited for me to obey. I glanced toward the girl who sat opposite from me, and her eyes filled with an expression of warning, as though she silently begged me not to make him angry.
Swallowing my fear, I got up on shaky legs and strode to the rest of the girls that were chosen. Nobody else got picked. I was the last one. The giant left the room, and those two men with him ushered us out the door. From the corner of my eye, I noticed both of them had guns around their waist, and it was enough to make me reject any thought of escape. I couldn't get to my little sister if I was dead. We were shown into a dark hallway, and then into another room that was very close to ours. My eyes widened at the wardrobe filled with the same style of clothing the girls around me wore. Behind the hangers sat two vanities with large mirrors. Two women, casually dressed, stood waiting next to the chairs in front of the vanities.
“You have half an hour to get ready,” one of the men bit out. “An important client is waiting and we can't afford to be late.”
I hugged myself, chewing my bottom lip as realization dawned; the two women were there to help us get dressed. One of them approached me and placed her hand on the small of my back, guiding me to a secluded space behind the aisles of hanging clothes and out of view from the men. She sorted through the tacky garments, ignoring my presence, but I had to at least try to seek help.
I leaned closer and lowered my voice. “My name is Olivia Walters—”
“No.” The woman's eyes filled with terror, and she glanced toward the end of the aisle. “No talking.”
“Please—” I begged, but she cut me off and spoke in some rapid foreign language. Her hectic eyes filled with tears, urging me to cooperate.
The woman spoke very little English, and couldn't have helped me because she was imprisoned by these monsters, just as I had been. She handed me the clothes, and stared with naked expectation. When I failed to move, she formed the shape of a gun with her hand and pressed her fingers against her forehead.
“You no listen,” she cautioned with that distinctive accent. “Boom. Dead.”
Once again, I was reminded of how serious and hopeless this situation was. Escaping would be much more difficult than I could have ever imagined; perhaps even impossible. There was no other choice but to go along with it. I was smart enough to know I couldn't match one fraction of physical strength