Lily couldn't escape from the heaving mass of bodies; she bounced and bumped through them, gulping back her tears and embarrassment, desperate to get out of this insidious place. But she'd been spun round so much now, she'd lost her bearings and all sense of direction.
The faces blurred in to one giant visage of derision, seemingly hating her for her physical intrusion, openly mocking her for her tear-streamed face.
Thoughts raced through her mind, as much a blur as the encroaching crowd.
How could she have fallen for Buckley's charade?
How could she have believed Amy was real?
How could she have unburdened her innermost fears, fantasies and ambitions to a charlatan who was engineering a clumsy pass to get inside her panties?
No wonder that shitbag was leering at her so much last night in the store -- he'd seen her, legs spread, knuckle-deep inside herself.
She violently pushed a stranger to one side, and the crowd belched her out into an empty corridor.
Her chest heaved as she finally caught her breath. The weight of the night's events were too much, and she bent over, pushing her hands hard on her knees and felt herself go dizzy.
What did he expect? For her to fall in to his arms when the woman he created had failed to show up?
She wretched dryly, then propped herself against the wall, trying to stop the corridor spinning.
Movement in the corner of her eye made her look down the length of the hallway. From the dark she saw her neighbour striding toward her, no doubt heading back to the dance floor.
Her eyes were locked on Lily's, who couldn't look away as she strode ever closer. As she passed her, Lily heard her say, "Go home, you don't belong here." And with that, she was gone.
How dare she?
Lily couldn't believe it.
For a moment she forgot how low she was feeling, and let the indignation rise in her gut. It escaped her mouth in the form of a shriek, "Bitch."
But she was long gone, swallowed up by the heaving sea of dancing bodies.
Lily stuck her nose in the air impotently and stalked away down the lengthy hall. She had no idea where she was, or where this lead, but she didn't care so long as it was away from there.
It took her around a corner, then another, the lighting growing dimmer as she went deeper inside. Rounding another corner, she was presented with a line of doors on each wall. About a dozen in all, their paint peeling and handles mottled with years of use.
She hoped one of them was an exit and her chance of escape. The first handle didn't move when she tried, nor did the second. The third snapped down easily and the door swung open to reveal a janitor's closet. Lily suspected the cleaning products had never been touched.
Desperation rose as she tried handle after handle, only to find each door locked, until only one remained. Gripping the metal, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes and hoped. She heard it click open, and felt the door release.