Page 81 of Brightness

I take in the beautiful women—all blonde—of various ages. The one who’s probably in her forties ushers me up the stairs. She could be the leader, for all I fricking know. There’s another in her twenties, and the youngest has to be barely sixteen.

I turn to the sixteen-year-old while shaking my head. “Why are you here?”

She beams like she’s so freaking happy it astounds me as we take the last step and begin walking down a hall. “We follow his path. The only path.”

I roll my shoulders as they lead me into a massive bedroom. “And what path is that?”

They all turn to me simultaneously, smiling as if they’ve just stepped out of The Stepford Wives, and answer in unison, “Enlightenment.”

My eyes widen as they pull me inside the room, and the youngest closes the door behind us. I take them in carefully.

It’s fucking weird as hell.

They’re all wearing the same matching light blue dresses.

The older one sits me in a chair while the middle woman stands in front of me.

Those flight instincts are starting to kick back in.

“You give yourself over to him. Mind, body, and soul. It’s so freeing to surrender to someone else’s will.” She slides down the material covering her left breast, and right there, marring her skin, is a scar—a symbol etched deep into her flesh. My eyes widen as the other two slide their dresses down to reveal the same symbol on their left breast as well.

I scoff loudly. “The fuck it is! Be your own person. Sure, there are times to let someone in and take charge, but not to control your whole life. That’s fucking madness.”

They stand back, ignoring me as the older woman walks over, carrying a white dress. “You need to rid yourself of the clothes you currently possess and let us celebrate your rebirth.”

I snort out a laugh. “You’re joking, right?”

They say nothing. The younger one shifts, then reaches for the hem of my shirt.

I slap at her hand. “Get the fuck away from me!”

The middle-aged one lunges forward. I shriek before she pulls my arms behind my body. I try to fling my head back to headbutt her as the older woman begins some incantation. The younger one slides back into my sight, holding a syringe.

My eyes widen, and I gasp. “Come near me with that thing, and I will make it my personal mission to hunt you down.”

Her eyes flick to the asshole who’s holding me captive, and I feel them nod excessively behind me. I jerk my body, trying like hell to get out of her grip, and kick forward as the young one steps closer. She moves to my side, jabbing me in the bicep, and I cry out at the sharp sting. “You will be with us soon, Ivy. Rest now, and while you do that, we will get you ready.”

Warmth floods through my veins, but I try to fight. I keep resisting. Soon, my body weakens to the point I can’t control it. My eyelids become heavy, and they flutter, becoming harder and harder to peel back open.

Nooo!

The older woman comes into view as the other one lets me go, and they sit me back on the chair.

My head is heavy.

The last thing I remember is them pulling my shirt over my head.

Then everything goes black.

***

It’s like I’m floating, but not on a bed of clouds.

On something much, much harder.

Something uncomfortable poking into my body.

I try to gain my bearings.

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