December 1988


It was dark and Sarah's head hurt. Where was she? Everything was so fuzzy.


What happened?

Where was she?


She opened her mouth to speak, but her throat was sore and only a scratchy whisper came out.


"Somebody! Somebody help me! Where am I?" Now she was beginning to feel scared.


Something wasn't right.


What had happened? Hadn't she walked home?


The walk home. Something happened on the walk home.


Sarah began to slowly recall.


Mrs. Maxwell and her Christmas cookies...

Cutting through the old bus lot...

The creepy woman with the cigarette...


THE CREEPY WOMAN WITH THE CIGARETTE!


Suddenly she remembered where she had seen that woman. That was Priestess Tzarinah from that talk show that she had watched with her mom a few months back!


Oh my God, this is a nightmare! This has got to be a nightmare! Please God, let me wake up and I will never watch that type of trash again!


"Somebody!!!" She tried calling out again.


"No one is going to hear you, so you'd better just be quiet!" Tzarinah's harsh voice answered back.


Suddenly, everything was coming into view.


It was dark and she was on what looked like a small bed. Across from her, at the end of the bunk sat Tzarina, chain-smoking.


"I told you it was a gross habit," Tzarinah blew her smoke toward Sarah and cackled when Sarah started coughing.


"I know you," Sarah croaked. "I saw you on that TV show!"


"You did? Oh my goodness, you're going to make me blush," Tzarinah was feigning like she was some kind of celebrity greeting a fan.


"You guys got kicked off," Sarah's voice was slowly getting stronger.


"You shut your little whore mouth about that!" Tzarinah jumped up and pointed her finger toward Sarah's face. "Gerald Rivena is a piece of trash! I do not tolerate disrespect like that! He will be sorry!" She hissed.


"I don't like him either! Please stop yelling at me!" Sarah began to cry.


"You don't like him?" Tzarinah grew calm again.


"No, I think he's a jerk," Sarah sniffled.


Tzarinah got up and grabbed a dishrag. She handed it to Sarah, who then dried her eyes and blew her nose.


"Thank you," she whispered, hot tears still spilling from her eyes.


Tzarinah took Sarah's face in her hands.


"Treat me with the respect I deserve, and we will get along just fine," she spoke with smoky breath.


"Okay, I will. Please don't hurt me!" Sarah's voice crackled again as sobs began to overtake her.


"Stop that blubbering or I'll have the Priest knock you out again!" Tzarinah stood and lit herself a new cigarette.


"Okay, okay!" Sarah whispered through her gasps. She tried to move her legs, to get into a more comfortable position, but they were tied to the foot of the bunk.


"When I know I can trust you, I'll let you walk around a little," Tzarinah gestured toward Sarah's feet.


"I have to go to the bathroom," Sarah squeaked.


"So go then," Tzarinah shrugged carelessly. "That sounds like a You-Problem," she grinned.


"Just let her go already," a man's voice came from the other side of the room. "I'm not going to stay in a cabin with someone who is pissing and shitting themselves."


It was Jarrel and he sounded frustrated.


"Fine, then you take her." Tzarinah reached down and untied Sarah's ankles. "But don't you fucking try anything!" She spoke through clenched teeth that were holding her cigarette in place.


"I won't, I won't," Sarah rasped.


Jarrel walked over and grabbed Sarah by the arm.


"It's out there," he said, using his head to gesture to the outside.


Outside, it was snowing and the wind was howling.


Sarah shivered at the thought but got up anyway. She really had to go!


Jarrel escorted her to an outhouse behind the cabin where they were holed up.


"I'll stand right here, don't try anything." Jarrel opened up the outhouse door.


Sarah walked inside and shakily did her business. She looked all around. Even if she wanted to do anything, there were no windows in this small shack.


She finished and opened the door slowly.


Jarrel grabbed her arm and started leading her back to the cabin.


"Better?" He asked.


"I guess," Sarah answered.


Her bladder felt better, but at that moment, she wondered if she would ever feel truly better again.