RANSVESTIA

made-up but without your wig. And although your make-up is excellent I don't think I'll have any difficulty in persuading your friends and neighbours that the person in the photos is you."

Waves of nausea swept over me. I was trapped and the thought of what he obviously intended to subject me to was unspeakably revolting. I couldn't believe it was true, that this disgusting action was going to happen to me. The menacing voice continues.

"I give you a choice. Either you will do as I require, co-operating fully and enthusiastically in anything I ask as a ransom for the film I have in the camera or I'll arrange for sets of prints of all the photographs to be sent to your relatives and friends and to various magazine editors who are always on the lookout for this sort of thing."

"I — I — "

I couldn't speak. I thought I was going to be sick. But his desire was obviously overpowering him. Urgently he demanded:

"Hurry up-lift up your skirt and pull down whatever you've got under it or I'll—”

There was a terrifying, an earsplitting crash and through the closed curtains blinding blue-white light blazed. The room was plunged into darkness. Utterly terrified I had only two thoughts left in my head- to get away from that horrible man in the confusion and then to get changed back into Keith's clothes. The man, his mind temporarily diverted by the lightning, had run out onto the balcony-I could see him silhouetted against the sky-and urgently I forced myself round the room grabbing what I needed. Then, quietly, I unlocked the door and slipped into the corridor.

Others in the hotel were also aroused by the storm. From the direction of the main staircase came shouting and the sound of running feet. Instinctively, dressed as I was, I turned towards the other end of the corridor where I recalled having seen emergency stairs. Heart in mouth and ready for instant flight I crept along. There was a little light coming from somewhere and I had no great difficulty finding the stairs, my heels clattering loudly as I stepped from the carpeted corridor onto the stone staircase.