Read Vanished for Free Online Page B

hours. Fighting tears and a fresh wave of humiliation, she realized she’d never thought the whole world could shatter in three measly hours.
    The crush of the situation pressed in on her, and her breath caught in her lungs. She yanked the towel from her hair and tossed it into the bathroom. Not sure what else to do, she sat on her bed. Back to the wall, she pulled her legs to her chest, resting her chin on her knees. The tight coil seemed to offer some measure of comfort. If she could just squeeze up tighter, maybe she could disappear. Focused on the screen as it shifted to the eleven winners, her eyes narrowed.
    Strong male faces, most of them handsome, nagged at her. The council had really done it. All these young, pretty men were poster children; perfect. The council gone so far as to televise her trial, making sure the whole world watched a man overpower her, take her, and then showed her the mocking, smiling faces of those who would be going. As the screen showed each picture and the names of the men, she gasped when Zoltan’s name was called and his familiar face appeared.
    The embarrassment took a backseat to the sharp taste of fury and she leaped to her feet. Snagging the vase from the bedside table, she hurled it at the screen. The clear screen shorted as the glass shattered against it. A round smash cracked away from the center of the impact, and the backsplash rained down water and glass shards.
    The screen blinked a nd fuzzed, the sound still coming through as the program continued, and tears streamed down her face. She couldn’t make it stop. It wouldn’t stop. Ever. She’d never be free of this. She clamped her hands over her ears, but a movement snagged her attention.
    A tray, thrust through the mini opening onto the counter behind the door, housed dinner. The scent of food lured her forward and she padded over to go gather the bounty. Taking the tray back to her bed, she sat, curling up while eating.
    Listening to the news, because she had no other choice, she soaked in the details of the pending mission. She nibbled on the simple meal of greens and fish, though it tasted like ash on her tongue. The fork reflected her face, but there was a new gleam in her eye, something she couldn’t quite place.
    Moving the tray aside, her eye caught the glitter of broken glass on the floor. She stood, gathering one of the longer shards. It stung, slicing her hand as she gripped it, blood running down the edge that hung at her side.
    She stared at the screen. They were watching, she was sure of it. Even now, they would be analyzing every move she made. She lifted the glass, staring at it for a moment. Gathering her hair in her fist at the base of her neck, she slipped the sharp edges between her skin and the mostly-dry alabaster strands.
    With a quick jerk, she severed the locks and the short ends sprang forward to trace her face like loving fingers. Dropping the shard to the side, she took the length of white locks and dropped them, watching the delicate ribbons flutter to the floor in a heap.
    Her lips parted and she lifted blue eyes so light they might be silver to the camera. The trailing locks around her face shifted back ever so slightly, the touch electric. Some sense of strength coursed through her, and she stalked back to the bed, every step tense. Curling back up, she finished her food in peace, a small smile creeping across her lips. They’d have no idea what to think, and that was satisfactory.
    When finished, she replaced the tray on the counter and curled up in bed. Pulling the covers up over her head, she let silent tears slip down her cheeks. She squeezed her eyes closed, cursing the pain jabbing at her heart. How dare they?
    Her breaths evened out, and she slipped into some uneasy place between sleep and waking. Images raced through her mind, too quick to place, but the sense of dread accompanying them couldn’t be mistaken.
    The sensation of falling elicited a jerk from her muscles and she woke,