Chapter 1

She rested and waited for the footsteps to return. She tried to slow her breathing down; panic was setting in. The room was dark and damp. She thought she was in a basement but there were no windows or any other source of light. It was dark; so dark in fact that she couldn’t see her own hand in front of her face. Karen wondered how she got to this place, wherever she was. The last thing she remembered was stepping out of the shower, bending over to wrap her long strawberry blond hair in a towel and then everything went black. She knew she was wearing a sweater and sweat pants n0w, but other than that she had no idea as to where she was or who did this to her. Her throat was dry and she was hoarse from crying, begging for her freedom. Her surroundings smelled like earth, freshly dug, not mildew or moldy but how a garden smells after a summer rain. Suddenly Karen heard a door open and footsteps approaching. The whispering started too far away to hear clearly at first. As the footsteps came closer the words became clearer…

“…know ye not that these things are an abomination in the sight of the LORD; yea, most abominable above all sins save it shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost? For behold, if ye deny the Holy Ghost when it once has had place in you, and ye know that ye deny it, behold, this is a sin which is unpardonable; yea, and whosoever murdereth against the light and knowledge of God shall be guilty of such a great crime. I will not dwell upon your crime, to harrow up your soul, if it not for your own good. Karen I am your executioner. You have been found guilty for your sins and your punishment will commence in twelve hours. May God have mercy upon your soul even though the murder of the innocent you committed showed no mercy upon that soul! Twelve hours…know ye not…”

The whispering trailed off as the footsteps retreated.

“What murder? I didn’t murder anyone! What are you talking about? Who are you? Why do you want to kill me?” Karen heard the door close and then she stopped screaming and started to cry. She had no idea what she had done to deserve all this. Karen folded onto the cold ground and held her knees close to her chest. Twelve hours…so little time to go over her entire life to find out why she was there and perhaps change the mind of whoever was doing this.