Prologue
Life for teenagers is filled with drama, love, and daily stress from school and family. Most of the time they don't think, they don't care about anything else except themselves. In their eyes life is easy and simple but in reality it's complicated, feared, and sometimes unexpected. Nobody thinks about the crimes and impending dangers that go on around them. For some lucky kids nothing ever changes. They go on with on with their lives and the danger looks on by. But unlike my two friends and I we weren't that lucky.

Chapter One


I didn't know what to do. We have been here for days but I don't know how many exactly. From what I have guessed maybe a little over a week. Gabriella, Katie and I trusted the guys that picked us up that night. We shouldn't have ever gone with them. From that one mistake we are now held captive. At first I thought they were going to kill us but no... Sometimes I wish they did. They feed us regularly to keep us healthy for the customers or for themselves. Depends on how they feel that day.


We were in some sort of basement. It was cold and dark and uncomfortable down here. We each had our own type cage. It was shaped more like a jail cell than anything else. Katie was in cell directly across from me and Gabriella was in the cell next to her. Each cell had basic furniture. We each had a mattress on the floor with a blanket and pillow. If we needed to go to the bathroom we had to ask them.


I got up and stretched my legs out then walked to the front of my cage. "Hey are you guys awake? It's almost time." I looked over at the glowing clock near the door to the basement. We had about five minutes till one of the guys came down with a customer. They didn't like it if we were asleep. Each of us had done the mistake of not being awake and ready on time.


Gabriella was the first to get up then Katie got up right after she heard footsteps coming down the hall. The door opened and John, Eric, and Nathan appeared at the door. John turned and flipped on the light to the basement. The room was illuminated by a dim light bulb that hung in the middle of the room. Nathan walked down the wooden stairs and to my cell.


"Well hello my dear Aphrodite. How did you sleep? Hope you slept well we are going to be awfully busy today. Wouldn't you say so Eric?" He smiled and took keys out of his back pocket and unlocked my cage. Then handed the keys to Eric then John. I knew better than to try to run. I tried before and I didn't get any further than the top of the stairs before John tackled me and threw me to the bottom of the staircase.


"Well Nathan I think we all are going be busy with these three. We need to teach them a lesson on a thing or two."


"Now now Eric. We need to behave ourselves. We don't need to damage the merchandise." John laughed and opened up the door to Gabriella's cage. He closed the door behind him and took off his shirt. He was well muscled and well over six feet tall. Meanwhile Eric opened the cage to Katie's cell and did the same.


Nathan just stood there looking me over. I just stood there looking at him. Waiting for me to do as he told me. He smiled at me and said "Cheer up it wont be that bad. You should enjoy it shouldn't you? I mean... I know I do." He winked at me and smiled.


He slowly walked over to me and grabbed my arm and threw me on the mattress. He was being careful as to not hurt me but was rough just the same. He unbuckled his pants and told me to lie down. I did as he told me to just like a mindless zombie. Then he got on top and so I took myself to a special place. Somewhere far away from where I was at and to what was happening, not to me but to my body. I took myself to that first night. The night that I made the worst mistake that I have ever made in my whole life...

*Days earlier*


"Hey Aphrodite you ready?! We need to hurry if we are going to get to the party on time!" I heard Gabriella yelling from my guest bathroom across the hall. Her and Katie would be staying the night since it was a friday night and we would be going to only the hottest party.


I looked in the full length mirror. I was wearing a black tank top and a red mini skirt with black four inch heels. I gave a final glance at the mirror and turned to walk into the guest bedroom where Gabriella and Katie were. Katie was wearing a tight black tank top with a black mini skirt that had chains on them. Her heels were black six inch heels with spikes on the toes. Gabriella was wearing a black tank top with a sparkly silver mini skirt and sparkly silver four inch heels.


"We won't be late we will be fashionably late. There is a big difference. Besides we will be the best looking there. What have we got to lose that we haven't lost already?" I smiled and laughed along with Katie and Gabriella.


Thirty minutes later we all in my moms Mercedes on the way to the party. We weren't that far from the party maybe a ten minute drive and that includes the traffic. When we turned the corner you could feel the vibrations of the music in your chest and could see a line of low lives at the entrance of the club that wanted desperately to get in.


My mother stopped at the front and said she wouldn't be able to get me after the party and that I would end up having to get myself home. She told me goodbye and to be careful then drove off. My friends and I walked up to the front ignoring the protests and ignoring the occasional "get in the back of the line." The big bouncer guy asked us our names and crossed our names off a list and let us in. We heard loud protests but ignored them knowing we were the favored guests. As soon as we were spotted a crowd of people swarmed us.


Gabriella got pulled off to the dance floor by a strange guy. I could tell he was drunk but she started dancing with him anyways. Katie not really caring went to the bar and got a drink. They didn't bother to check her ID most of the people here knew us well enough and didn't care how old we were as long as we paid. As soon as she sat down a group of guys and a few girls dragged her out to dance. I worked my way through the crowd and went to the bar and got a Vodka straight.


A guy that was sitting alone raised his eyebrows and said, "Heavy drinker I take it? I'm impressed most girls can't hold their liquor, especially Vodka."


I smiled and downed the rest of my drink. I heard a protest and turned toward the stage. Katie stumbled on the stage. She smiled then announced that she would be singing "Were not going to take it" by Kiss. I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to the guy. "Your friend I take it?"


I smiled and said, "Yup, she's a handful."


The guy smiled then stood up and offered me his hand, "Wanna dance?"


I nodded and took his hand and followed him to the dance floor.


We partied all night. Drinking and dancing away our worries. No dangers were around us. Finally as people started to leave and the club started to close. Gabriella and Katie found me and we started walking back to my house.


I checked my phone and realized I didn't have much battery life left. I also read the time as three in the morning. We stubbled down the street to drunk to realize what we were laughing about and to drunk to care. As we rounded the corner to my street, a big Chevy truck pulled up beside us and stopped. It was already dark outside and we couldn't see anything more than a few feet in front of us. As the truck stopped so did we. We were all clueless as to who this could be. The window rolled down and we could see three astonishing cute guys.


"Hey cuties! Wanna roll with us? We were just going to go hang out. We were in the club and we saw you three girls walking by yourselves and figured you might need a ride. We are just going to go get breakfast and we will drop you off. Sound good?" I looked at my two friends and they just shrugged and said sure. They guy in the passenger seat got out and opened up our door for us. We all clambered in the truck. Katie tripped on the foot hold and the guy caught her just in time and lifted her in. I half jumped half-climbed in the truck. Gabriella jumped in with almost no problems and sat beside me smiling triumphant in the fact that she was the only one who could get in without making a fool of herself.


After we all got in the guys started to introduce themselves. The one in the driver seat introduced himself as John, the one in the middle was Eric, and the one on the passenger side was Nathan. We couldn't really make out their features because we were too drunk at the moment. The details on their face were fuzzy and unclear.


"What are you girls doing out at this time of night? Don't your parents want you home?"


"No actually all our parents know we go to this club. And most of our parents are never home. We keep in touch with them but they are always busy. But we don't mind most of the time. We have the money and have the freedom. Why do you wanna know?" Katie said and continued to stare at them until one of them answered her.


John looked at her and smiled. "Well very intriguing question. Well we are spending a little time together so why not get to know each other? So since we are, why not introduce yourselves?"


This time I spoke up, "My names Aphrodite. This is Katie and Gabriella, my two best friends."


"Well very nice to meet you three. So what do you say on some good old fashioned fun and then some breakfast?" The three guys looked at each other and smiled.


Gabriella looked at me with a worried look on her face. I took her hand and smiled. I looked at John then back at my two friends. "We aren't sure if we want to. But what would help is if we knew where we were going just so we know where we are at. But other than that why not."


Eric reached over the seat and grabbed a black case. He fumbled with a latch and pulled several silver things out of the case. He handed one to John and one to Nathan. They all turned the other way so that way we couldn't see what they were doing. Gabriella and Katie looked at me with worried looks. Things were starting to get weird. The fog from the drinks were starting to lift and I could see their features a little better. I took my phone out and snapped a quick picture of them from the back and sent it to my mom and then deleted the message. I popped the back off to the phone and took the battery out and put it under the seat and put the phone in my back pocket. I smiled and motioned for Katie and Gabriella to do the same. After they did it we held hands and prayed nothing bad was going to happen and that we were all just a little drunk and these guys were just nice guys trying to help us out.


After awhile the man who claimed to be John turned on the radio and then turned back to the other two men and started talking to them in hushed tones. Then they turned to us and smiled. "Would you three like IHop? It's on us and it will help with the hangover."


"Um sure. But we want to go home."


"Sure we will take you home as soon as we take you to breakfast. Nothing more nothing less." He started the truck up and headed for Main Street. We drove for awhile and five minutes later Gabriella and Katie had fallen asleep. I tried keeping my eyes open but I couldn't. Finally sleep over took me and I was out. But before I passed out I felt a sharp sting and then everything went black...

*Hours Later*


I woke up cold and uncomfortable and stood up then stretched out my muscles and paused then looked at my surroundings and realized I wasn't home and certainly wasn't at Ihop. Where was Gabriella and Katie. I couldn't see anything and it smelled like rotten food down here. I waited in silence until a little bit of my night vision came to me. I could make out bars kind of like a cage then I could see two small forms laying on the floor still asleep.


I tried my best to analyze the room. I could tell the room wasn't that big. It was just large enough to put four big cages in it. The fourth cage next to me was empty but looked like it had been used recently. The floor was concrete along with the walls and celling. Maybe it was sound proof? I didn't know and didn't care. I just wanted to go home. To get away from this place and these strange men.


Footsteps were coming from behind the door and suddenly my heart was in my throat beating wildly out of control. I went over to my mattress and made myself as small as possible. Then the door opened and the man who claimed to be Nathan came out. The hallway light shined into the room. Creating a strip of light in the room. Nathan turned and flipped on the light.


"Wake up! It's time to work!" Nathan shouted making Katie and Gabriella jump.


"If I may ask...." I gulped trying to slow my fear. I thought he was nice. I mean he was when I met him. But now this man scared me. He walked down slowly eye balling me the whole way.


"Ask what?! Why are you here? Why you? What are we going to do to you? Well let me show you. Maybe then you'll understand. But I have to be fast our clients are going to be here soon and I don't want you a dirty mess. Now lay down on your back and be a good girl. I'm sure you have done this a time or two. Now do as I say." I looked at him not quite understanding what he meant.


Realization finally hit me. I had to leave and get away from these people. He walked in front of my cell and opened it getting himself ready. He stepped in front of me and just waited until I understood. I pushed him as hard I could and ran to the stairs as fast as I could. As soon as I reached the door handle I felt a hand grab my shirt yank me back and throw me to the bottom of the staircase. I fell hard and the breath left me in a sudden rush. The hand grabbed my hair and pulled. I felt pain go through my head as he dragged me by the hair all the way back to my cell. Finally as he stood there staring at me in a rage I had never seen I could make out the details of his face. He had black hair and blue eyes the color of the sky. He was very clean shaven and had a chiseled jaw.



I scrambled to my feet and backed up all the way to the back of the cell and turned my head away from him and dropped to my knees. I gave up and just fell back on the ground. I couldn't move couldn't speak. He took off my shirt and examined me and pulled off my panties. He pushed my legs apart. I couldn't do anything and couldn't move as he held me down. I started crying and i just continued crying even after he left to go get cleaned up. After a few minutes I got up and picked up my panties and brushed them off then put them back on. I glanced over at the cages and Katie and Gabriella were staring blankly at me. Then they started crying.


"So this is what they want from us? I thought they were going to take us home. Take us to breakfast. They were so nice.." Gabriella stopped mid sentence and cried harder. Katie reached her hand through the bars and touched Gabrielle's shoulder. A shudder run through Gabrielle's body.


The door opened again and Eric appeared at the doorway. "You three need to get cleaned up and into new and better clothing. Our clients will be here soon to inspect you three and they want to see which one they would like best. The better you three look the more money we get." Nathan and John appeared behind him and they walked down the stairs together. Eric unlocked each of our cells. But none of us moved. We looked like statues just standing there. Nathan appeared at my cell and motioned for me to come to him. I followed him up the stairs and down the hallway.


The hallway led to another door that opened into a big and spacious bathroom. It almost reminded me of my bathroom. Would I ever see it again? Would I ever see my parents again? I didn't know anymore.


"Undress and get in the shower. Get cleaned up and shave! I'll be in front of the door waiting for you to get done. You have thirty minutes. There is an outfit ready for you." He pointed to a blue satin dress. I walked over to it and picked it up. It had a slit going halfway up the dress. I put it back down, looked at him and nodded. He stood there a second looking at me then he nodded at me and left the room and closed the door.


I got into the claw-foot tub and did everything he said to. Making sure I did it well. Thirty minutes later I was out and dressed. I heard a knock at the door then a "It's time our guests will be here any minute." I walked to the door and opened it. Nathan stood in front of the door. "You need to do your hair"


"I didn't see a hairbrush." I looked at him openly surprised he thought I could do my hair with nothing available.


"Fine princess. Here but make it fast and make it looking good." He walked to the draw under the sink and handed it to me motioning me to start on it. I walked to the mirror that was above the marble bowl sink. I stared at myself in the mirror. I looked lifeless and empty. I decided to pull my white blond hair into a braided bun. Five minutes later I had my hair up and make up on.


"Follow me.... Please" He walked out the door and back down the hallway. Instead of going back to the basement we went down another hallways that I didn't see before that led to two big wooden doors. Nathan pushed the doors open and it led to a balcony that overlooked a big foyer. Katie and Gabriella were already showered and dressed standing at the bottom of the stairs looking at me.


Nathan grabbed my arm and roughly tugged me down the stairs. "Go stand with them and don't move and whatever you do, do not speak!" Nathan looked at all of us carefully. I could tell he was trying to tell me something with his eyes but I couldn't tell what it was. I nodded and followed Katie's and Gabriella's lead. I tried to make myself as small as possible.


There was a knock at the door and I turned to my left and watched as John came from a door at the very end of the room and went to the front doors. "Well open the door and let our kind guest in." He looked at Nathan with piercing eyes.


"Yes sir." Nathan rushed to the door paused for a second to smooth out his new suit then opened the big glass doors. "Welcome Malcolm! How are you this fine evening?" Wait evening? Was it evening already? Had we been here for that long already? Nathan took a step back allowing the guy named Malcolm to come into the house.


"So where are these fine women you keep on talking about John? You keep on saying your women are fine but I have yet to see one worthy of praise."


"They are right here sir! Let me tell you sir. You will be very pleased with these women!" John seemed excited. I wondered why John was acting so weird with this guy.


John turned and walked to where we were standing. He kept glancing behind him to make sure Malcolm was following him. As the two reached us, Katie and Gabriella stood on either side of me and grabbed my hand tight.


"Ah, I see what you meant by fine women. Almost wish I could have all three of them at once!"


"Well that would cost you extra. Besides these are Newbies take it slow on them. Doing all of them at once might be to much."


"Have you not showed them what they are for yet?"


"I haven't but I know Nathan had fun with a certain one about an hour ago" That memory came crashing back. I closed my eyes tight. Trying hard to fight back the emotions that wanted to come the surface.


"Ah so this must have been the lucky one. What did you do dear Nathan, hurt her?"


"I don't think so. Ask her yourself." Nathan was leaning on the the staircase looking at me. He just kept on staring at me and I didn't understand what he was telling me but I knew he was trying to get a message through.


"No I don't want her she looks to wore out. I want something new. Something fresh and innocent." I took my attention off of Nathan and turned it to Malcolm. He looked like he was in his mid forties or early fifties. He had a stubble beard that was starting to gray along with his hair that had been brushed to the side. He wasn't fat but not skinny either. The air about this man started to scare me. He walked with purpose and authority.


Finally I figured out who this man was. I didn't know the name because I didn't pay attention in my government class and didn't watch the news enough to pick up on famous names. This man was the Mayor. The same guy who preached about women's rights and equality. The same guy who got law enforcement stronger. Our town trusted this guy and thought he was the best Mayor this town had ever had.


Malcolm circled Katie first. Looking her up and down measuring her. "Not this one. She doesn't look fresh enough." He walked over to where Gabriella was standing. She gripped my hand tighter. "Ah this one. This is the one I want. She looks innocent. Are you innocent?" He waited for her to answer. "Answer me dear. Are you innocent?" He repeated the question. Only looking at her. The room fell to a dead silence.


Gabriella took a deep breath, "No sir. But i've only done it once with my boyfriend."


He looked at her then said, "I want this one. She's going to be mine for a few hours. Do you have a separate room I can take her to?"


"Yes sir. It's up the stairs and first door on your left." He grabbed Gabriella by the hair and dragged her screaming up the stairs. She held on to the rail and tried getting away from him. She bit, clawed him, and kicked him. He grabbed both her arms and threw her up against the wall. He whispered something in her ear then she went real still. Then he grabbed her arm and continued down the hall out of sight. I heard a door slam then silence.


John pointed at Katie and me, "You two go back to your cells. Food will be brought to you. You will get Lunch and Dinner only. Once a day and no more. If you do a good job and keep the customers coming you will get sweets and a free day. If you don't want it and want to give your reward to your... Friends then that will be fine as well. Nathan will accompany you to your rooms then will bring you your food. Is that fine Nathan?"


"Yes sir."


"Good also Nathan stay with them while they eat. We will be giving them sharp objects and we wont want them to keep those. After they are done take their plates and silverware from them. Then you will be done for the day."


"Yes sir. This way you two." He started up the stairs without looking back to make sure we were following. Maybe he knew we wouldn't run and didn't have the fight anymore.


We got to the basement and Nathan told us to get into our cells. Katie stiffly walked to her cell. She looked like she had just gone to hell and back. Her face was pale white and the life in her eyes was gone.


"Go on Aphrodite. I'll be back with your dinner and a cool drink. Nothing more will happen tonight. I promise." I still couldn't move. No matter how much I willed myself to move my body wouldn't corporate with me. He grabbed my arm and half carried me and half dragged me to my cell. "Do you wanna lay down?" I still couldn't move and even worse I couldn't speak. He picked me up off my feet and laid my down on my back. Being careful to not hurt me anymore than he already did. He shook his head and whispered "I'm so sorry you too. There is nothing I can do to stop what is happening. What I did to you I had to do or they would have killed me and you both. I'm so sorry." He grabbed the blanket and pulled it over my body.


So that is what he had been trying to tell me. What were they holding against him that they were making him rape us. The door opened then closed again then darkness again. I huddled against the wall. It was cold but it didn't matter it was real and it was the closest thing I could get to being safe, was this cage. For now until whatever happened later this was my home and I couldn't ever get away. What had I done to deserve this? I didn't know but all I wanted was to go home to get away from this place and these people that wanted me for my body.


A few minutes later the door opened then light was on. "You girls hungry? I know you must be." Neither of us answered. I hadn't looked to see what Katie was or what she was doing. I hadn't moved either. I was empty and didn't feel like moving or talking. "C'mon you two have to be hungry. Besides if John finds out you two aren't eating and I allowed it he would kill me. Please eat. I know you two don't deserve this but don't kill yourselves. You never know that you might get out of here. Or someone might come save you."


That got my attention. Then I got mad. "You actually think somebody is going to come save us? Yeah right! There is no hope for us. I want out. I want to go home. All you guys want from me is my body for sex!!! And you want me to feel sorry for you? Yeah right! I would rather just die. Get away from this torture!" I started crying. It had only been a little over a day and I already had a mental breakdown.


"Would you calm down! Listen to me for just a second. I know what we are doing to you... What I did to you... Was wrong but I had to do it. The guards and the camera's and voice recorders are off to get reinstalled. So I have the chance to tell you..."


The door opened then John appeared in the doorway. "Well hurry up and give them their food. We have things to do. Let these poor girls rest and get their energy back." John turned and left. Letting the door close again. Nathan opened up the cell and sat my plate down next to me. Then Walked to Katie's cell and handed it to her. He left a plate at the entrance of Gabriella's cell.


"I'll try to tell you more later. Just know I'm trying hard not to hurt you and to keep you safe. Trust me I'm the better of the three and I am the good guy. Now hurry up and eat both of you. I'll try to tell you more but I don't know when I'll be able to. Just please, I am begging you to stay with me. Don't give up." I looked at him then back at the the food. The plate held Steak with Mashed potatoes with gravy and corn. Then had a knife and a fork. "Also be careful with knife. Try not to hurt anyone. If you try you wont get far and I don't want to think about what they will do to you girls if you do hurt one of us." I nodded and took the plate and put it in my lap. I grabbed to fork and started eating. Once I started eating I couldn't stop. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I took a bit from the food.


"Can I have a drink?... Please...?" I looked up at him.


"Yeah sure. You want water or coke?"


"You are actually going to give me a coke? I thought you would never give us that."


"Of course we would. But the rules are you only get one a week and no more than that. You can get another for good behavior and a good job. Let me go get you a coke and you need to finish your food." He got up and headed back up the stairs.


I finished eating my plate then looked back up at Katie. She had finished her plate and was laying on her side looking at me. "What are we going to do Aphrodite? I'm scared. What will they do to me? What they did to you.... Is that what they are going to do to me?"


I nodded then said, "Yes, i'm sorry Katie. We should have never walked home. We should have called someone. You and Gabriella don't deserve this."


Katie got up and walked to the front of her cell and looked at me. "Aphrodite you don't deserve this either. Don't ever think you do ok? At least none of us are alone."


The door opened and Nathan appeared with two cokes. He walked to Katie first giving her her coke then walking to mine and sitting it in between the bars. I got up and walked to where he was standing.


"Thank you Nathan. But I have a question to ask you if you don't mind."


"No I don't mind. Go ahead."


"What are they holding over you Nathan?"


"I don't want to talk about it." He turned his head away making a dark shadow appear on his face, hiding his expression.


“Please Nathan tell me.. What have you got to lose? We are stuck in here anyways, well me more than you. What is John holding over you that is making you rape girls? That is making you ignore these girls as they getting assaulted. It has to be something big. Is it a family member?”


He looked at me with a soulful look and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and his voice trembled as started to speak. “John took my sister. A year ago my sister was dating John. He seemed like a good family guy and treated my sister with kindness and respect. But when they went out on a date one night she didn’t come back. So I went to John’s house and found my sister laying naked and bruised in his living room. When I tried getting her out John stopped us and made me a deal. He wouldn’t hurt her or my family anymore if I stayed with him. But I had to do as he said and do as he did. He already has things ready to kill my family if I don’t do what he says. I don’t want to do these things. In fact it gives me nightmares. When I did what I did to you it scared me and I felt ashamed.” Nathan started sobbing, “I’m so sorry I shouldn’t be telling you this.”


“No it’s ok. We all need to talk to someone sometime.” I touched his shoulder gently and smiled. He tensed for a second then looked at me, “How can you be so forgiving? I have raped and beaten you, yet you still forgive me.”


“I was taught a long time ago not to forget what happened but to forgive those that hurt you. It starts becoming a burden to carry that weight but when you forgive that weight gets lifted off of your shoulders. Besides you had to do what you did. I wouldn’t blame you.” I turned a walked back to my bed and sat down.


“Let me see your food so I can go throw it away. I’m sure you wouldn’t want any disgusting animals and insects down here with you.” I got up and handed my food to him. As Nathan started walking back to the door it opened and john appeared and he started clapping.
“Very well done you two. I didn’t think you two would figure a way around me. Well now that everybody knows I think we can bring in miss. Natalie. Chuck dear faithful man of mine can you please bring in Natalie?” A man appeared in the doorway. He looked like a sumo wrestler and scared me to death.


“Yes sir.” He turned and walked down the long corridor.


“You know Nathan. You slipped once. In the months you have been with me you have only slipped once. I’m ashamed of you. Looks like you aren’t leaving this house till you earned back my trust.”


The guy that was apparently named Chuck had a girl in a blindfold and her hands and feet bound. Chuck was carrying her and she looked dead. But I looked closely and could tell her chest was rising and falling. Chuck went around John and put Natalie in the cell next to mine. Now I know why the cell looked like it had been used. Chuck laid her down gently careful not to hurt her.


“Now my dear Chuck can you take dear Nathan to one of our secure rooms and make sure he doesn’t go anywhere. Lock it tight and make sure it’s one with the barred windows. Go on now.”


Nathan’s eyes were empty. The strong and scary look they once had in them was now gone replaced by a large sadness. “I’m sorry Nathan. I didn’t mean to get you into trouble.” Nathan looked at me and just stared and nodded letting the guy lead him back up the stairs.


“You are a very sneaky little girl Aphrodite. You need to get punished for your bad behavior. Don’t you think?”


I shook my head. “No I don’t think so. We didn’t do anything wrong. He just told me that you’re a manipulative bastard.” I stared at him. I was angry with him for doing that to Nathan.


“Don’t start this child. I will need to put you back in your place.” He took his belt off and walked toward me. I started to back up I was cornered and I knew it. I pushed him as hard as I could. I knew this wouldn’t work because it didn’t work last time I did it. I ran up the stairs as fast as I could. Me pushing him had surprised him and gave me a few seconds to run and I had to make it count. I ran up the stairs and down the long corridor. I saw the strange guy named Chuck and ran to him and threw my body into him making him stubble. I pulled my fist back and hit him in the face. He stumbled back further and I heard John huffing up the stairs and started running to me. I turned to where Chuck was standing beside a door that was bolted and heavily locked. I tried to undo the chain lock but I felt two pairs of arms go around my body and rip me away from the door. I kicked, bit, and scratched what I could. I felt a sharp pain go in my arm then felt nothing then total blackness.






I woke up naked and bruised. My body was covered with black blue spots all over. I rolled over on my back and felt as a sharp pain went up my back I made a small sound.


“Aphrodite are you awake?” I heard a familiar voice saying. I moved into a sitting position on my mattress and looked up. The light was way too bright. I had a throbbing sensation in the back of my head and it hurt almost like a migraine. “Oh my god Aphrodite! What did they do to you?!”


“What do you mean?” My voice sounded a little raspy almost like a sore throat would sound like.


“You are black and blue all over. Did they beat you? What did you do to make them mad like that?” Gabriella looked at me with worried eyes.


“I tried running away from John. He was going too..... well you know. And Nathan got into trouble for telling me why he was here. And I tried running to him.” I looked at her and shrugged. “I didn’t want him doing that to me. He scares me and I didn’t want to go through it again.”


“Wait Nathan is a good guy? I thought he raped you. He hurt you so how can he be a good guy and still rape and beat these innocent girls.” I spent the next thirty minutes explaining to her what Nathan had told me.


“Wow... I can’t believe a man would do that to somebody. I wonder what John has planned.” Just as I started to lay back down again. The named Chuck walked in and he had a band aid going down his cheek and a bandage on his nose. I smiled knowing I had caused him some damage. He walked in with Katie in tow. She looked exhausted and defeated. He walked her to her cell and locked her in and left without a word. Gabriella and I stared at her.


“Where have you been? I thought you were still in here before the... well the incident.” I asked.


“After you put up your little fight and the guys knocked you out. I got chosen for the next customer since you were able to do your service.”
“Wow, i’m so sorry Katie. I didn’t mean to put you into danger like that. I shouldn’t have tried.”
“Yea you shouldn’t have. You almost got yourself in too much danger. Besides what were you trying to do?”
“I was trying to get to Nathan. To try and free him but he was locked into a room with the big bodyguard guy. I was trying to save him so he could get us out of here.”
Both Katie and Gabriella look at me with wondering eyes. “Why would you want to do that? I mean he is one of them. Whether or not he was forced into it. He still did it.”
“Really your going to say that Gabby? He just risked his life just telling us why he was here. Why would he lie like that? I mean that is just stupid.” I lay back on my bed facing the wall away from the two pair of eyes that were watching me.
“Wow you actually like him. After what he did to you. You actually like him. Now that is messed up.”
“He had to though! If he didn’t John would have killed him and his sister. He didn’t want to do it. He had no choice!”
“Right... Sure he didn’t.”
“Whatever. I’m going to bed.”


*Present time*


I justed laid there and waited for the guy to be done. He smelled like beer and cheap cologne but it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter that I was alone. It didn’t matter that I was alone in a strange place, getting raped and beaten by strange men. Nothing mattered anymore. Not the fact that the man I thought would save me ended up wouldn’t.
I looked over at Gabriella and Katie. Both were huddled in the corner covering their ears and closing their eyes tight. The man finished and put on his pants and left. I picked up my blanket and curled into a tight ball.
“Aphrodite are you ok?” Katie whispered
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m perfect. Don’t worry about me.” I started shaking. My muscles convulsing violently. That man hadn’t gone easy on me and I was bleeding. But nobody needed to know. I would have my shower tonight and get cleaned up. I wasn’t hungry and I haven’t been for a few days. My stomach no longer growled for food that I knew it needed. My spirit had broke and everyone knew it too. In just less than a few days I didn’t have anything left in me. I had no will to die or live. To find a way to leave this place. I didn’t care if someone rescued me or if I died here. Ever since my fight to rescue Nathan from his locked room I had a constant feeling that someone was watching me. I hadn’t seen Nathan since that day and I had no idea what had happened to him. I was worried but just didn’t care.
“You’re not fine and everyone here can tell you are trying to kill yourself. You haven’t eaten since you last saw Nathan and you never talk or even leave your bed. You don’t even look at anything besides that dang wall.”
“For one I’m not trying to kill myself... I just don’t see the point of living. No one is going to find us and I don’t want to live this life. Being constantly raped just so some man can make profit off of us.” I rolled over back to facing the wall and rocked myself to sleep.
A loud clanking noise woke me up. I jumped up then almost fell due to the fact that the whole room was spinning. An arm grabbed me and I jumped back to the wall. “Calm down I’m not going to hurt you I promise.” I knew that voice. I searched for the face where the voice was coming from. I looked up and discovered that it was Nathan. I ran to him and hugged him. He tensed then hugged me back. I started crying all the while he just held me. We just stood there hugging each other until I stopped crying. I stepped back and whipped the tears off my face.
“Where have you been? I thought you were dead or something.”
“I thought I was too... It was bad. After they took me to that room and after you tried saving me John and Eric came in and beat me. I could hardly move or speak. They said I was a traitor and needed to learn my lesson. And they did teach me a lesson but it probably wasn’t the lesson they wanted me to learn. I got my sister out today. When I sent out on a small mission I went and bought a disposable phone and called the FBI and I told them the address of this place. I try to keep them updated as things go on. They aren’t going to act yet and probably not for awhile. They are watching the patterns that go on here and watching what John and Eric do. I have a tracking device located in my shoe in the rubber sole of my shoe. I’m their undercover volunteer. Plus if I help I will have the possibility of bail and parole. I told them everything including about you and the other two. They have contacted your parents and are giving them regular updates. Here let me see your shoe.
He cut a small slit in side of the rubber shoe that I was given and handed the shoe back to me. “I have done the same for Katie and Gabby. But this needs to remain between us. The less people know the less of a chance we have of getting caught.”
“Don’t they have like camera’s and stuff so they can hear us?”
“Actually no. I turned off the electrical breaker and plus the guards are taking a nap right now. I gave them a sedative to sleep for a little bit. But I have to take you to the shower so you can get cleaned up. You look like a bloody mess so does your hair. Have you eaten lately?”
“No. I haven’t eaten since last time I saw you.” I looked away from him and just stared at my feet. His hands went to under my chin and made me look at him.
“That is bad for you, you know. You can’t kill yourself because you’re just done with being alive. Just trust me that I will get you out of here and away from these men ok? You and your friends.”
I looked at him, “Wait so you're saying we are going to get rescued?
“That is if none of us get killed.” His eyes searched my face looking for any reaction
“Wait so we have to wait risk getting killed all because the FBI want to look at the criminals patterns. Wait for day, weeks, or even months. Keep getting raped and beaten. To me that doesn’t seem much like a rescue.” I walked back to my bed and sat down and put my face in my hands. “I’m never going to get out of here. None of us are.”
“Don’t talk like that. We will get out of here. All of us will. You have to trust me on this.”
“Why do you even care about us. You should only get you and your sister out of here. What are we to you?” I looked him trying my hardest to burn a hole in his skull. I knew I was being unreasonable and mean but I didn’t care. This place, these people had totally worn me out. Worn out any humanity left in me. It was going to take a miracle to bring me back to halfway normal.
“Because I’m the one who chose you girls to get picked up. The day we kidnapped you I was put on a task to find more girls. Good looking girls but rich. So I followed you girls that day and kept watch on you girls in the club. Then followed you girls when you left the club. I’m the one who put you in this mess and I’m going to get you out.
I couldn’t believe what I just heard. He had done this to us? He was the reason why I was in here. I couldn’t think couldn’t speak. I fell back against the wall. The man I thought was innocent was the man who had hurt me the most. Worse than any of the others ever had. “Get away from me.”
“What?”
“Get. Away. From. Me.” I said through gritted teeth. “You did this to me! You did this to us! Get away from me now.” He backed away and held up his hands.
“Ok.” He turned and walked back up the stairs. “I’ll send Chuck to escort you to the bathroom to get cleaned up and in new clothes.”
He closed the door with a soft click. A few minutes later Chuck arrived. He didn’t speak just motioned for me to follow him and I complied. I stared at my feet the whole way. I walked into the same bathroom and started the shower. The water felt warm and nice. I undressed and looked in the mirror. My hair was a total rats nest and my body was covered with yellow, black and blue bruises. I looked down and my legs were covered with dried blood and dirt.
I stepped in the shower and slowly slipped to the floor of the shower and just sat there. I grabbed the washcloth and put the soap on it and scrubbed my body until my skin was red. I looked down and the dried blood and dirt slowly made it’s way to the drain. I started crying. I cried over everything and nothing.
By the time the crying had dissolved into sobbing then into nothing the water had ran cold and I couldn’t move. I had heard knocking several times. The knocking turned into pounding then I heard the the splinter as the door was forcefully pushed open. I didn’t look up didn’t move. Just continued to keep my head in my hands.
I heard people talking but didn’t truly comprehend what they were saying. I felt a towel go around me then arms around my body picking me up. My body felt limp as the arms picked me up. Walls and rooms and doorways passed in my vision as the we moved. Finally I was back in my cell under my blanket then I heard a voice talking again but it sounded like Gibberish to me. I rolled over on my side and started to shaking. A few minutes later a hand rolled me back onto my back then I felt a cold metal go in my mouth for a minute then it was removed. I heard a voice then I looked up and it was Eric he was mad. Katie was looked at me with worried eyes, Eric motioned for her to come to him and then he pointed to clothes then at me. She nodded and walked to the clothes then at me. I still couldn’t understand what they were saying. Eric started walking to me but pulled out a silver needle. He squatted next me and grabbed my arm then put the needle in my arm. I felt a sting then cold fluid go through my veins. The next thing I knew empty blackness was around me. Almost like it was cuddling me and I welcomed it and then nothing.

I woke up extremely groggy and felt like my skin had been through several different levels of hell. My skin was dry and cracked and had bled. There was dried blood on several parts of my body. My body hurt almost like I had gone five rounds with a meat tenderizer.


I stretched out on the small mattress and my muscles protested against the movement. The door opened and John appeared with Eric and Nathan at his back. They walked down the stairs almost like a tiger stalking his prey. I rolled toward the wall and got under my blanket and held it tight. “Aphrodite? Please look at me.” I rolled over and looked Nathan straight in the face.


“What do you want? I would prefer it if you left me alone.” He smiled and winked at me.


“Oh I know you do. I’m sure your little friends would prefer it if we left them alone too.” He smiled, it was wicked and it was full of lies. What had happened to the caring Nathan. Had his caring and protective side all been full of lies and deceit?


“Now come here little Aphrodite. All I want to do is say hello.” I looked between the bars of my cell and saw Eric and John smiling in satisfaction. Nathan held up his arms almost like he was fixing to hug. I got up and was surprised when my body didn’t protest against that. “Don’t make me repeat myself again. John was right when he said that this life is a lot funner. I mean think about it. I get all the women I want.” He laughed then said, “And right now I want you.” I walked right in front of him and stopped. Nathan winked at me again and smiled, “I hope you enjoy it. Cause I mean I don’t know if it’s just me but I believe we have a special connection.”


I raised my eyebrow at him. “The only connection you have with anything is with your little friend. What other connection doesn’t involve me.” He laughed loud which made me jump.


“Oh thats where you are wrong. Me and ‘my friend’ as you put it are going to have a very special connection with you. It will be just like the very first time. The only difference between then and now is that I won’t be easy on you. And I’m going to make you like it. We will have a very special connection you and I.”


“Screw you Nathan. There is no connection with us and there never will be.” I slapped him as hard as I could right across the face then spit in his eye. His face turned a bright red then he grabbed my arm right as I was going to stomp back to my bed and pulled me hard against him. “I know you can feel me. Don’t you like it?” I shook my head no. I didn’t want this. Why was he doing this to me? I thought he was a different person. He was giving me a whiplash. One minute I’m supposed to trust him the next he is back to being my worst nightmare. Was I supposed to trust him or not?


“Come on don’t be like that. You weren’t this fussy last time we shared a tender embrace.”


“It was not a tender embrace. I don’t know what tender part you’re talking about.” Nathan looked at me then grabbed his junk.


“Oh honey i’m sure you know what tender part i’m talking about. But the embrace part I was just lying about. I was trying to make it sound all cutesy but if you don’t want it that way I can get straight to the point.” Eric and John just looked at him then back at me they seemed a little bit astonished and surprised.


“If you want to get straight to the point then do it. I know you just wanna screw me in front of your posse so you can prove to them that your manly and not a traitor. You know I really thought you would do right by us but I guess not.”


“Well isn’t someone a smart cookie. That bull about the FBI coming was all bullshit. I can’t believe you actually fell for that. This is where I belong, this is basically the devils’ paradise. We get everything we want when we want. Doesn’t that sound good. You could get the same thing if you only behave like a good girl.”


“I don’t want your piece of s*** paradise. I want to go home. This place you call paradise isn’t paradise for us and it never will be.” I shook my head and turned my back on him and walked away from him.


“Hey don’t you turn away from me! You need to start showing respect to your elders little girl.” He grabbed my arm and squeezed. I started feeling muscles being grinded into things that wasn’t supposed to be grinded into. I started screaming and he only squeezed harder.


“Stop hurting her you asshole!” I heard another other female voice and realized that Gabriella and Katie were still in the same room but had been hiding in the shadows trying desperately to be invisible. Honestly I didn’t blame them for hiding. I was the main subject the leader of the pack I was the one who took most of the blame and beatings so they didn’t have to go through it.


Eric and John turned around and looked at the two. “You two wanna take some of the pain off of her? You wanna help her out? Cause we can fix that?” Gabriella started backing up.


“I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to make you angry. We won’t do it again I promise.” I looked at her astounded. Did she even really care? I guess it was every man for himself.


“No, you got yourself into this mess. You wanna protect her then fine go try and stop him? Here I’ll even unlock the door to your cell.” Eric walked over and unlocked the door and opened it for Gabriella. He motioned his hand toward us and said, “You’re free to protect your precious friend. I mean cause you would do anything to protect her wouldn’t you?” She backed up to the wall and stayed where she was going back into the shadows. “Ah, see Aphrodite your friends wouldn’t protect you even if you had the chance. Great friends aren’t they don’t you think John? I mean they have each other’s backs so well.” I looked down at the arm the Nathan had been squeezing and it was turning a bluish color that didn’t look healthy. I couldn’t feel anything in it besides a tingly feeling that kept on going through my arm.


“Let go of me! You are hurting me really bad! I can’t feel my arm!” I tried to move my fingers but it was useless. It felt like my brain was trying to send out the message but my arm wasn’t getting it.


“Dude let go of her arm. Remember our number one rule. Never hurt the merchandise.” He let go once Eric had said that last sentence. A cold sensation started going through my arm kind of like when you get a shot or an IV and the cold fluid goes through your veins. That is what it felt like. Finally I could slowly move my fingers as the blood flow started back up through my arm. “Dude lets go. You can finish her off another day. I’m sure she won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. Besides you’ve hurt enough as it is.”


Nathan looked at me with angry eyes and nodded, “You’re right...” He pointed a finger at me and I flinched. “You aren’t going anywhere Missy. You are all mine next time.” Then he winked and walked off mad, leaving me mad, confused, and hurt. Eric and John looked after him confused. Eric shook his head and John shrugged. They looked at me then Eric said, “You need to start behaving yourself or next time I’m going to let our dearest Nathan continue on with what he was going to do. Do I make myself clear?” I nodded furiously. “Good, now go to sleep. We are moving out of here at dawn.”


Moving? We were moving? They started back up the stairs so I called back out to Eric, “Wait why are we moving?” He stopped and without looking back said, “Your FBI friends are catching up to us.” Then continued moving up the stairs. After Eric left John turned off the dim lighting and closed the door. I slowly crept to where I suspected the mattress would be and fell down on top of it. “Aphrodite?” Katie called out


“What?”


“Where do you think we will be going next?”


“I don’t know. Probably somewhere far away from here. Why?”


“Just wondering.” Things fell silent after that for awhile. Then I thought of what Gabriella did earlier today.


“Hey Gabby?”


“Yes Aphrodite..”


“Why did you not come and help me? I thought you would do anything to help me. I mean we are best friends and you didn’t help me when I most needed it. Why?”


“What could I have done? Nathan weighs twice as much as I do and is twice as tall as me. He would have killed me in an instant.”


“So? I would have helped you... Do I not deserve the same?”
She fell silent for a second then said, “You do, I just don’t know how to do what you do.” I rolled my eyes mumbled an ok. Then everything went silent. The only thing you could hear in the room was our breathing and the quiet hum of an air conditioner. I slowly fell asleep and before I knew it, it was morning and we were being awakened by a loud air horn. My eyes flew wide open and I sat up almost immediately. I looked around and found John was the culprit of this sound. I stretched and got up.
“Get up and get ready. We are leaving in thirty minutes.




*Thirty Minutes Later*


Katie, Gabriella, and I were all seated in a small minivan that had blacked out windows and John, Nathan, and Eric sat in front of us then they had the innocent Chuck driving us to our next destination. Us three girls had our hands and feet bound by a rope, neither of us girls were stupid enough to run but they still didn't trust us.


“Now when we get to our destination nobody moves until one of us comes and gets you. Understand?” We nodded and stayed silent. “Good, we should be at our next safe house in about an hour.” Eric smiled then said, “Be happy you guys get another free day while we help set up and move things in the house.” I just continued staring at him and nodded. “What’s wrong with you girls? We figured you girls would be happy about this.”


“It’s nothing. We are grateful for the day off.” Eric looked at me then looked at the other two. He raised his eyebrow then shrugged.


“Ok good.” He turned back around and faced the road. An hour later we at a newly built warehouse. All the men got out then John opened up our door and told us to get out.


“Turn toward the car and spread your legs. We need to search you see if you have any weapons on you.” I turned around obediently and did as he asked. He groped everywhere he could trying desperately to ‘find a weapon’ but couldn’t find one. He did the same two the other two girls, then stood up and sighed. “Their clear! Take them to their rooms, and girls remember, don’t try to run, you won’t get far.


The warning was clear as bell we would die if we ran or even made one wrong move. The slight thought of what would happen even if we tried scared me. We all nodded then he turned around and started talking to the men that would be watching us. After John was done talking to the guards they escorted us inside the building. The warehouse looked like an old prison. There was nothing special about this place the only thing it held were future nightmares. We walked through what looked like heavy metal doors and into a very long corridor. As we walked there was doors on both side of the hallways that led to another hallway the led to what looked like rooms. Gabriella, Katie, and I all got led down to the very last door on the left and into the very small rooms. The only things that these rooms had were nicer beds and a toilet. It was only one person per bedroom, which was nice to a certain extent. I wasn’t a big fan of going to the restroom where people could watch me. But I guess under the circumstances it wasn’t a big deal. I could live with being watched while I went the bathroom. After I walked into the room the door closed and locked behind me with a heavy thud, which made me jump.




I was exhausted, I had been through so much these past couple of days that I felt exhausted in almost every way except one. My one desperate dream, the dream that was so far away but yet so close. Escape! Nathan was confusing me, one second he would be the nicest guy who would be willing to help me escape and then on the other hand he would be the biggest asshole ever. My conclusion, I will find a way out, with or without him.


I heard a beep then a voice come over what sounded like an intercom. “Attention to C-wing. All girls need to head to the shower room. All girls to the shower room please.” I laughed under my breath, at least they said please. As soon as the voice got off of the intercom all of our doors opened automatically. I wasn’t quite sure what to do; I slowly walked out and poked my head out of the doorway. Girls were leaving their rooms and going back out the way we came. I decided to follow. Soon enough Katie and Gabriella were at my back. Instead of walking out the front doors we turned as soon as we got out of the long corridors. We were going further back into the building, I looked up from the crowd and saw a line starting to gather. As soon as my turn was up I walked into a large room with showers in stalls. Every stall was filled except one in the very back.


I walked into the stall and closed the curtain behind me and pulled the silver chain that hung from the showerhead.