When Stella Grace awakened, she asked Suzi Shine for the time.
A clock was placed on the table.
She was acutely aware that she had been imprisoned in the dark little house for seven days.
In all that time, she had not uttered a single word.
On the morning of the eighth day, she was blindfolded and hurled into an unlicensed van.
The van went round and round. She also changed vehicles a few times.
After three hours, they finally dropped her off.
Stella ripped off her blindfold.
The 10 o'clock sunlight was very glaring.
She could not open her eyes at all, so she had to close them. She calmed down and slowly tried again.
Before her was a fountain
in which stood a sculpture of a woman holding a child.
Such irony.
The trees and grass were emerald green, and the flowers were crimson red.
She was still alive.
