Introduction

Eleven-year-old Maggie Clarke is living a nightmare most children couldn’t imagine in their wildest dreams. She’s been abducted from her suburban Philadelphia family and thrust into the indescribably horrific and largely unknown underworld of human sex trafficking. Maggie doesn’t yet realize that her abduction will change her life forever. She’s focused on caring for four-year-old Seth, who was also abducted.

Years pass and though Maggie’s family never gives up searching for her, she’s living the dangerous and degrading life of an underage prostitute. Maggie’s smarts usually keep her one step ahead of her pimp, but her boldness sometimes earns her severe punishments from the man who controls her every move. Her close relationship with a drug dealer named JuJu and her continuing role as mother to Seth are what give her the strength to keep going through her brutal existence.

After nearly a decade, when a man approaches her with a dangerous proposition, will Maggie be willing to do whatever it takes to break free from this modern form of slavery?

An unforgettable story of courage and survival, One Among Us serves as an eye-opening reminder that horrible things can happen to anyone—it’s how people deal with their circumstances that matters.

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Excerpt

Hope Matters
The young woman trolls streets littered with trash and seedy people, scanning for a buyer. You watch intently as she bends down to talk to a man who pulled his car up to the curb where she’s waiting. You wonder how she got there and how she can do what she does. Suddenly, she notices you watching her. All she wants is to be like you because she’s long since forgotten who she is. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1.As parents, we all want to raise our children to be independent. Given Maggie’s level of maturity and intelligence at eleven years old, do you think that Lorraine was negligent in allowing her daughter to go out on her own in the mall? What do you think is the proper age to give your child their first taste of independence?

2.Dr. Barnes gave Maggie books to read and made certain that her captors let her keep them. In fact, he was the only “client” that treated her like she was somewhat human. Did his kindness in helping Maggie stay educated make him any less despicable than any of the other “clients”? Did you find yourself thinking that Maggie was safer with Dr. Barnes because of how he treated her?

3.What do you think was the happiest part of the story?1. As parents, we all want to raise our children to be independent. Given Maggie’s level of maturity and intelligence at eleven years old, do you think that Lorraine was negligent in allowing her daughter to go for a slice of pizza by herself? What do you think is the proper age to give your child their first taste of independence?

2. Dr. Barnes gave Maggie books to read and made certain that her captors let her keep them. In fact, he was the only “client” that treated her like she was somewhat human. Did his kindness in helping Maggie stay educated make him any less despicable than any of the other “clients”? Did you find yourself thinking that Maggie was safer with Dr. Barnes because of how he treated her? Would you attribute any of Maggie’s survival to Doctor Barnes?

3. Seth’s parents let him stay at the filthy studio apartment and die in Maggie’s arms. Was their decision to do this selfless or foolish? Would you have made the same decision if it was your child?

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