PROLOGUE
It’s inevitable; I am going to die today.
My eyes are open, but I see nothing but darkness. The moisture from the ground seeps through my pants, and the smell of wet dirt and rotten eggs inundates my nostrils.
“Fuck,” I murmur to myself. “How the hell did I get in this mess?”
I crawl on my hands and knees, carefully feeling for anything submerged in the wet earth that I can use as a weapon. I pause and pat myself down, searching for any items my captor could have missed, but my pockets are empty.
Footsteps echo around me. I freeze.
He’s coming.
The footsteps cease, and the sudden silence is broken by the familiar sound of keys jingling beyond the door. Clumsily, the metal is forced into the opening and I hear a click. There is a short pause and then I hear the metal once more, followed by another click. The door swings open and an intense beam of light blinds me. I lift a hand to block the brightness, hoping to adjust my vision.
Standing beyond the light is a dark silhouette. My hand trembles. I cannot conceal my fear. My heart beats intensely as sweat drips from my brow.
I have to think fast. With my other hand behind me on the ground, I grab a fistful of dirt.
Slowly, he walks closer to me.
This is my only chance. Before he can say anything, I chuck the dirt at his head as hard as I can. His hands reach for his face as the soil disorients him. While he is temporarily blinded, I stand up and knee him in his groin. He hunches over, and I push him with what is left of my strength.
I sprint away from him, but he is not far behind. He grunts and groans as he attempts to close the distance between us. My lungs burn, but I cannot slow down. I have to keep running—my life depends on it.
