Chapter 4: KELLY

My mind flashed to a story I'd read years ago when I was too young to understand the severity of the situation. It was the story of a young girl, one much younger than I am now.

A girl who'd been taken from her bed in the middle of the night. A family torn apart, a city on edge as the nation watched. That girl had found her way back home. I too can do the same.

The thought gave me solace and I held onto it for as long as I could, keeping the fear at bay. I'll bide my time until I get the lay of the land so to speak, and then I'd go from there.

I won't fight them until I was sure I'm in a position to win. Any opportunity that arises I'll take it, no matter what I have to do to escape this horror.

That's a girl Kelly, keep thinking ahead don't look back. I felt my inner strength build and left the defeatist attitude in the dust. My daddy has been preparing me for this day ever since I got a firm grasp on the English language. Both mentally and physically.

I can hold my own in a fight, fair or otherwise. Right now I couldn't use my physical strength since the enemy was not in sight, so I'd have to rely on my brain.

With that thought in mind I tried to sort out the situation. They'll have to untie me at some point, unless they planned to kill me right away. My pulse raced with that new horror until common sense prevailed and I convinced myself that had that been their intent, I would be long dead.

No, this was something else and I didn't need too many guesses to figure out what that something was. The news have been full of trafficking stories in the last few months. I never imagined I had to look out for anything like that because of my lifestyle. And for all I know I could be way off the mark.

Bottom line, it doesn't matter what awaits me at the end of this ride. I'm in a fight for my life. It's me against them, and who the fuck, is them? Oh that anger was boiling away now and I was ready to throw these hands, but the fuckers were out of reach.

I decided it was best to preserve my mental energy and get some rest for as long as I could so that I could spring into action when the chance arose. I settled back against the side of the container and closed my eyes.

Instead of my horrible circumstances I let myself imagine a time after this, when this was all over and done. First thing I'm gonna do is live.

I'm going to find me a guy just like my daddy. Strong, kind ad honorable. We'll settle down in a small town like the one I grew up in and have a million babies. He's going to love me the way my daddy loves my mom and our little girls are going to be his joy.

The little daydream gave me hope. The only problem was I had yet to meet anyone that came even close to living up to that image. But for now it was enough that I hold onto the hope that it might still be possible.

My heart was no longer beating in my ears and maybe that's why I finally I heard it. I held still and stopped breathing again trying to hear it, to make sure it wasn't just my imagination.

The sound was faint but I thought I heard something other than the rushing of the wheels beneath me. It took me a moment to realize there was someone else here with me.

At first I thought it might be one of my captors left here to keep watch over me, but as I strained to listen, it sounded more like weeping.

"Who's there?" Why am I whispering? They must know no one can hear me since they removed my gag. The body on the opposite side moved as if to get away from me.

I tried to see in the dark interior, but my eyes refused to adjust. I started to shake, I don't know why. Maybe because the presence of another human being brought it all home.

The sound was coming not too far from my left, soft pain filled moans. I'm guessing they'd been drugged same as I and was now waking up. I turned in the direction of the noise and strained to hear more.

The person had stopped at the sound of my voice and I imagined someone biting into their lip to stifle the sound of their tears. Heartbreaking.

"Hey, are you awake?" I kept my voice nice and calm even though inside I was screaming. My only answer was another moan and then as if the floodgates had opened up, I heard more movement coming from my other side and all around me. There were more than two of us in here.

Shit! Please don't let that be Ally or any of my other friends. The thought of my girly friends being caught up in this sent new fear racing through my heart.

I knew that even if it wasn't, I wouldn't be able to leave whoever was in here with me behind to face a fate I didn't want for myself. That was something else daddy had taught me. Never leave a man behind. Crap!