Forcing into the Guilded Cage

"I may decide to come back for another helping of you," he says as he removes all but one layer of tape that is holding my forearms behind my back. "It will only take you a few minutes to free yourself, but that's enough time that I will be long gone."

KELLY!!!

KELLY!!!!

ARE YOU ALL RIGHT???

A sudden, sharp slap brought me out of my trance-like memory. "KELLY," Sue was shouting at me. "Are you all right? You seemed to get so distant and far away I was afraid you were having a stroke." "Do you need to go to the emergency room?"

"No," I said to Sue. "I'm sorry I worried you, I just got caught up in thinking about my MIA life, that's all."

"Well," said Sue, "If you are sure. But you certainly did look like you had gone far, far away for a little while there. Please call me if you feel funny and decide you need a ride to the doctor, it's more discreet than an ambulance."

"Thanks, Sue," I replied. "You are a good friend indeed."

and then I went inside my house, reset the repaired alarm system, and wondered if my rapist was going to accept my invitation. And I wondered what would happen if he did accept, but that's another story.