101

Moments later, pain shot through Zee’s wakening brain as she came through to consciousness. She managed to open her eyes and look around.

She was alone inside Pat’s room, gagged and bound to a chair. She groaned in her futile struggle to be free from her bonds.

The door opened as Pat entered the room, gun still in hand but Zee continued struggling and grunting with her futile efforts.

“Are you trying to run away?” Pat asked, her voice taunting and Zee stopped struggling. “First, you were running away from your true identity because your parents were not giving you much attention. That’s how you became gothic. Don’t worry, I still remember all your little yaps about yourself. Next, you’re running away from your husband. And now, you’re trying to run away from me. If I let you go, who knows what else you might start running away from?” Pat laughed, the sound eerie to Zee’s ears. Then she drew closer to Zee and removed the gag.

“What do you want?” Zee de