Page 34 of Acts of Contrition

The woman smiles, as if proud of her sadism.

“It will send a selected amount of voltages up your arm if it seems like you will try to escape,” Thomas continues. “And the range is long, even if you happen to be a faster runner than either of the ladies. A certain number of shocks like that will stop your heart.” He looks me in the eye, and I am too afraid to look away. He’s never threatened to kill me before. “Do you understand the consequences?”

I nod. If I want my freedom, I have to be willing to die for it.

“You … you’ll let me out even if I choose death over being with you for the rest of my life?”

He nods. “You have to know you wouldn’t have survived much longer anyway, little dove. Not the way you were going.”

He was right. Hell, there was a good chance a John would’ve killed me by now already. Especially in that neighborhood. And I can’t forget nearly dying on the street aftermy former “guardian” dumped my body. All this? Ever since I escaped Mike? Borrowed time.

“So, terms are: we go out, we have fun, we come home. You don’t run away,” Catherine says brightly. “What do you say?”

I look back at Thomas, who is still holding my hand. The gentle touch gives me the creeps. “I talk back at every turn. Why do you think you can trust me?”

“Because I believe, deep down, you trustme, and you know you belong here. And besides, I only just found you. I have to pray I won’t lose you yet.” He steps away and nods at the women. “Sister, Mother. Have a good day.”

Lisa reaches into her pocket and pulls out a tape measure. “I think we are almost the same size. Eight?” She moves towards me. “Stand up.”

My eyes widen, and she takes it wrong.

“Hey, I can’t strangle you with this. Too much give in the elastic.”

“No … Ican’tbe a size eight, are you kidding? He’ll…”

The women glance at each other.

“Thomas was insistent you gain some weight. You were … unhealthy,” Catherine explains. “I don’t think an eight or a six or even a fourteen would bother him as long as you didn’t appear as though you were suffering from famine.”

I nod, trying to remember I am not under Mike’s thumb. I don’t need to look small and young and fragile here. These women certainly don’t, though Catherine is a tiny woman. Her presence, though, is vibrant and not small in the least.

“Pleasestand up so I can be sure and bring you some clothes,” Lisa says with a huff.

I nod and stand, letting her measure my waist and inseam.

“You’re taller than me, but yeah. An eight. Shoe size?”

“Seven and a half.”

She grins. “What colors do you like?”

“I don’t have to wear white or pale colors?”

Catherine gives an indulgent smile. “That is a choice, especially when we are at worship or out on rescue missions. Not a rule for all the time.”

“I … like black,” I admit. “And red.”

Lisa returns with an armful of clothes and says, “There’s a sports bra; we’re definitely not the same size to give you a regular one.” She dumps the clothes on the bed next to me and adds, “I’m going to unlock the anklet. The bracelet is on. Consider your movements wisely.”

The weight falls off my ankle for the first time in a month, and it hits me: I’m actually stronger than I was when I got here. Healthier. Catherine doesn’t look like someone who runs a lot, and I don’t think Lisa would want her fake eyelashes to fall off from the exertion.

Thomas is somewhere upstairs, I assume, but probably not guarding the door.

I could run.

I could also die.

Catherine seems like a nice little church lady, but she and her husband condoned Thomas drugging, kidnapping, and torturing me for a month. So I have no doubt she wouldn’t hesitate to use the electroshocks on me.

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