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Then a thought hitfrom my eyes with a sudden force that almost took me to my knees

I’d officially sold myself, and the price was far more than any dollar amount

Doe

Boom Boom Boom Ba-boom

It was hard to tell where the bass ended and an

I wiped my palms on the tattered skirt I’d lifted froh a sea of bodies rhythainst one another A thick layer of sly robotic party goers danced and gyrated under the flickering lights on every available inch of floor space

In the dark, with only the pulsing of the lights to guide me, I made my way up the stairs, and as Bear instructed, to the door at the very end of the hallway

The door to my salvation

The door to my hell

I turned the handle, and the hinges shrieked The only light in the room was courtesy of the dim and muted TV on the far wall The heavy scent of pot wafted from the room

“Hello?” I squeaked into the darkness, trying as hard as I could tomiserably

A voice, deep and rough, broke through the silence, his words vibrating through todoor”

Snaking its way into every crevice ofenvelopedthe hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end I’d expected to feel hesitant, nervous, and even anxious

But what I felt was far more than that

It was fear

Heart racing Pulse pounding Red alert Fear