Alice lurched from her sleep.

The dreams that plagued her were back.

The creatures were coming for her. Pale skin. Red eyes.

"Just a dream." She muttered sitting up. Her back ached from the cold, hard floor. Everything ached.

The room was dark, it was always dark. It could have been midday or midnight and she'd never have known. She had no routine. No sense of time. The only break in her isolation was the men who came to beat her.

She rose slowly to her feet and pulled her scruffy smock down as far as it would go. The material was dirty and itchy and it didn't do much to keep the chill off her bones.

She relieved herself in the corner then sunk back onto the floor. That corner was starting to stink. The men sometimes came in and hosed it, and her, down if they were feeling generous. They'd not felt generous in a long time.

She lay on her front and grabbed the stone she'd been using to scratch at the wall. She'd been at it for years and had hardly made a dent in the solid rock. She knew the thought of escape was fruitless but it gave her something to do. Stopped her from losing herself completely.

"Attention!"

She knew that voice. It belonged to one of the worst men. Sadistic. Cruel.

"Up up up!"

Dropping the stone, Alice got to her feet. It would be better for her if she did as she was told.

"Well good morning sunshine."

In the faint light that spilled through the now open door she could see the rope he'd brought with him. He needn't tie her up. Where would she go? What would she do? She never fought back. There was no point.

"You know what to do."

And she did. She had done it all her life.

She turned to the wall and put her hands behind her back. When she felt the rope burn against her wrists she turned back to face him.

His large hand stroked over her cheek, through her hair and down her body.

"There's a good girl." His breath was warm as it blew across her face. It was vile. "I thought we had turned a corner girl? I thought you were better." He shook his head slowly. "I heard you last night. Monsters? There are no monsters."

One was stood right in front of her, unbuckling his belt.

She kept her mouth shut. Nothing she would say or do could stop what was about to happen.

She cursed herself silently. She had started to sleep with part of her blanket wedged in her mouth to stop herself shouting out. It obviously hadn't worked.

The first blow was across her shins. The whip sound of the belt came first then the searing pain.

The blows moved up her body. The back of her knees, the tops of her thighs, her low back, her stomach, her breasts, her shoulders and finally, across her face.

She managed to stay standing. It would hurt worse on the floor. She could feel the warm trickle of blood running down her where the belt had cut into her skin.

"There." Slap. "Are." Slap. "No." Slap. "Monsters!" And one last blow against her backside.

"Crazy bitch." He muttered as he left.

Once back in darkness Alice sunk onto the floor. The rope around her wrists and loosened and she managed to shake it off.

"Crazy bitch." She muttered to herself. "Crazy fucking bitch." Her hands went to her face and she let out a sob into them.

Time passed. She wasn't sure how long but her head hurt from crying and her newest sores weren't burning any longer, more of a dull ache. The pain would be worst in the morning. She knew from experience.

The door to her cell slid open and before she had time to see who it was it was closed again.

A feeling of being watched swept over Alice. She got this often. It was just her mind. That's what she told herself. After all she was just a crazy bitch.


Jasper stood in the corner of the cell, furthest away from Alice. He knew she couldn't see too far in front of her. The darkness was all consuming to her. He could see easily enough though.

He could see the welts over her pale skin. He could see the dried blood in streaks down her body. He could see the tear tracks down her grubby face.

She looked around her cell, her eyes wide in the darkness. She stated right at him but she didn't see.

He would go to her when she slept. He would check her wounds. He wanted to do more, he wanted to save her but he couldn't intervene. It was a human's world and he had no right in it.

It didn't take long for Alice to doze off. He gave it another hour until her breathing was slow and steady before he went to her.

Her wounds were deep but they were clean for now. No sign of infection in any of the old ones. He crushed antibiotics into the measly amount of food she got to cover any infections when she got them.

He sat by her most of the night. Listening to her steady breathing, her soft murmurings. Sometimes she shouted out in her sleep or cried out. Always about the monsters, but that night she slept soundly.


Dawn was close and he knew he had to leave. He would need to hunt soon.

He slid silently from the cell and was almost out of the grounds when he heard them.

"Killing her? That girl in cell 6? The little one?"

"Yeah I heard Sarge is doing it himself. She's been here too long. We have shiny new toys."

Jasper wheeled around. They were talking about Alice. They were talking about killing Alice.

Not on his watch.

Before he had time to think of the consequences he was back in Alice's cell. He wrapped the thin blanket around her and carried her from the room.

Alice's eyes flew open at the sudden movement. She stared up at the man holding her. She hadn't seen him before but somehow he seemed familiar.

"You're safe with me." He muttered.

He went from her mind the second they were outside. It was lightness like she had never seen before. She turned her head and stared at the trees as they passed, faster and faster until they were a green blur.

The sounds, the smells, it was more that she had ever known. She tried to keep her eyes open but they were traveling too fast, the wind was whipping her face and her eyes stung. She closed them and focused on the sounds.

Jasper slowed when they were well outside of Mississippi. Alice had grown still in his arms. She'd dosed off again. Sensory overload probably.

She hadn't said anything to him. Hadn't questioned anything. Just stared in wonder at the world around her until the wind got too strong and her eyes closed.


The large house loomed through the trees.

Home.

Alice had stayed quite the whole trip. He could feel the fear from her, fear yes but wonder too. She hardly looked at him; she only had eyes for their surroundings.

"We're here now." He set her down carefully and had to support her as her legs wobbled. When she seemed steady he let her go and walked up to the front door.

She stayed where she was, her arms tight around herself, staring back at the trees from which they'd come.

"Alice." She glanced back to him. "You're safe here, I swear it." He held out his hand.

Her name sounded odd coming from him. She heard it rarely and it was usually followed by a slap.

Still she said nothing. Still she didn't move.

He took a step back towards her and she flinched back. "I won't hurt you." He assured her.

The door opened behind him and he turned to see Emmett's smug face.

"Oh, you are in the shit now."