THE TIDE

CHAPTER 12

The man's hand was a persistent pressure on her back as he led her to a set of stairs.

Everywhere she turned, she saw kneeling figures with bowed heads. No one dared stand, no one dared take a peek. It seemed like an unwritten rule. She looked up at the man as he turned round and with a flick of his hand, said. "Rise!" In one swift movement, the men rose, the stomping of their feet ricocheting throughout the cavernous room. "Men, I congratulate you on your success, so tonight, we dine in style."

As he said this, the double doors opened wide and in came men carrying stretchers. Germaine watched in confusion as they walked to the men who had begun pairing up in twos. A stretcher was put in front of two men, confusing her even more. She squinted and found out on the stretcher, were people - females, bound and gagged. She was at a loss as to what the men were going to do with the women.

She was still wondering about this when two men came in carrying stretchers. They bypasse