My hair is pulled and Master yanks me back using my hair as a handle.

I grin as my scalp feels like it is on fire.

"You think you can leave a mess like this?!" Master roars.

I didn't leave a mess, dummy.

Marie made a mess after I was done cleaning. And while I was cleaning. And before I was cleaning.

In short, Marie is a very messy person.

Spittle hits my face from her yelling causing me to flinch and wrinkle my nose in disgust.

Master, for some reason, grins as I flinch. Does she not realize that she spit on me? Does she not know how nasty spit is?

"*****, are you scared?" She cooes.

I shrug and answer, "Not really. Just kind of grossed out. Are we going to have another playdate?"

Master growls at me and hisses.

I guess we are being animals today.

I growl back at her.

Let me tell you, she did not like that.

Apparently, I had guessed wrong about our game.

Master's look of rage and disgust instantly morphs into one of excitement and deranged happiness.

"Come, ****. Your father bought me something for our playdate."

I smile. Father loves me so much.

Master drags me backwards by my hair and I try to gain my footing, but I am off balance because she is pulling me back.

She brings me to her favorite place for our playtimes.

The bathtub.

Makes it easier for me to clean up the blood and vomit, at least.

"Strip, *****. It's all you know anyway," Master orders.

I take off my skirt and skirt, but leave my underwear like always.

"In the tub."

I climb in and sit down always little confused. Normally she ties me to a stool or to the walls by my wrists and ankles, but she doesn't have any rope this time.

Her hands force me to lie down in the tub and I am grateful that I am still small enough to lie down in the tub and still have room. But it also means that Marie was right this morning when she called me childishly small.

I don't want to be so small, but I am not allowed to eat enough to get taller. I barely eat enough to survive as it is. If there was more food available, I would eat it in a heartbeat. I hate it when people assume that I am so skinny because I have self-esteem problems and am starving myself. I desperately wish I had the option to eat.

I keep still.

Even as Master puts wooden a wooden board over me and concrete blocks in too to keep it down.

Even as she retrieves the new toy.

Even as she pours the thick red liquid in the tub.

Even as the sticky ruby blood fills the tub leaving only a couple inches at the top.

Even as she slices a cut in my shoulder.

Even as she puts a final board down.

Even as I smile as the darkness and blood full the tub.

Even as I can barely breath.

Even as the cut in my shoulder leaks blood and mixed with the blood in the tub.

I keep still.

I do not fight back.

I do not struggle.

I am a good girl.

Father chose this toy.

Father loves me.

I will not let Father down.

I will play and play until I am told that I am done.

I have to keep my head up so I can breathe, but, even then, it is hard to breath. Thankfully, air somehow comes in through the wood.

The light, on the other hand, does not manage to come in.

I grin and play in the darkness and blood.

My shoulder feels like it is on fire and the fire slowly spreads.

I splash in the blood pretending my hands are whales.

After the whales, they are dolphins, submarines, ships, sharks, scuba divers, mermaids, and narwhals.

I think I spent a few days down there.

Then again, I don't have a very good concept of time. Sarah normally keeps track of time for me and Sarah never talks during playtimes. I don't really know why, but she hates our playdates. I hope she isn't jealous.

I would never want Sarah or Star to be jealous of me. Or anyone to be jealous of me, really.

Finally, Farther comes in and removes the boards.

"Get dressed, girl," He orders. "Did you have fun? Learn a lesson?"

Oh, Father.

He is so nice and caring.

He knows how much fun these are and even makes sure I learn something.

"Yup!" I answer cheerfully.

Father looks disgusted, but that it probably because of the blood.

I mean, it is kinda gross.

All the sudden, Father growls at me and Marie and Master appear behind him growling as well.

"Sang! You think you can be free?! You will never be free! We will be with you in your thoughts! We will never leave your nights!" They roar in unison.

***

Instantly, I wake up with a jolt.

Finally.

I can only wake from my dreams at four thirty in the morning.

I jerk back against someone, still freaked out by my dream.

Darn it.

It looks like I had to share after all.

I turn slightly and see Victor lying pressed up against me.

His eyes are wide and he opens his mouth, but I clamp my hand on his mouth. I don't want him to wake the others because I had a nightmare.

It was a memory until Father started growling.

That really scared me.

Probably more than it should have.

I know that everyone else can hide their dreams and nightmares, but, somehow, I have never developed the knack for ignoring my dreams like everybody else.

It must be because I am weak and worthless.

Victor taps my hand and I remember that he is there.

I place a finger to my mouth to show him to be quiet and remove my hand from his mouth.

Victor climbs out of the bunk and, before I can follow suit, lifts me out of bed like I am a baby. These boys treat me like a baby often. Holding me on their laps, carrying me, telling me no, and other junk like that. I hope they realize that I am not a baby.

I huff silently.

Victor carries me out of the room and down the hall into an empty room full of bunks.

Wait.

If there were more bunks, then why did I have to sleep with them?

Maybe they were being nice and saving it for someone else.

Besides, I don't deserve to have my own room.

I have never really had my own room.

Apparently, where I used to sleep was a closer so it doesn't count. It wasn't a bad closet, though. It was much nicer to sleep in than the bathtub or the chest or the tote or the shed.

Victor sits down on the floor and pats the space in front of him.

I look around for where I should sit.

"Sit down, Sang," Victor says.

I decide to sit on the bunk.

"What? You don't want to sit next to me?" Victor asks hurt sounding and confused.

"Oh. I don't mind sitting next to you, but you were playing the drums on the floor so I didn't want to take up your drum space," I explain.

It seems like I have to explain everything to these boys.

It would be easier if they could read minds.

Maybe we should take mind reading lessons together...

Victor smiles and days, "I was showing you where you should sit, Sang. Not playing the drums."

Oh.

Huh.

Whatever.

I sit down where he motioned and cross my legs so my feet are resting on top of my knees. I rest my chin on my hands and state at Victor's fiery amber eyes as I wait for him to explain why we needed to come in here.

"Sang, what just happened?" He asks finally.

I wave the question off.

"Just a nightmare. No biggie."

"No biggie?!" Victor bursts out.

Wait.

If he cares, then...

"I'm sorry, Victor! I didn't mean to make you see my dream!" I apologize frantically.

I need him to understand that I didn't do it on purpose.

Victor cups my face with his long fingers and forces me to look him in the eye.

"Sang, calm down," He says slowly. His deep voice washes over me like a wave and calms me. "I didn't see your dream. I am worried because you saw it. In fact, I wish I could have seen it instead of you. I hate that you have these nightmares."

"But everyone has nightmares, Victor," I say confused.

"No, they don't. Not like you do. I hate that your family screwed you over so bad that you don't even know what is normal. I hate that you have these awful nightmares and memories," Victor spit angrily.

I smile gently.

"You and me both. You and me both..."

Victor sighs and hugs me burying his face in my shoulder.

We sit for a second in a comfortable silence because no words are needed. We understand each other and connect on a deeper level.

After a few moments, he pulls back.

"So you want to go back to sleep?"

I grin and poke his nose.

"Silly goose, this is when I wake up every morning," I inform him.

Victor looks shocked.

"But you're always so cheerful and hyper! How are you not dead on your feet?! You would only get up to four hours of sleep!"

I shrug.

I guess it is just another strange thing about me.

"Well, is there something you want to do?" He asks me.

I lean in.

"Absolutely," I say firmly. "I know exactly what I want to do."

Victor's eyes widen.

"And what is that?" Victor asks unsure.

"I want you to teach me how to play the piano," I tell him with an excited grin.

"Only if you explain about my phone," Victor negotiates.

I pout.

"Fine," I groan dramatically drawing out the word.

"It was supposed to start forever ago, but Star decided to start it yesterday."

"Start what?"

I sigh and continue, "My prank on you. Every time you came into view of your camera, your phone would make that noise. But I wanted to go to sleep so I made Star turn it off."

"How—you know what? I'm not even going to ask," Victor says with a shake of his head.

Victor stands and pulls me to my feet and we quietly walk out.

I follow Victor as he heads to a building at the edge of the complex. It is tucked away from the other buildings. Probably so the noise doesn't disturb them.

Inside, we head to a large room with a grand piano amongst other instruments.

I plop down on the bench and Victor gracefully sits next to me.

"I'm going to play a piece and then I will show you the keys," Victor decides.

Victor starts playing and I instantly recognize the piece.

"Wait!" I yell.

Victor jumps and looks at me.

"What?! What's wrong?! Are you okay?!"

"Oh, yeah, perfectly fine. I just know this piece. Now start over," I say cheerily.

Victor sighs and begins again with a head shake, but I join in with the higher notes the second he does.

If I have seen someone play it before, then I can play it as well.

Victor looks shocked, but he takes it in stride.

We play incredibly well.

Somehow, we achieve instantly the synchrony that others strive for.

It's like we are connected and work together in harmony perfectly.

Once the song is over, I can't help but press a couple final keys. I giggle a little as Victor gapes at me.

"I thought you said you couldn't play!" He accuses me incredulously.

"Oh, I can't. I can play a piece if I have seen someone else play it, but that is it," I explain sadly.

I wish I could actually play the piano.

Or any instrument.

Like the violin.

I'm talking to you, Owen!

Victor tried to stifle a yawn and I instantly feel bad.

"Victor, go back to bed," I order him.

I can't believe I made him stay awake with me and play the piano with me while he is exhausted.

I can't believe how selfless my Prince is to put up with me while he is exhausted just because he worries about me.

I can't believe he worries about me at all.

I can't believe I thought that there was a chance that I deserved him.

Prince looks at me.

"Princess, I am not going to leave you, especially after a nightmare," He protests, but I can tell he wants and needs sleep.

"Victor, tired people are no fun. Go sleep before you keel over and die. Besides, I have two people in my head. I am never truly alone."

Victor still looks reluctant.

"Fine, but Jordan should be awake already. You can at least check in with her. You met her yesterday, right?"

"Yup! She seems nice," I tell him agreeing with his idea.

Prince looks relieved and says, "Goodnight, Princess. I'll see you in a few hours."

I give him a quick hug before standing up.

"Bye, Victor! Sleep well!"

And then I leave ahead of him to find Jordan.

I grin evilly.

I wonder if she likes to have fun.

Because I have a few ideas...