Read Aloud the Text Content

This audio was created by Woord's Text to Speech service by content creators from all around the world.

Text Content or SSML code:

Corinne is placed on something. Picked up. There's movement, a car, a trunk closes, the feel of driving. At some point she is awake and aware the car has stopped and that she can make out a line of rhythmic blue light on the roof of the trunk. She stares. Is it God? The man is talking to someone. There's laughter. She's here. The trunk opens. I'll take care of her. The flashing blue lights are blinding to her with the trunk open, but Corinne can see him make quotation mark signs with his fingers when he says Take care. After the trunk closes again there are two or maybe three voices, and then a sound like a car backfiring. She passes in and out, dreaming not of God but of glasses of water, drinking and drinking again but never quenching her thirst, until she becomes aware that she's drinking real water. She's reclining against the man, who is holding a glass to her again. Time passes, time of cool, sweet water such as she's never known, before she understands she's unbound, and they're in some strange house, and on a bed. He brings her another glass and he murmurs to her while she drinks. When Corinne is conscious again, and opens her eyes, the man is sitting beside the bed reading. He has a plate with an apple that has been sliced into a continuous spiral, that he feeds to her a little at a time, followed by apple juice so cold it makes her teeth ache. She is still unbound. He places another sliver of apple to her lips. Corinne awakens again and finds he is leading her somewhere, to the bath. It is full. Get in, he says. She knows he will push her under and hold her there until her lungs are full of water and her struggles almost stop. Then he will pull her out so she can get some breath and do it again. Rinse and repeat, X used to say. But he doesn't do it. He washes her hair and scrubs her tenderly all over, especially tender over her nipples. It is so gentle she forgets to stay awake, so that he has to speak to her to keep her from sliding under on her own. She can't keep from swaying while he dries her. Easy does it. Sit here. He puts a thick towel on the toilet. Much better, he says, while combing her hair and using the blow dryer. She nods off again. Corinne is wearing a plaid, cotton dress. She does not remember dressing. The man is asking if she wants more of something. He gives her juice and a small, turkey-cheese sandwich with lettuce and tomato and pickles. Halfway through eating she finds she has to urinate. When had she last done that? Does she dare ask him? She can hardly get the words out: Please, sir. I need to go to the bathroom. He smiles at her and says, Call me Daryl. Yes sir.