Chapter 2
Yet, the whole day went by, and I didn't come back.
Helen's face fell.
Helen said, "She's been gone all day. She's dead set on defying me.
"Honestly, even a dog would be better. At least a dog would be grateful. But her? I've worked so hard to train her, to make her independent, and what does she do? She acts like I'm her enemy."
"Grace," Richard called out with a mocking grin. "Alright, pack up her things and clear out her room."
"Clear it out?" Grace looked confused, asking, "Where will Ms. Shaw stay if she comes back?"
Richard's eyes went icy.
He said, "Open up her room and make it a dance studio for Lily.
"And if she ever comes back...
"There's still that storage room in the basement, right? It's cheap. Just charge her five bucks a day; she can handle that."
Lily's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Really, Dad? I get a big dance studio?" Lily asked.
"Of course," Richard said as he gazed at her fondly. "When have I ever lied to you? You're Daddy's little princess; you deserve nothing but the best."
*****
Blindfolded, I was taken to an abandoned factory.
When the blindfold was ripped off, I found myself in front of a group of guys in grimy clothes playing cards. As soon as Gary walked in, they all gathered around him.
"Hey, Gary, you got yourself a real prize this time," a man with crooked, yellow-stained teeth said as he reached out, trying to touch my face.
I flinched away on instinct.
He swung his hand and slapped me hard across the face.
The pain burned like fire.
"What are you dodging for, you little punk?" he snarled.
The blow sent me crashing to the floor, blood seeping from the corner of my mouth.
But I didn't cry.
I locked my eyes on him, refusing to look away.
He chuckled, saying, "Whoa, got some fire in your eyes."
He grinned at my glare and raised his foot, about to kick me.
"Enough," Gary said, blocking him. "Don't rough her up. She's healthy, worth a lot on the market."
Gary crouched down in front of me, his eyes cold, sizing me up.
He said, "Listen up, girl. You're here now, so you follow our rules.
"See that cage over there?" He pointed to a rusty iron cage in the corner, where a few filthy dogs were locked up. "If you don't behave, you'll bunk with them. But if you do what you're told, you get to eat."
I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth.
"How much does it cost to stay in the cage?" I asked.
Gary froze, caught off guard.
The guys around us burst out laughing.
"Gary, is this girl for real? She's asking how much it costs to live in a cage."
"Pay to live in a cage? That's hilarious."
Gary shook his head.
"No charge. It's free," he said.
"And what about food?" I asked.
"Food's free, too," Gary replied.
I nodded, then calmly walked straight to the cage.
"Fine, I'll stay," I said, unfazed.
Anywhere was fine, as long as it didn't cost me a dime.
Back home, I had to pay sixty bucks a month to stay in that room.
This place might be dirty, and there were dogs here, but at least it was free.
I crawled into the cage and sat down, hugging my knees.
The guys cracked up even harder.
I knew they thought I was an idiot.
But to me...
In this world, anywhere I didn't have to pay was paradise.