R.E.M.: The Hidden World by Corrie Fischer Read Free Book Online

years, she did everything possible to improve her weight, she still despised herself.  Her own self revelations and hatred emerged some years ago, after the death of a close friend.  Since then, guilt followed her like a plague and Emily sought out every reason to disapprove of herself.  It was one thing she and her father seemed to agree on; she was worthless. 
    Her self image started to improve slightly a few months prior when she met her boyfriend, Kyle.  He assured her of her beauty, complimenting her daily.  It helped, some, but Emily’s true self thoughts remained locked in stone.  At first, she convinced herself Kyle’s words were for one purpose only.  After all, every man just wanted to get laid, right?  However, after holding off for several months, preserving her remaining ounce of purity, Emily finally decided this was not his primary intention.  She promised him her eighteenth birthday would be their special day.
    “It’s my birthday…”  Having gotten lost in thought, the words seemed to slip out like spilled milk.  Emily’s mind was then instantly drawn back to her current predicament.
    “Well, isn’t that something?”  Nothing about the woman’s words sounded harsh, but there was a cruelty in her voice that frightened Emily.
    “What do you want with me?  Why have you trapped me like an animal?!”  The boldness of her words shocked even Emily.  Perhaps it was the growing pain in her arm that caused her give-a-shit factor to decrease so rapidly.
    “I do apologize about the way you were brought here.  My men were uncertain where your loyalty in this land lies.  I can see, however, that you are absolutely no threat to us.”  With the last words breathed, the woman leaned over, her enormous breasts directly in Emily’s line of sight.  Emily blushed and turned away, instantaneously aware of her own B-size cups.  The woman lifted the latch on the cage and opened the door, removing a side of the spikes surrounding her.  Hesitantly, Emily leaned forward.
    “Come on, my dear, I will not bite.”  Her words were not reassuring.  Nevertheless, Emily felt somewhat relieved to crawl out of the horrendous trap.  The woman’s hand was resting by the cage door and Emily, believing it to be an offer of assistance, reached out towards it.
    Hiss!  
    The woman drew her hand back instantly, seemingly out of pure reaction.  For a split second, her soft, blue eyes transformed into a tsunami-like state in her skull; hatred filling them.  She looked away.  Was that shame? No, that was something else.  Emily could not pinpoint it. 
    “Oh I’m so sorry.  I just really do not like to be touched.”  The phrase was logical and sounded genuine enough but Emily was no fool.  There is definitely something off about her.  
    Emily put on a façade and smiled vividly.  “Oh it’s fine, I understand.”  She was not about to grant the woman any indication of the hidden thoughts beneath her own shining, brown eyes.  The woman’s face glazed over with a lovely smile in response.
    “Happy birthday, by the way.”  Her words seemed more forced than genuine.  Emily’s mind reverted back to a school play years before.  She noticed one particular student, Rob Dean, who stood out to her.  He desired to move to Hollywood and pursue acting as a career.  He studied his lines over and over and rehearsed them hundreds of times.  When the day of the play arrived, every word was correct but he lost a critical element.  He knew his lines so well, he lost the natural flow of them and sounded much like a robot spewing out terms.  This woman’s ‘by the way’ sounded very similar.
    What is she trying to hide? Wait. What if she was the woman in the tent?   Emily was disappointed it took her so long to acknowledge the possibility.  She needed to get to the bottom of this.  “Well thank you.  May I ask your nam….”  A random jolt of pain shot up her arm, cutting her question