Track 25

“Big Girls Don’t Cry”

Abduction #6 - XU-891B

One Year Ago

Cassidy woke up on a cold plinth, with no pillow, no quilt, nothing remotely homely. And they were around somewhere. Maybe not in the room, but they were watching.

Jake was sleeping. Every now and then he made a quick, sharp, choking noise.

Cassidy turned her head toward Alondra, grimacing because of the pain. Earlier, the captors put whirring probes into the abductees’ ears. The high-pitched sound still echoed in Cassidy’s head.

Mustering up a smile, Cassidy signed, “How do you feel?”

Alondra’s attempt at a smile failed miserably. A fresh tear traced the path of hundreds of tears she’d shed before. “Could be better,” she signed back.

“The worst is over,” Cassidy signed, wishing she had the strength to stand and give her a hug. No…even better, to escape.

Alondra slowly rolled her head away and stared up toward the far-off white ceiling. “It’ll never be over.”