Chapter 22

After the elevator stopped descending and the doors opened, we were unloaded like nothing more than cargo. I stared into my little girl's eyes, red from crying. After Alex had turned thirteen, she became much more private about her personal space and no longer allowed me in her room when she dressed. She had developed from a child to a young lady, but up until the horror of our abduction, I hadn't realized just how much she had matured physically. Now, against my will I had been forced to watch as my baby was put on display and sexually assaulted by these horrible men and women. And she was force to watch the same happen to me. It was a nightmare. I closed my eyes so I didn't have to see her arched body and breasts pushed forward, only inches from my own, nipples stiff from the cool air. My jaw ached from the gag. The collar around my neck held my head back and made it hard to breath. My knees and shins, strapped down firmly to padded indentations, tingled from lack of circulation. How could this happen? How did it happen? Alex and I were returning from lunch and the car stalled out on the deserted stretch of Old State Road 7. I was so happy to see the tow truck pull up behind only seconds later, what luck! That's when they took us.

After that I don't recall much other than sleeping and dreaming disturbing dreams. When my head finally cleared, I awoke in a bright room with a bed and bars over the window. Alex was not with me and I immediately called out for her. "Mom, I'm here, locked in a room" she had replied. It sounded like she was right next door to my room. Thank the lord she was ok. When I tried the door to my room, it too was locked. For the next few days we were not allowed to see each other, but we could talk through the walls.

During the second day was when they took each of us for the medical exam. Alex screamed out as they came to take her, and then suddenly she was silent. There was nothing I could do to help. It was horrible. She was returned silently, most likely still sleeping, drugged. I know this because my turn was next. When I awoke from the exam, my clothing was gone and I was wearing nothing more than cotton panties and a tank-top, not my own. Under closer examination, I realized they had neatly trimmed my pubic hair. Even worse, there was a small bandage covering an incision on my thigh. What had they done to me? I wept at the thought that the same had been done to Alex.

The days of captivity continued. Each day we were told to shower, given clean undergarments (but no real clothing), and fed meals through a panel in the door. But why were we here? I could hear other women, in other rooms. Some cried, others yelled in defiance. At first I had assumed Alex and I had been taken for ransom. Yet with so many of us held captive I began to think of another possibility, a terrible horrible possibility, something I had read about in the news; female slave trafficking. I tried my best to push these thoughts from my mind.

After what seemed like a week, we were told to prepare to be moved. That morning was the first time I had seen Alex since our abduction. We hugged until they pulled us apart. Large men directed Alex and I, plus six other young women out of our prison and into the sun light. From there we were loaded onto a bus and driven to a large facility. From the look of the tropical surroundings, I was no longer in the States. Any thought of rescue faded. At least I had my daughter sitting by my side, for the moment.

That moment was short. We were directed off the bus and into the building through a set of solid metal doors flanked by colorful tropical bushes. Once inside the building, other men waited to take us away one by one. A young girl whose name I learned was Abbey was taken first. Five minutes later they took a Japanese girl who did not seem to speak any English. Next they wanted Alex. We held each other tight and screamed for help. The men were strong and pulled us apart. One held me while the other dragged Alex away. When they came for me I didn't resist, hoping they would bring me back to my daughter, but too my dismay I was led down a hall and into a dimly lit room. In the center of the room was a large gray cylinder or barrel of some kind. It was maybe two feet tall and three feet in diameter. There were holes around the sides and the top had odd side-by-side indentations and straps. Off to the side of the room I noticed other similar cylinders. There was another man and also a young woman. I begged them to tell me where Alex was, but they remained silent.

The girl approached with an aerosol can while the man who had led me in stood behind holding my arms behind my back. She sprayed my breasts, wetting the thin cotton material. Almost immediately I felt a warm sensation, and then just as quickly my leg muscles just gave out. Had it not been for the brute holding my arms I would have collapsed to the floor. The second man grabbed my waist and the two of them lifted me easily onto the cylinder like a sack of potatoes. My legs, bent at the knees, fit into the padded indentations and were strapped down. The men held me upright, ogling my breasts, while the girl put leather straps on my wrists and around my neck. "This one seems older, but still fucking hot" they had said. I wanted to yell out but it was like my entire body was limp, including my vocal cords. The thought that I was totally helpless and these men could touch me wherever they wished brought tears to my eyes. A pole was inserted behind me. It was cold against my thinly covered backside. Then my arms were bound in a way that caused so much pain I thought my shoulders would dislocate. When they bent my body back and hooked the collar around my neck to the pole I started to really panic; if they let go I would choke. Lastly, a rubber ball was stuffed into my mouth and secured with straps under my hair.