Prologue:
Screams echoed through the underground room, screams from a high-pitched individual.
" No, stop. Please," they pleaded.
Maniacal laughter followed their cries as the crack of a whip lashed down on their bare back. The cries eventually tapered off to the occasional whimper, the man finally laying down the whip and syringes while the small girl gasped for air as her small body trembled in fear and exhaustion.
" I'll be back tomorrow," the man said hanging up his lab coat.
The girl's response was only a small whine of protest which was quickly stifled by a shoe being thrown at her. Smirking the man left, the small girl uncurled her stiff limbs and slowly crawled to the tiny washroom. Running the water, the girl peeled away the remains of her clothes before sliding into the low tub. Scrubbing fiercely at her skin, the girl washed away all traces of the torture and experiments from before; along with the emotions and memories. Shoulder-lenght black hair hung in wet hanks, green eyes appraised the effects of the bathing. Nodding in approval the girl hobbled out of the washroom and into an even tinier room, like a small closet, to a bedside table. Opening the top drawer the girl pulled out undergarments before tugging out a shirt from the second drawer and two odd socks. Donning the clothes the girl climbed onto the wooden toddler bed and snuggled down under the pillows, a raggedy; worn stuffed cat was spilled into the girl's dainty, thin arms and hugged tight.
" Goodnight Coco," the girl whispered raspily.
" Goodnight Maria," the girl whispered for the cat.
Smiling weakly Maria swiped away the tears that had began to gather and flopped herself down onto her pillow.