Tegoshi Yuko was putting away her guitar and the money people had thrown into the case. She was humming a tune when she felt the hair at the back of her neck stand out. She turned around and all she saw were a couple of kids still playing and their mothers, and two couples walking holding hands. No one was paying attention to her and yet, for the last couple of weeks she felt as if she was being watched. It was stupid, of course, but that’s how she felt. She wouldn’t say anything, she knew the band members would , saying that she already believed herself a big star followed around by paparazzi. She had to admit she could be a bit conceited, but she never did it on purpose. Yuko sighed and started walking so that she wouldn’t be late for her part-time job.

Unfortunately she didn’t see the man following her.

7.30 pm: She arrives at the pub with two members of her band carrying the instruments and amplifiers. She laughs at something one of the men says. She’s wearing the same outfit she wore when I found her. They go inside.

9 pm: The doors to the pub open. I go in and pick a table. It’s hidden but so much that a man alone would draw attention.

9.30 pm: The band comes on to the stage. They start playing and she starts singing. I look to my right, oh right. I’m alone at the table, she should… NO, focus or you’ll make a mistake. Not another mistake.

10.30 pm: The band finishes and they come down from the stage. I’ve studied them. They’ll drink a little and then go. Pink usually leaves alone.

11 pm: Pink leaves first. I leave right after her, but I don’t take the same path. I don’t have to, I know where she’s going and how she’s gonna get there.

“Why didn’t I let one of the guys come with me?” though Yuko. “Because there is nothing to fear” she answered herself. “You’ve walked this same path countless times, haven’t you? Then what’s the problem?” The problem was that tonight she didn’t want to walk alone at night. Tonight…

She shook her head, squared her shoulders and walked with resolute steps. Tonight was like any other night.

She walked a few more blocks up to the small park she always walked through to get home. She always took this way, except it seemed darker.

She looked up and saw that the light posts were out. "Of all the nights for the lights to be out, it had to be tonight.” Yuko said with a sigh. She’d had enough. Even if she had to walk extra blocks in high heels with her feet killing her, she was taking the long way with more people and more light.

It was too late. At that moment she felt an arm grabbing her tightly by the waist. She took in a breath of air to scream but that’s when a hand pressed something -a cloth- on . Even in the darkness of the park she felt another darkness taking over her.

“Shh, it’ll be fine. Don’t fight me. You’ll be fine. You’ll be where you are supposed to be.” She heard the man say. She felt her body sag completely and a hand patting her hair and then everything went black, and she felt nothing else…

Yuko opened her eyes. Her head was pounding a little. She looked around and it took a while for her to figure out what she was seeing. She was in a strange room. It was completely pink. Pink walls, a pink small table. On the other side she could see a bathroom.  She lifted her head slowly and it didn’t make the throb any worse.

She sat up and looked down at herself; she was wearing a pink flowy dress with sparkles on it. The bed, the bed sheets and the covers were all pink too. She tried to swallow but was completely dry. She looked at the table and there was a glass and a pitcher. They were both plastic and pink.

She got up but she did it too fast and got dizzy. Her legs gave out so she had to sit back down. The room started spinning and she put her head between her legs and that's when she noticed the chain attached to her ankle. It was metal but it was also pink. She started to hyperventilate. She had to calm down but couldn't. She tried to take steady breaths but she couldn’t and then everything went blank...

When she came to again it was to a muffled voice.

"Are you ok? Can you hear me? Please answer"

It was the voice of a girl. She tried to answer but was too dry and only a grunt came out.

"If you can hear me, drink the water. It will make you feel better. Don't worry it's not drugged... I don’t think. We think he is gone for now"

Yuko got up and made her way to the table on wobbly legs and drank the water directly from the pitcher.

When she finished the water she tried to talk again. "Who are you?"

"My name is Masuda Takara, what’s yours?"

"Tegoshi Yuko. Where are we? Did you bring me here?"

Takara gave a short and sad laugh. "No, I didn't bring you here. I don’t know where we are, none of us know."

"Us?"

"There are 4 of us, 5 now that you’re here"

Yuko followed the girl’s voice. It came from the wall where the head of the bed was placed.

She kneeled and saw a small hole and behind it, the girls brown eyes.

"Hello" She said.

"Hello" Yuko answered. The girl smiled and looking at the other’s eyes something happened; she couldn’t stop the tears anymore. She started crying.

"It's ok. It'll be fine" the girl said. "He won't hurt you; he's never really hurt any of us. I know it's a small comfort, but it's something"

Yuko looked up and saw the other girl's hand coming through the hole.