Unexpected Captor

VALERIE

The first thing I registered was the ache in my shoulders, a dull throbbing that traveled up my neck and settled behind my eyes. The second thing was the rough texture of rope biting into my wrists, the kind of friction that promised bruises before I even opened my eyes to confirm my situation.

I forced my lids apart and the world swam into focus. A ceiling I did not recognize. Walls