Free The Face of Earth by Kirsty Winkler

safely. She knocked on the walls and inspected the floor. There must be a stairwell somewhere. What would happen if the power went out or the elevator broke? There must be another way out. She continued knocking, but no hollow sound greeted her. The walls and floor were solid.
    “Damn it!” Karina swore. Unable to leave, she looked around the open bay. One section was dedicated to the bedroom and had the bed where she had awoken, a nightstand with a lamp, and a dresser. She went over and opened the top drawer. It held socks and underwear in her size. She opened the other drawers and found shirts, shorts, and sweatpants, also in her size. A hamper sat next to the dresser for dirty laundry. A feeling of dread crept over her. How long did they plan on keeping her here?
    She continued around the bay to the next section. A comfortable couch sat in front of a large screen TV. Several tall bookcases held hundreds of DVDs. The feeling of dread increased, and became almost unbearable as she investigated the next section, a kitchen area. The cupboards were full of food and a well-stocked fridge stood near a brand-new stove. Karina moved numbly to the couch and sat. She stared at the blank screen on the TV. Apparently she was staying awhile.
     
    *           *           *
     
    One day, almost a year into her stay, Karina lounged on the couch watching The Fifth Element for the twentieth time. It was just as entertaining as it was the first time, possibly even more so since her familiarity with it allowed her to notice more of the cleverly written and acted nuances. She had lost track of the number of days, and even weeks since her captivity began, since there were no clocks or calendars in her fancy prison. She kept track of time by her period count, and she had eleven since she was taken by the Lazarus League. She was left alone most of the time, except when they sent in armed men to collect her laundry and restock her food. She would watch them watch her warily as they went about their business.
    As the credits rolled, the elevator doors opened and the usual armed men entered the room. Another man in a white coat followed behind them. Karina sat up with interest. This was something new. The thugs pointed their weapons at her.
    “Don’t move,” one of them ordered.
    Karina raised an eyebrow at the unnecessary threat. She had no intention of moving. There was no point to it. The man in the white coat approached her.
    “Roll up your sleeve, please,” he asked politely. He held a syringe with a long needle in one hand.
    Karina slapped her hand over her arm as if that would stop him from drugging her. “What’s that?” she questioned defiantly.
    “Just something to relax you.” Karina glared at the man, and he sighed. “I promise, it’s not an illegal drug, and it won’t hurt you.” Karina continued to stare at him silently. He sighed again, irritated. “I recommend that you allow me to give it to you, otherwise, I’ll have to force it on you.” He nodded toward the armed men, who put away their weapons. One of them grinned at her and cracked his knuckles; the other leered, raking his eyes up and down her body.
    Karina looked back to the man with the syringe. Since they had kept her unharmed as a prisoner for almost a year, it seemed unlikely that they would kill her now. And the alternative of having it forced on her was unappealing. She pushed up her T-shirt sleeve and exposed her upper arm. The man wiped her arm with an alcohol pad and inserted the needle deep into the muscle before pushing the plunger down. Karina winced in pain but said nothing. She sat back on the couch and rubbed her sore shoulder. The man stood back and waited.
    Soon Karina began to feel a little fuzzy. Her body felt heavy, and suddenly she just wanted to sleep. She lowered her head onto one of the couch cushions. Then she heard a voice speaking from very far away.
    “She’s ready.” The man in the white coat pulled her to her