Annie pointed at the metal trash bucket in the deep end of the dressing room. "Put all your clothes in there."
Sandy did as she was told.
Annie took the bottle from her handbag. The bottle was half filled with transparent red liquid and had been wrapped up in clear plastic. The girl also took out a lighter. Then she placed both items on the table. "Burn them."
"What?"
"Burn your clothes," Annie repeated.
"What? Why?"
"You said you were cold. Start a fire."
"Then what am I going to wear?" Doubt had returned into Sandy's mind for a rematch against her avarice.
Annie opened her purse and took out another two notes, each equal in value to the first. "These should be enough for you to buy yourself more clothes. Better, nicer clothes."
Sandy stepped closer to inspect the offered notes. Three now. Big notes. She wanted them. But still, doubt held its ground. She started rubbing her forefinger with her thumb again. "I don't know..."
Annie took out one more note from her purse. "I'll pay more."
And avarice threw its challenger, doubt, out of Sandy's mind.
Sandy immediately reached for the bottle, which she guessed was flammable liquid of some kind. She walked back to the metal bucket, unwrapping the plastic on the bottle along the way. She totally forgot that her wallet, her fortune card and her bicycle keys were in her pants, which were at that moment in the metal bucket.
"You're really an idiot, Sandy."
Sandy immediately spun around when she heard the new voice.
Annie too turned around on her stool. In her surprise, she dropped the notes in her hand.
A hand reached out from the darkness and grabbed Annie by her black hair. "You are unbelievable, Annie," Selina said down to her. Then she looked at her classmate. "Sandy, do you know what will happen if you did that?"
Sandy glanced down at the bottle. "I..."
Selina pointed at the ceiling with her free hand. "If you start a fire, the sprinklers will turn on."
Sandy looked back at Selina. She would be wet and cold if she had done as Annie had commanded!
"Not only that," Selina continued, "The fire alarm will sound."
Alarm!? Then... people would be coming there, there where Sandy would be found naked!
"But something doesn't add up," Selina mused, "How did you plan to keep Sandy here?" She rolled her eyes down to the little girl. A moment passed before she guessed, "You've the key to this room, don't you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Annie replied.
"The key to this room, where is it?"
"I don't have it," Annie denied.
Selina bent closer to the girl's face. "Give me the key, or I'll strip search you until I find it."
Annie immediately produced the key.
"Thought so." Selina plucked the key from Annie's hand. After examining the label on the keychain, she slipped the key into the pocket of her jeans. She looked back at Annie. "You never did intend to pay Sandy, did you?"
Sandy drew a sharp breath. She would not get paid?
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