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As the slap lands on her shoulder, she jumps and squeals. Before she can turn around, the barrage of irate words assaults her ~ "Adrianne! How many times do I have to tell you to get your legs moving?! We pay you good money here, you know... if you don't like it here, just say so! I know of at least a dozen chicks out there who'd love to be in your shoes right now, so you'd better appreciate your good luck and work for it! Now move it, sister!"
As the machine-gun ceases fire, she lets out her breath softly. She glances to the right to see him strutting off imperiously, now barking orders at some other unfortunate victim. Raising her right hand gingerly, she wipes the pellets of saliva from her cheeks ~ I swear, one day...I'll... ~ Not knowing what she will do, she emits another resigned sigh before returning to the table to collect the dish.
Walking towards the door, her mind suddenly snaps into attention ~ The scene outside... had it been a figment of my imagination? ~ There is only one way to find out, and she's about to do so.
Inhaling deeply now, she blocks out all other thoughts and pushes the door open with her left hand, balancing the dish on her right with her recently acquired poise. Yet she has gone no more than three steps before she freezes to the spot. Her eyes dilate at the sight before her ~ It wasn't a dream... it was real... it is real... ~ Her heart thumps crazily, as she continues to perch the dish with her right hand in a daze.
A tall dark man grips a woman across her rib-cage with his left arm, while the steak knife is pressed a little too closely against her pale throat. From the distance, Adrianne's sharp eyes detect the bloodless face of the panic-stricken woman, whose hands hang feebly by her sides ~ "Please... I beg you... let go of me..."
"Shut up!" ~ The man snarls, his words slicing the silence of the room...
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