It was difficult to think clearly, to remember when her energy was so low. The sloppy gruel they’d been feeding her was barely enough, but that’s ...hat they wanted her to be, weak and desperate. She didn’t want to eat the food – if you could call it that, she wanted to defy them, not be dependant on them, but, while she was proud, she wasn’t senseless. Time, Azalea thought. There was no concept of time down here. No ticking second hand, no dripping water, nothing. She used to be able to sense. ’ ‘Stop at the park?’ The park was deserted and darkened with shadows. The neighborhood children called this ‘The Castle’. Volunteers from the community had worked together to construct this play fortress of plastic, wood, and rubber tires. There were swings, slides, places to climb, and little nooks where only small children could fit all connected and enclosed so that parents could sit on the scattering of benches and relax while their children played within, unable to escape them. Karen and. It wasn’t that I could walk with impunity anywhere I chose, but I was well-protected. It took more than a casual touch to cripple me.More dangerous were the darkened alleys between various strip shows, sex shops, and offers to get laid tonight by imaginary bored housewives. Drugs, guns, sex in every variety were offered by people with no front door presence. Unwilling organ donors wailed in the distance as their bloody body parts were offered to the highest bidder. And as ineffectual as. . have you seen Nadine tonight?" No, Mrs. Sheldon. I've been home all evening." You didn't go to the rehearsal, then?" Un unh. I'm not in the pageant, you know." Yes... yes, I know, Ann. Well, thank you anyway." Of course. 'Night." Bye."Momentarily, Susan sat silently thinking. She dialed a second number. A woman answered and Susan identified herself. Momentarily, Rickie Thompson's unmistakable voice spoke."Rickie, do you know where Nadine is?" No. How would I know? That creep, Jamey Halo.