Two Peasants and a President Read Online Free

no light by which to count her scrapings on the floor, no measure of days or nights.  Only fitful sleep, nightmares and numbing fear.  Then she noticed something different.  She listened.  The dull throbbing of the distant engine had slowed.  Even in the darkness she sensed that her room was turning.  It was clear now that the ship that contained her iron prison had not only slowed but was turning.  But turning where?   Into what?   A new dread thrust its long, inelegant fingers deep inside her . 
    Holly tried again to tell herself that she is strong, but the words were brittle.  How many times had she told herself that since the honeym . . .  She pulled herself up short, having learned that there are words that invariably lead to tears.  Tears lead to despair, and despair leads to nothing. 
    This had to be an inflection point.  Surely they were nearing land.  She must somehow pull herself together enough to try to escape if the o p portunity presents. 
    She sensed they had slowed further.  She could hear other sounds now, harbor sounds.  She thought about the clothing in her suitcase.  What she was wearing had to be filthy and wrinkled.  That would stand out if she managed to run away.  She reached for the container of water, hoping to w ash with it, but it was empty. Then she remembered she had finished it. R e solved nonetheless to at least change her clothing, she knew she must be quick in case someone came.
    Hurriedly she pawed through the contents of her suitcase, searching by feel for what she needed.  Then she stripped off her clothes and in the dar k ness struggled into clean ones.  The thought of being caught naked on the mattress spurred her to move faster.  Finally she balled up her dirty clothes and thrust them into the suitcase.
    The sounds outside were growing more numerous now.  She was certain that she was in a harbor or the entrance to a river.  The sound of motor boats came and went.  She could feel their wakes against her floating prison.  Time passed slowly as she waited to learn her location, and her fate.
    She had almost drifted off again when the sound of loud voices brought her bolt upright.  The dim light beneath her door grew suddenly brighter.  She could hear voices speaking what sounded like Chinese.  Heavy metallic noises told her that a lock was being turned.  But she was unprepared for what happened next.  The door swung open and briefly she glimpsed two figures standing there.  In an instant, the blinding flash of light streaming through the door overwhelmed her vision.   Eyes, having no pain receptors, did what they must to protect themselves.  They signaled her hands to cover them and her eyelids to close.
    She wanted desperately to see her captors, to gather any information about them, but her eyes knew that in order to save themselves, they must not allow the light to damage them.  She almost cried when she realized that for now at least, she was blind.  She tried to open her eyes a little, but the primitive protective response only forced her to close them again.  Then she heard an accented male voice.
    “Do not be afraid.  You will not be harmed if you do not attempt to escape or call out.”
    It was almost laughable.   ‘Do not be afraid.’   Are they kidding?  They kidnap me, hold me prisoner for God knows how long, and then they say ‘Do not be afraid!’  She had started to say “ Where’s m y husband, you sons of bitches!” when she remembered that she had thought this through d uring her captivity. Shut up and act submissive.  Lull them into thinking you’re not going to give them any trouble.  Gather information and act on it when it becomes practicable.
    “Where am I?” she said with feigned timidity. 
    “You will know that soon,” was his menacing response.  “You will be taken to a place where you will receive food and be allowed to clean up.  If you resist, you will be sedated again.”
    O.K. So I’ll play along