Prologue

Her will to fight was fueled more by fear than resolve, but it was all she had left. She stumbled down the dark hallway, fingers fumbling along the wall, searching for a way out. There was still a flame burning in her soul, willing her to battle for freedom. How could this have happened? Who had betrayed her? Forced her into this nightmare? Was anyone coming for her? She whispered a prayer to a God she wasn't sure was listening. Would He save her? Or had He abandoned her?

A sound from the other end of the hallway caused her to stop. She pressed herself against the wall as if the action could make her invisible. The floor beneath her rolled like restless waves on a deadly sea that was attempting to pull her under. She laid her cheek on the cool plaster, forcing herself to concentrate on its firmness rather than her unreliable surroundings. She waited for what seemed like hours but could only have been a few minutes. Silence. She finally began to creep forward again, using her hands to propel her farther down the hall.

She squinted, trying to clear her clouded vision. That's when she saw it. Bright red letters. EXIT. That was it. What she'd been praying to find. This might be her last chance. Her only chance. She moved away from the wall and tried to run, but she stumbled and fell. On her knees, she crawled toward the red letters that seemed to be flashing out a different word. Deliverance. But as she finally pulled herself up and pushed against the door, hands grabbed her from behind. She felt the sting from the needle jabbed into her arm, and she melted into a darkness that began to overwhelm her. The last thing she felt were the tears that coursed down her cheeks as she resigned herself to her fate.