Excerpt
Door hinges squeaked as though in need of oil and broke the suffocating silence.

Footsteps. Gardenias. Stale tobacco smell.

My heart pounded so hard I felt like it wanted jump right out of my chest. A tall woman walked to the foot of the bed and stood there holding a tray. In one graceful move, she turned and placed it on the dresser, shrugged and came back to the bed. She bent toward me, blonde hair spilling over her shoulders like a glistening shawl. “Well, Laurie, I see you’re finally awake.”

"Sherry?"

Waves of relief cut through my fear until those familiar strange gold flecks in her hazel eyes flashed like caution lights. Full lips, painted brilliant scarlet, drew into a sneer. My jumbled mind shrieked that something was horribly wrong.

“Aw, look at that. The little ballerina is frightened.” She shook her head. “You know, you’re really a trusting idiot.”
She reached out and stroked my hair, her long fingers catching in the mass of tangled black waves. It was her cruel smile that scared me most. She held my chin in a vise-like grip and fixed me with a gaze as cold as ice.

“You know, you’re not only trusting, you’re awfully naïve for someone seventeen years old.” The sound of her high-pitched laugh raised the hair on my arms.

“You know how you said the Coke tasted funny at lunch yesterday? Well, that was because I slipped something into it to knock you out. Honey, you lost your cherry last night.”

Cherry? What was she was talking about?
She tightened her grip and her fingers dug deeper into my shoulders “Stop that damn crying. You’d better do exactly as I say or―”

Sherry had always been sweet and caring which was why I adored her. I didn’t recognize this terrifying stranger hovering over me.

“Damn you, quit wiggling! Just calm down! Her fingers traced a line along my cheek, and stopped at the fabric jammed into my mouth. “I brought you some toast and juice. Here, let me take that thing out of your mouth for awhile.” She untied the knot and the gag fell away. My mouth was so dry it felt like it was full of cotton balls.

“Sherry,” I pleaded. My voice sounded dry and raspy. “Get me out of here. I want to go home.”

Silence.

I became aware of a pain between my legs. It was only a dull ache at first, but one that increased as I became more alert until, finally, it hurt more than the time I fell on the edge of a wooden milk crate in kindergarten. Mama had taken me to the doctor back then and he told her my vagina was bruised. I remembered giggling through the pain because that word sounded funny.
Without warning, the tears welled in my eyes rolled down my cheeks and left damp tracks in their wake.

I couldn’t understand why my mind was so fuzzy.

“Sherry?”

She fixed me with a malicious stare. Not a word. The aura in this strange room chilled me more than a winter wind blowing off Lake Michigan.

“Sh-Sherry, you’re frightening me.”

She moved her face very close to mine. Hot puffs of breath peppered my cheek. “You’re a real pain in the ass, Pavlova. Quit bawling and drink this damn juice. Know why you’re here? Because Tommy Boy and I kidnapped you, that’s why.”