Chapter 1 (TA DA!)

A smile crept to her lips as she watched his mouth move, ignoring the words but staring intently into his eyes. They were the softest shade of blue, glittering when he talked about the things that impassioned him. She remembered to nod, losing train of thought as she gazed into those amazing blue pools--powder blue? baby blue? periwinkle? He was so emphatic telling his story, something or other about a law school website dedicated to funnies that were anything but entertaining. His hand graze brought her back and she laughed as he continued, cackling to and even at himself, still wondering what goes on behind those eyelash curtains. It sounded strange, but she wanted to look into his eyes forever, feel his warmth as he looked back at her. When he looked at her it was like an ocean wave washing over her, tingles from where his fingertips touched all the way to the depths of her soul.

Gasping she lurched up from the bed, the springs screeching beneath her weight. She parted her lips, feeling the skin fray with the sudden movement, cooling the sting by sucking in the stale air. Austin. That was the last time she had seen him, she hadn't even told him she loved him before she left.

She extended her fingers infront of her face, nothing. She was still immersed in an onyx blanket, with a strange stench in the air unlike anything she had ever experienced. She put her numb fingers together in an effort to snap, she could still hear. She worried that she had gone blind but she imagined if she could still hear then perhaps it was likely she still had her sight. It couldn't have been more than 3 days since she left lunch with Austin, didn't people die after 3 days without food? She ran her tongue over her lips, tasting only blood.

It all seemed like a dream, she had told Austin she would meet him back at his place that evening to talk. She went home the same way she came, broad daylight. Out of nowhere she remembered feeling a sudden excruciating pain on her left temple and then blackness. Who and why? How could someone attack her in the middle of the afternoon? She cinched her eyes shut, attempting to remember anyone she had overlooked. Her heart pounded in her chest as the reality of the situation washed over her; she was trapped. Her ears strained to listen for any sign of human life--what if they had just left her for dead like some kind of sick science project? She had never been a religious person, always half assing church services and daydreaming in bible study, but in these moments of desperation her mind went to God. Tears streamed from her eyes and the salt stung her tender face--Dear God, I don't know if you're listening or if you would even listen to me--but I really need you to get me out of here and away from whoever did this to me. Her throat tightened and she released her first choked sob. It was like a river that had been dammed, she couldn't control herself and her body shook with each cry, she wailed until she ran out of air, shaking her foot furiously in an effort to rock herself to sleep. She thought of her mother and how worried she would be..how mad she would be when she knew she hadn't been carrying her mace. She thought of Austin, she felt her plain finger, thinking that had she made it to his house she would have told him she wanted to marry him, to look into his eyes forever. She cinched her fingers shut into a fist, wrapping her arms around herself. No one was there to offer a comforting word or embrace, she was alone now.