Page 13 of Sold to the Alien Smugglers

As we walk, I yank the knife from my belt, holding it in front of me. Tessa grabs a hunk of rusted metal from a shelf we pass, and grips it tightly in her own hand, ready to stab.

If our would-be rapist was still alive in these dark corridors, he’d regret running into us.

The light from my smart-watch quivers. I glance down and see that my hand’s shaking. I clench my fist, trying to stop the shivering. I can’t let Tessa know how scared I am.

There’s another hugethudthat I feel in my ribcage. The whole ship is rocked from side to side, and Tessa and I have to cling to the pipes and cables as the deck lurches beneath us.

Then, the entire ship buckles – and I’m thrown into the air.

My head cracks against the wall –again.

Everything goes black.