up to turn off the drip before peeling back the tape and removing the needle. She frowned; she was determined it would be the last time she was hooked up to anything.
Free at last, she extended her arms, trying to regain her balance as she shambled her way to the bathroom to search for her clothes.
She needed to find that list.
Tears stung her eyes at the unfairness of losing it so close to her goal. The last fourteen tasks were burned into her memory, but the list itself was still a tangible talisman.
Her lifeline.
She knew—
knew
—she wouldn’t die until she’d marked off the last item. Without it, she felt herself losing control of her destiny. Illogical, perhaps, but who said a dying person needed to make sense?
An eternity later, she made it to the bathroom that was attached to the bedroom.
No clothes. Where could they be?
She caught her reflection in the mirror and gasped.
Her formerly auburn hair was pure white. Still soft and straight but shockingly white. She ran her hands through it, not comprehending the sudden, severe change.
Did he dye my hair?
A trickle of fear passed through her but dissipated just as quick. If he’d meant her harm, he wouldn’t have rescued her and cared for her. Right?
Unless he plans to keep you as a pet,
a voice inside chided.
She shook her head, not willing to consider it. Somehow, she managed to relieve herself without passing out, which was a small miracle considering the pounding of her heart.
Where did he go?
She needed help, dammit. If she didn’t find her clothes, her list, and a ride home in the next ten minutes, there was a very high probability her sudden healthy glow was going to be wasted on a full-scale meltdown.
She peeked around the frame of the bedroom door. She searched for him, taking in all the details of the small living room. Catching movement to her left, she realized that the back door was swinging gently in the breeze. She crossed through the kitchen area, passed through a small mudroom and stepped through the open door.
Pausing to orient herself, she peered around the house’s backyard. An old Lincoln Continental and a newer Honda Accord sat in the open-front garage behind the house at the edge of the woods. A camping trailer was parked beside it. The afternoon sunlight dappled through the treetops, and the huge globe of the sun sat perched on top of an impossibly tall pine tree like a lollipop. The house was surrounded by forest.
Something scurried in the undergrowth at the edge of the woods, just beyond the camper. Thinking it might be her captor, she picked her way through the tall grass and pushed her way toward the movement. Two sleek black cats, their eyes glinting green in the sunlight, were nosing around in the pine needles beyond the trailer.
Oh! They’re beautiful!
Forgetting her anxiety, she continued to approach them, bending low and extending her hand in a gentle greeting.
“Here kitty, kitty,” she coaxed, but they wouldn’t come any closer.
She eased her way toward them, moving farther into the woods. Pleased that they didn’t seem frightened of her, she closed the distance between them, murmuring soft reassurances. When she was within arm’s reach, she squatted on the soft bed of pine needles behind the camper and settled back on her heels, waiting for them to come to her of their own free will.
Which they did. Both of them.
“Good kitties!” She smiled. Another task she could mark off her list:
#50
have a pet.
She was going to have to be a bit more flexible with the rules at this late date. She knew there wasn’t much time left. Playing with two cats definitely counted as “having a pet” at this point.
The cats purred and rubbed their silky heads against her hands, nudging her for more petting.
Oh, they’re so soft!
They couldn’t be strays. Their coats were much too slick, healthy looking and luscious for them to be feral. She longed to know their names. Two toms from the looks of them. She laughed.
Free at last, she extended her arms, trying to regain her balance as she shambled her way to the bathroom to search for her clothes.
She needed to find that list.
Tears stung her eyes at the unfairness of losing it so close to her goal. The last fourteen tasks were burned into her memory, but the list itself was still a tangible talisman.
Her lifeline.
She knew—
knew
—she wouldn’t die until she’d marked off the last item. Without it, she felt herself losing control of her destiny. Illogical, perhaps, but who said a dying person needed to make sense?
An eternity later, she made it to the bathroom that was attached to the bedroom.
No clothes. Where could they be?
She caught her reflection in the mirror and gasped.
Her formerly auburn hair was pure white. Still soft and straight but shockingly white. She ran her hands through it, not comprehending the sudden, severe change.
Did he dye my hair?
A trickle of fear passed through her but dissipated just as quick. If he’d meant her harm, he wouldn’t have rescued her and cared for her. Right?
Unless he plans to keep you as a pet,
a voice inside chided.
She shook her head, not willing to consider it. Somehow, she managed to relieve herself without passing out, which was a small miracle considering the pounding of her heart.
Where did he go?
She needed help, dammit. If she didn’t find her clothes, her list, and a ride home in the next ten minutes, there was a very high probability her sudden healthy glow was going to be wasted on a full-scale meltdown.
She peeked around the frame of the bedroom door. She searched for him, taking in all the details of the small living room. Catching movement to her left, she realized that the back door was swinging gently in the breeze. She crossed through the kitchen area, passed through a small mudroom and stepped through the open door.
Pausing to orient herself, she peered around the house’s backyard. An old Lincoln Continental and a newer Honda Accord sat in the open-front garage behind the house at the edge of the woods. A camping trailer was parked beside it. The afternoon sunlight dappled through the treetops, and the huge globe of the sun sat perched on top of an impossibly tall pine tree like a lollipop. The house was surrounded by forest.
Something scurried in the undergrowth at the edge of the woods, just beyond the camper. Thinking it might be her captor, she picked her way through the tall grass and pushed her way toward the movement. Two sleek black cats, their eyes glinting green in the sunlight, were nosing around in the pine needles beyond the trailer.
Oh! They’re beautiful!
Forgetting her anxiety, she continued to approach them, bending low and extending her hand in a gentle greeting.
“Here kitty, kitty,” she coaxed, but they wouldn’t come any closer.
She eased her way toward them, moving farther into the woods. Pleased that they didn’t seem frightened of her, she closed the distance between them, murmuring soft reassurances. When she was within arm’s reach, she squatted on the soft bed of pine needles behind the camper and settled back on her heels, waiting for them to come to her of their own free will.
Which they did. Both of them.
“Good kitties!” She smiled. Another task she could mark off her list:
#50
have a pet.
She was going to have to be a bit more flexible with the rules at this late date. She knew there wasn’t much time left. Playing with two cats definitely counted as “having a pet” at this point.
The cats purred and rubbed their silky heads against her hands, nudging her for more petting.
Oh, they’re so soft!
They couldn’t be strays. Their coats were much too slick, healthy looking and luscious for them to be feral. She longed to know their names. Two toms from the looks of them. She laughed.
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