CHAPTER 9

Mandy sighs as she looks up at the woman, still wondering what her name could be. She has been here only for a few hours; how can it be too late to escape? Looking up at the woman, she wants to ask questions to learn more.

At the same moment, both their eyes look up as the door opens, and dozens of girls start to come in. Mandy looks at their faces as many have red eyes and are crying. Of course, they are absurd and harmed by the people there. "What happened?" The African girl asks as she rises from her position."Boris," a young woman answers."Damn him, I wish he just...""Anika, no," the girl shakes her head furiously, "he spits on Miraa.""Oh, fuck!" Anika spins on her heels, and Mandy feels her looking directly through her, "Did your friend come in yet?""No, but she is Viktor's..."Mandy sighed as the girl waved her hand, dismissing her: "That doesn't matter now; all the girls need to get out of the house—all of them.""Wait? Why?""Is she here!?" Anika commands as Mandy stands, wiping her tears.Mandy spends the next five minutes trying to find Kama among the girls coming in. They seem to all be shaken up by something they had witnessed. Most refused to speak with her as they had witnessed her come to the party, be favored by Viktor, and then leave. She has a sense, a feeling of pure jealousy.Running back to Anika, MN feels a sense of panic rising in her, "Kama isn't here!""We have to go in and get her," Anika says, grabbing Mandy's arm and propelling her forward to the house!'"I need to go! I can't be here!" Mandy yells.'The only chance to leave is to earn the right to... Come on!""No, what is happening!" Mandy stops and looks at the girl defiantly.Anika sighs, "Did you see the girl on the leash at Viktor's side?""Yes... I felt so sorry for her. I felt like she was the one who..." Mandy stops, seeing anger and surprise on Anima's face. " What?""I wish I were her. She is not." Anika holds the bridge of her nose in her hand as she sighs. I can't deal with this now. We must go and ensure all the girls are out of there."Mandy paused as the African woman ran back towards the house. Everything in her body tells her to run, to escape. But the idea of packs of wolves in the woods terrified her. The idea is that her best chance of survival is being trusted to keep the group's secret. Of course, she wouldn't keep the secret. These girls are brainwashed, unable to think for themselves.Yes, she felt an unnatural desire for Viktor and still does. Something powerful about his magnetism speaks to her unlike anything or anyone ever has. She feels this need to be close to feel so commanded and helpless simultaneously, but it's not worth giving up her life for. She needs the freedom to do things on her own and to have command of the world.A question flickers in her mind, a doubt. What would she be giving up? What would she even miss? A job she hates, roommates who steal her food and cash from her wallet. Shakes her head and sighs; no, this isn't what she needs or even wants. She needs to get out of here before something terrible happens.But still, she can't abandon Kama. No matter what she may feel she is due this right to leave. She can't abandon a childhood friend. Cursing her fucking curiosity, Mandy sighed, stood, and ran after Anika, scared of what she would find. For in a room full of monsters, why would they ever leave?There is something. S—something most indescribable in—acting her thoughts. She wonders if Mira is okay as, the girls speak of her still in the room. Even if she is lost, even if she is brainwashed, even if she is a willing victim, Mandy can't help but want to save her. Whatever is happening to her father, and no one should see that.