"Ten, nine, eight, seven!..." the crowd outside was screaming.

It was New Years Eve in Ratropolis. Everybody was celebrating… except one couple. Nigel and Amanda Malone were expecting their first child soon. They were at a party when Amanda started to cramp. She was scared because it was her first time going into labor. They were expecting a boy. Nigel was glad because he needed somebody to help him on the family boat, the Jammy Dodger. They had a boy's bedroom set up with boy clothes in a closet, made by Amanda herself.

"Push, Love." Nigel encouraged his wife. Amanda was screaming and crying. For a moment, Nigel thought she was going to die. Amanda's face was dripping with sweat and her hair became frizzy.

"Six, five four three…!"

They could hear the Londoners yelling.

"Two, one…"

The sound of a baby crying took over the noise of the people screaming "Happy New Year!" Amanda slumped back into her bed as her brother Jasper took the baby to clean him up.

"Wow wee, are they in for a surprise." He said washing off the blood. The infant was wiggling in his arms, screaming. He wiped a cloth on its pink skin and wrapped it in a pink blanket.

"Congratulations mates!" he said. "It's a girl!"

"A girl?" said Amanda. "The doctor said it would be a boy."

"Well those bloody humans have all the good technology to themselves." Said Jasper annoyed. "Are you disappointed?"

"Not at all." Said Amanda. "She's precious."

"And besides… I can use her help on the boat… that is if she has no interest in dance or anything."

"What should we name it Nigel? We didn't think of girl names."

"Well we were going to name it Liam."

"Well that's a boy's name."

Amanda waited impatiently as she held the child in her arms attempting to calm it down. The screams outside were bothering her.

"Well let's see. There's Maria, Laura, Taylor, Rita, Maggie…"

"Stop." Said Amanda. "How does Rita sound?"

"Rita Elizabeth Malone… sounds beautiful. Cant wait to see her with fur."

"I can't wait for her to open her eyes."

It was worth the wait. Nigel and Amanda loved Rita with all their hearts. Three months past and Rita opened her eyes for the first time. Months later, she started growing fur. It was the same color as everyone else's. The hair on her head was exactly the same as her mothers, a flaming red tone. Over the years, they watched the child grow, as they had more children. Rita was depressed whenever she saw her dad leave. After seeing him on that boat she knew what she wanted to do. Follow her father in his paw prints. Five years later, she knew how to steer and could climb a wall using a bungee cord.

But they weren't completely happy. They lived in a shack and barley had anything to eat. By the time Rita was eight, children were complaining from starvation. All they had was soup and tea, and they only had one bowl to put it all in. At occasions, Rita would find a tadpole and feast on that. But now that things got really horrible, she and her father had to go dangerous places to find food. Tadpoles were barely seen in the sewer and the slugs were her friends. At occasions, she's find coins from Up Top abandoned and would spend it on food. But she hardly found anything.

One day, she had a real crazy idea. She thought about telling her dad, but was afraid he'd get mad. There were three kingdoms near Ratropolis; The Evergreen Kingdom, Le Toads Estate, and the one that ruled overall, the St. James Palace. Her idea was to rob Le Toads Castle. He was the lord of the sewers as people thought of him. He was an evil dictator, competing with King August of the St. James Palace trying to make his laws more official. He wanted all the power, not just a share of it.

Nigel thought it was a crazy idea, but he agreed to help her. It was very illegal to rob royalty but they had no other choice.

"Now remember what I told you, Love." Said Nigel. They ran to the left side of the castle and used a bungee cord to climb up the stone walls. "If you get caught, get out. They won't hesitate to harm a young child." He gave her a sack of fake money and jewels. They peeked through a window. That was the room; the vault. It was blazing with diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires. Gold coins were stacked on top of one another. Rita and Nigel climbed through the window. There was a gigantic bald rat sleeping on the job.

"Let's hurry dear." Said Nigel. Rita slowly rushed as she replaced real jewels with phonies. Le Toad would eventually find out, but at least he wouldn't know it was them. Nigel handled the coins as Rita crept around to see one ruby that stood out from the rest. It was a true crafted jewel. She walked up to it. It was displayed on a blue flashlight with a glass protector. She removed it, cracked her knuckles and spit on her hands.

Suddenly, the alarm went off. Red lights were flashing and Rita felt something squeezing her chest.

"Wat are you doin ere little girl?" the guard asked.

"Get off me you pink eyed freak!"

Nigel went up and hit the guard with the lamp on the dresser.

"Keep your paws off my daughter!" he ordered.

The guard went over to the phone on the wall, the child still in his grasp.

"This is Whitey reporting from the vault. We have thieves." Rita bit him in the wrist, ripping off a chunk of his skin. If he didn't release her, she'd have to eat him alive. He loosened his grip and she pulled herself away.

"Let's go Rita!" Her father urged her.

"Stop right there!" said Whitey. "I might be albino but I'm not letting you get away. Did you poor people know it's against the law to rob royalty?"

"Did you know that some people don't have money?" Rita snapped. "It's because of your no good, untrustworthy—"

"What did you say about me young lady?"

An enormous toad, dressed in the finest of silk robes came stepping in, an underweight rodent woman behind him.

"Nothing."

"Actually boss, she called you a no good untrustworthy and then you came in." said Whitey. "Should I kill her?"

"I believe it was her father's idea to talk her into sealing from me."

"What?" Rita sneered.

"I demand him to be beheaded."

Right as Whitey was about to take Nigel away, Rita screamed.

"Keep your paws off my dad! It was my idea to steal not his!"

"Hm, brave of you to lie to save him."

"I'm not lying fatso!" she snapped. "It was my idea. It's me you should punish."

"I can't harm a child now." Said the Toad. "Now can I?"

"But she's telling the truth sir… uh… at least I think… she tried to take your ruby."

She could see what was in the toads mind. It was as if his brain was a whistling teapot. His green skin became red."

"WHAT!" he boomed. "THAT'S IT! SHES MINE!"

Nigel ran over to his daughter and put his arms around her defensively.

"Now you just wait here! Nobody harms my child."

"You have a choice sir." Said Le Toad. "For breaking into my beautiful kingdom…"

"Beautiful?" Rita snapped. "This place needs a makeover!"

Ignoring the child's insult, the toad continued.

"Either you can be executed, or I take your child away."

"How long?" Rita asked.

"Hush!" he father yelled. "You're not going anywhere."

"Well either she stays here or you lose your head. If she were to work for me, I'd have to release her in ten years or when she becomes of age."

Rita didn't want to go through either choice. Her heart raced as the toad went on with her dad about the decisions. Moments later, she passed out on the ground.

"What will it be?" the Toad croaked.

"When she wakes up, I'll let her decide."

"If she wakes up." He snickered.

They watched as Mr. Malone was trying to wake her up. A few minutes later, she got up. She was ok.

"Dad, I have to stay here." She said. "Is there a salary involved? Because we really need money."

"Ten pounds a month."

"Ten pounds!" Mr. Malone burst. "That won't even feed a baby!"

"But it's worth working for when your eight years old." The Toad grinned. "So, young lady, what is your decision? Do you want to say good bye forever to your father and be freed? Or will you stay here and work for ten years?"

"I'll work here…" Tears were beginning to well up in her eyes. "Just don't hurt him…"

She fell on the floor and began to sob.

"You may go now."

"Not so fast!" Nigel snapped. "I'm taking her to her room and saying goodbye."

"There's an empty bedroom on the highest room in the tallest tower. She will sleep there."

Nigel picked up Rita and carried her upstairs. He got lost a few times but finally made it.

"This is it?" he asked disgusted. There was a small bed, for an American Girl doll with a thin white blanket. There was a bathtub in the corner but no curtain. It didn't have any handles. There was a shattered mirror on the wall and a small box for all her clothes. He placed her down on the bed.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I wish I didn't have too." She sniffed. "But I have no other choice. Dictators never joke when they say things like that. I will see you again."

"Write to me everyday love."

"I will."

When he left, she spent the entire day sobbing. Le Toad wouldn't give her a chance to go home and say goodbye to everybody. Three hours later, a knock was heard on the door.

"Go away!"

The door opened. It was the woman who was previously standing next to her master. Rita thought she was going to be rude and tell her what to do and the consequences.

"You poor thing…"

"Get out of here!" Rita snapped as she got off the bed. She could be a threat to adults sometimes. The only reason why she refused to threaten Le Toad is because he was a dictator. "Get back or I'll kill you!"

"Relax; I'm not here to harm you!"

"I don't care why you're here, just leave!"

"If you would just listen to me for a second, I'm here to help you!"

"I don't need any of your help! Nothing you can try will take back what just happened!" As the violent child few people knew she was, she attacked. The woman picked her up by the waist.

"Now there's no need to get upset to your personal teacher. I'm in charge of teaching you haw to work here."

"Put me down!"

"Any questions?"

"How much spare time will I get?"

"Two hours a day. You will work eight hours now and as you get older, the number of work hours is the same as your age. I brought you food."

Rita received two popcorn kernels.

"What is this?" she asked.

"Popcorn. Humans eat these at movies all the time. This is the last thing you'll eat for ten years."

"Then how will I live?"

"We take food pills. They fill up your stomach and help you concentrate."

"That sounds unhealthy."

"My names Maria. I've been working for Le Toad since I was your age."

"You mean you spent most of your life following orders? What about the ten year rule?"

"That's just for certain people." She explained. "Do you like books?"

"I love reading."

"Well fortunately we have a library and there are a few books in here as well." Said Maria. "Right in that corner."

Rita walked over and looked at all the books. One was a book on boats and engines. Another one was a fairy tale book. Then there was a very thick one at the bottom of the stack with a lock over it.

"Maria, what is Pan's Labyrinth?"

"That's an adult novel, which explains the lock. It's a fairy tale for adults, you wouldn't like it."

"I read engine books and math books. Why can't I read this?"

"It's very gruesome. Please, get in bed and get some sleep. Would you like me to read you a story?"

Rita was too old for bedtime stories but she wanted to see what was in the fairy tale book.

"Sure."

"They don't provide sleepwear for us. You'll have to sleep in your underwear."

"What?"

"I know it's crazy. But it's what goes." Rita removed her pants and shirt and crawled into the bed. It was more uncomfortable than the one back at home because there was no mattress.

"How am I supposed to sleep?"

"I'll get you a sponge to sleep on. Their very soft."

Rita knew right away, that she and Maria were going to be the best of friends… at least while she was away from the Dodger. She didn't get any sleep that night. It was freezing, and she was lonesome, homesick for her loved ones. She was glad to have Maria because she was one of the lucky people who could calm her down when she was angry and she was like a mother. The years passed. It was upsetting because her parents didn't get to see her mature into a woman. Rita grew up to be a beautiful talented person. She could cook, sew, sing and was very smart. The fairy tales encouraged her to stay positive.

When she was seventeen and eleven months old, she began to think about her life of freedom and what she was going to do. When the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve, she'd forever be free.