room, pulled the door shut behind her, and headed back to the living area. On her way to the stereo she noticed a hint of cigarette smoke in the air. No big deal. They all had taken up cigs.
Snap!
Behind her?
In the hallway?
Fear sprayed through her blood.
“Kim?” she said, starting to turn.
In a split second she saw that the door she’d just shut, the one to Kim’s room was open and someone was looming in the darkened hallway. Someone who hadn’t been there an instant before.
“Hey! Who the hell are—” The words died in her throat when she noticed the belt in his hands. “Oh, Jesus!”
She screamed, but her attacker was on her in an instant. He slipped the thin belt over her head and looped it around her neck in a snap, cutting off her air, stifling her cry.
Oh, God! This jerkwad was going to hurt her! Rape her! Kill her! Fear curdled her insides.
She kicked, landed one blow with her heel and her assailant let out a hiss of pain.
Good!
She tried again but was jerked roughly to one side, her airway cut off, the pain in her lungs hot and tight.
This can’t be happening, she thought wildly. She was coughing and gasping, digging at the strap, struggling and flailing, throwing her weight around. Anything to loosen the ever-tightening collar!
No! No! No!
Kicking crazily, trying to land another blow on his shin, she slipped. He used the chance to wrench her up by the belt, holding her in the air. Dangling like a doll.
Hit the creep. Get the belt off your neck! Save yourself! Though her lungs were on fire, she flung her fist backward, trying to hit the monster in the nose or eyes or anything! The fingers of her other hand were scratching at the strap on her throat.
She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think.
Help me. Please, someone, anyone help me!
She wasn’t a wimp, but her strength was fading, the pain excruciating.
Passing out would be better.
No!
Don’t give up!
Fight!
Oh, God, the pain…I can’t breathe! Help! Please help me!
She gave up hitting and used both hands to try and free herself from the constricting strap.
Her fingers clawed at her neck.
Dug deep.
But it was too late.
Her lungs were bursting.
Pain screaming through her body.
Her heart thudding.
Blackness converging over her.
In that horrid instant, Laney knew. She knew she would never see her twenty-first birthday.
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