Chapter Three

Melanie Stowe woke to darkness. As she shook the sleep away, a stale, musty odor grabbed her nostrils. The room’s temperature was uncomfortably warm, and her clothes were soaked with her sweat. What alarmed her more was the mattress against her back. This wasn’t her bed. Where was she? In a panic she sat up. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness, processing strange shapes around her. This couldn’t be happening. How did she get here?

She swung her legs off the bed to the floor, where she felt wood flooring beneath her bare feet. Melanie stood and then quickly sat back down as nausea swept over her. As her dizziness subsided, she thought back to last night.

She had not wanted to leave the house. But her best friend, Lisa Sloan, had wanted to go to the Paradise Club. She could see Lisa’s pouty face. “Mel, come on. We haven’t been out in ages.” As she always did with her longtime friend, she caved.

For most of the time at the club Melanie had stood staring at her so-called friends on the dance floor. Lisa, who danced like there was no tomorrow, did come to check on her a few times. As Melanie stood there, people kept coming up to her, wanting her autograph. She had smiled and signed, but inside she’d wanted to climb back in her bed. Ever since she was a contestant on American Voices, her life had never been the same. She had auditioned for the national talent show with the hopes of becoming the singer she had always dreamed of being since she was a little girl. With each failed record company offer, her quest for stardom had faded.

Clutching her stomach, Melanie bent her body forward and whimpered. She stopped when she thought she heard a sound. Melanie shouted, “Is anyone there? Hello. Please why are you doing this?” Her voice sounded muffled in her ears. She waited, her body tense from fear, to hear the sound again. Nothing. A swift burst of pain around her right temple caused her to cry out. The tears rolled down her face and into her shirt collar as she willed the pain to stop. She had to get out of here. As she concentrated as much as she could, bits and pieces of last night flooded her mind.

She had been so tired. The only thing good about going out was the virgin strawberry daiquiri she drank. Melanie had finally gone to Lisa and told her she was ready to go. Lisa had offered to go with her, but knowing how hard it was for her friend to get a babysitter, Melanie had told her to stay and have fun. Plus, Melanie knew Lisa wouldn’t have a problem getting a ride home.

Maybe she should have stayed longer, instead of leaving the club by herself. She’d walked past the bouncer. He had smiled and nodded at her. His smile had felt like the only genuine smile all evening. At least he hadn’t stopped her to get her autograph.

Outside it was cool, a nice spring night, with a slight breeze. Normally, she would love the smell of the blossoming. Normally, she would love the smell of the blossoming cherry trees that lined the sidewalk outside the club, but she was in no mood to enjoy. It was dark in the parking lot. She liked to park near the lampposts, but they had arrived later than usual, missing all the good parking spaces. Her heels clicked on the asphalt.

Funny, before American Voices, she would never wear heels. She couldn’t walk in them. Being up on that stage, she’d sung her heart out every week in three-inch stilettos. Apparently, the experience hadn’t helped her learn how to walk very well, as she stumbled over a rock. She caught herself and looked around, waiting for the laughter. These days everyone was laughing at her or looking at her with pity.

There were conversations going on in the parking lot. She noticed a couple cuddled up near a car. Their faces were so close, she was pretty sure they were in their own world. Melanie also remembered a group of guys hanging out. Smoke wafted around them as they laughed and talked smack. At the time she had been grateful for being invisible to them.

The last thought she could remember from last night was having her car keys in her hand. There was the familiar chirp after she pressed the button on her keys to unlock the car door. But before her hand touched the door handle, she sensed a presence behind her. There was no time to turn around before her mouth was covered. She struggled and then fell into unconsciousness.

So here she sat on a strange bed, in a strange place. Melanie squinted and focused on the room. In the semidarkness now, she could make out a door, because there was a thin stream of light coming from underneath. On the other side of the room, there was a small window, but it was covered with plywood from the outside. She couldn’t tell if it was daytime or nighttime from where she sat. Her life hadn’t turned out the way she’d wanted, but she wasn’t going to die here, not like this.

She opened her mouth to yell again. “Hello. Is anyone here? Why are you doing this?” Who are you?