"Mr. Hansen barks he's had enough of this. I almost leap out of my skin with fear."

Chapter 1, The Rescue, pg. 8

"I gobble down the food so fast I can hardly taste it. I finish the tray in record time."

Chapter 1, The Rescue, pg. 11

"David Pelzer,' he says, 'you're free.'" Chapter 1, The Rescue, pg. 14

"In the years before I was abused, my family was the 'Brady Bunch' of the 1960s."

Chapter 2, Good Times, pg. 17

"My relationship with mom drastically changed from discipline to punishment that grew out of control. It became so bad at times, I had no strength to crawl away--even if it meant saving my life." Chapter 3, Bad Boy, pg. 29

"As she jerked violently to regain her stability I felt something pop, and felt an intense pain in my arm and shoulder. The startled look on Mother's face told me that she had heard...