**The names and ages of some have been changed to protect the families of the individuals involved.**
In the 80’s, "boot camps" for troubled teens became the new treatment dejour for parents at their wits end. However, after numerous allegations of severe abuse, untrained staff and several deaths, these camps came under much scrutiny. Steve Cartisano ran the most notorious of these camps, called Challenger Foundation. I was 15 when I was kidnapped from my bed and taken to Challenger. 63 Days is the story-in-progress about my brutal experiences there, my subsequent escape and the aftermath. This is my story, this is my life.
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“You should probably eat something, girl” Cody said to me as we sat in a dark booth at the back of the Denny’s. He was a big man, stalky in build just like Horsehair, except that he had kind eyes. On the ride over to the restaurant, after we’d left my parents house, he sat [...]
“Wake up Alli”, I heard. Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I started to sit up in my bed and was caught mid motion by a face I didn’t know, peering down at me. His name was Horsehair, and he fit the part. His head was wrapped in a bandana, his facial hair trimmed [...]