"Just outside town," Carolyn said. "It'll only take a few minutes."
Carolyn was aware of the car that pulled out behind them. She waited until they were on the highway and she was sure it was the right car.
Then she turned off at the first dirt road she saw.
"What are you doing?" Julia asked. Her voice was beginning to sound a little alarmed.
Carolyn pulled the car to the side of the road and turned the motor off.
"What are you doing?" Julia asked again.
"I'm sorry, Julia," Carolyn said. "But I had no choice. I really didn't."
Julia realized they were not alone. She gasped as she looked out her window and saw a big, brutal looking man reaching for her door handle.
She tried to lock it but she wasn't quick enough. The door opened and the brutal looking man smiled at her.
"Get out, honey," he said. "The party's just getting started."
"Carolyn," Julia said. "What does this mean?"
Carolyn shrugged her shoulders.
"Come on," the man said. "I haven't got all day."
Julia was too stunned to fight. She got numbly out of the car and let the man take her arm. He guided her back to the car behind them.
There was a young blonde man behind the wheel. He gave Julia a leering smile.
"No," Julia said. "No, I can't go anywhere with you."
Julia jerked her arm away. She couldn't believe that Carolyn had started her car and was driving away. Carolyn was her friend. Carolyn wouldn't do that.
"Now let's not get rough," the man said. "We can be good friends if you act right."
"Keep away from me," Julia said.
"It's a pity," the man said. "And you were doing so well. I thought this might be easy."
He grabbed her arm and she raked her nails across his arm. He slapped her hard across her face. She stepped back and he took her arm again.
"In the car," he said.
She was determined that she wasn't going to get into that car. She tried to pull away from him again. This time he held her steady with one hand while he blocked her raking nails with the other.
"Stop it," he said. "Stop it or I'm going to have to get rough."
She tried to kick him but he moved too quickly. He took her small hand in his big fist and started squeezing. She was aware of sharp pains and then her arm started going numb. Tears stung at her eyes.
"Get in the car, honey," he said softly. "In the back seat."
She was slowly going down to her knees on the dirt road. She could only nod her head. He released her and this time she didn't fight as he pushed her into the back seat.
"That's better," he said. Much better."
She slid into the back seat and pulled her skirt back down over her knees. She saw his eyes going slowly over her body and she felt a pang of alarm.