Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 80342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
LAUREN
The man said he was Jenny’s father when he helped me into the car after the court hearing. The whole thing seemed surreal like I was part of a B-movie or something. I probably should’ve paid more attention, but the thought of spending another day in that cell was more than enough to get me to give in to her demands.
It was her money anyway, if she wanted to spend it to bail me out, that’s on her. Only now I had nowhere to go. I had no money, and the clothes I was wearing had come from her or her dad, either one. I didn’t pay attention to where the driver of the car her dad had walked me to, was going. It didn’t seem necessary at first.
But when I looked out the window, nothing looked familiar. “Where are you taking me?” Instead of an answer, he closed the partition between us as a noxious fume started to fill the back seat. I coughed and banged my hand against the partition but to no avail.
I tried the door handle, but it had a kiddie lock in place, and there was no escaping. What the hell was that little bitch playing at? I passed out and felt nothing as my body slumped down on the seat.
My head is pounding like mad. I put my hand to my temple and eased my eyes open. Where the hell am I? I squinted around the room that did not look familiar as warm sunlight filtered through the windows. It was a large room with three other beds, two on the opposite wall, and one a few feet from mine.
It looked like some kind of dorm. I heard noises coming from outside and sat up with the room spinning for a few seconds before it righted itself. My mouth tasted weird, and I remembered the fumes in the back of the car. As things started coming back to me, I jumped up from the bed and ran to the window.
I could see the ocean down below and the mountains on the other side. It was beautiful, but still, I felt a cold dread seep into my bones. The door opened behind me, and I turned to see a very strapping woman standing there.
“Oh, you’re awake.” She had a very strong French accent.
“Where am I? Who are you?”
“This is the island of Cayenne.” I’ve never heard of it.
“What? What island?” I didn’t like the smirk on her face.
“You may know it as Devil Island.” I felt cold, and my knees grew weak.
“What am I doing here? I don’t belong here.”
“You’re here because you need help. Just like those women out there.” I looked back out the window at the women.
Some were walking around aimlessly; one was eating the hedge, and others were sitting around in a circle with a man in a doctor’s uniform. “I don’t understand what is this place?”
“Some people call it the farm. It’s where people like you come to be treated.”
“People like me? There’s nothing wrong with me?”
She just smiled that sickening smile and came over to the bed to place the hospital gown I hadn’t noticed in her hand there.
“You must change out of your clothes now; you won’t be needing them anymore.” I stepped back away from her shaking my head as realization started to dawn. “You can’t keep me here against my will; I’m an American I have rights.”
“This is a French colony chérie, not to worry you will be treated very well here. Your benefactor paid very well to make sure you enjoy your stay with us.”
“How long am I supposed to stay here?” I dreaded the answer before it came.
“As long as it takes. Some have been here for more than ten years, but the longest has been eighteen years.” I dropped to the floor with a wail. That little bitch had tricked me. I listened with numb ears as the woman went on to explain the dangers of trying to escape. There was no way off the island except by boat, which never comes this way, and the surrounding mountains were home to deadly animals that roamed at will.
The nurses and doctors can only leave by helicopter, and that’s in extreme cases of emergency. She went on to tell me that my benefactor had been very generous and had seen to my care for the next eighteen years. I’m sure the bitch was thinking of my girls when she did that.
Derrick
The days seemed to blend into one another, and by the time Monday rolled around, I was ready to get things going. I had the lawyer lined up and ready just in case the cops gave me any flack because of what Lauren had said while they were dragging her away.
I was surprised when I went down to the jailhouse and was told that she’d made bail. I couldn’t quite get my head around the fact that they’d let her walk knowing what she’d done, that she was a danger to my kids, but now my only interest was in finding out where she was so I could keep an eye out for her if she were stupid enough to return.