A special thank you to my editor just_a_bibliomaniac who not only edited but kept me encouraged and excited about writing.
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Extraordinary
Chapter 1: When I Lie
Christina Henderson is standing in the center of the stone circle naked and in pain. Shed doesn't want to be here and she's afraid of what is supposed to happen. Afraid is not a strong enough word to describe how she is feeling, perhaps panic or paralyzing terror is more accurate. She takes a ragged breath as she scans the area around the stone circle hoping to see anyone she might recognize, but all she sees is the faceless monsters only psychopaths could ever dream up.
Christina has no clue why she of all people is being thrust into this unbelievable situation but she can pin point the start of what led up to this horrific moment. It all started when she lied, nothing ever good happens when she lies. See, she is not quite twenty-one yet. With her unique fashion sense that usually consisted of mismatched, whimsical clothing that messily draped over her lanky frame and naturally high-pitched voice she could easily pass as an awkward freshman in high school. It should not come as a surprise that she was a wee bit nervous to buy her first fake id.
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"Chrissy come on, you're almost twenty-one. I promise no one will notice." Christina's best friend Lilly said with a hint of annoyance in her voice. Since childhood Lilly had been such a troublemaker she actually thought her name was "No" until she was five years old. Now at the age of twenty-two she was a force of nature. She had become friends with Christina in third grade when Nick Samuelson pulled Lilly's platinum blonde piggy tails. Nick had pulled her hair so hard that Lilly had fallen over and hit her head against the merry-go-round. Christina had marched right up to Nick and poured glue on him and called him a booger head. Ever since that day they had been best friends or partners in crime as their parents liked to say.
"I think the id looks great, now quit whining and come on before you make us late. " Rem said anxiously while shoving Christina's purse into her hands. Rem had recently been hired as the new CNA at the nursing home Lilly and Christina work at and all three had instantly clicked. It was easy to get along with Rem's sweet personality but there was just something about her that was a little quirky that had endeared her to Lilly and Christina.
The three friends were going to a new club called Undertones which already had rave reviews. As the girls walked up to the door to the club Christina couldn't shake the dread creeping up her spine, leaving the hair on the back her neck on end. She was nervous about the fake id sure, but to her this felt like she was in danger. When she stopped Rem turned around and cocked her head with a look of compassion and curiosity written in her eyes.
"What's wrong now?" Rem said as she walked up to Christina's side and sighed when the only response she got was a mere shrug. With an encouraging and reassuring tug on her hand Rem practically dragged a nervous Christina to the bouncer.
At the bar Lilly ordered some fruity drinks and started to chat about all the hotties that were at the club that night. When Christina didn't put her two cents in the other two girls glared at her with growing annoyance. She mumbled something incoherent to appease her friends but was trying to hatch a plan to leave early. She was more a home body anyways; she would rather curl up on her overstuffed chair reading a good book then to be crammed in a small club like sardines with strangers.
When the drinks finally arrived the small group found a table near the back to occupy. It had the best view of the crowd and assured that Christina wouldn't bolt for the door when the others weren't paying attention.
