Writer Note: Because Kathryn is mute and the only way I can have her talk is through a notepad or her sign language, I'm going to use *whenever she's 'talking' to someone and **when she's thinking instead of saying something like "she wrote on her notepad" 'er whatnot. Hope everyone got that! :0)
***
The next morning, Kathryn woke up to rustling near her bed. She groggily opened her eyes to see Spot - through the candle light - looking in the mirror, slipping on his hat. Kathryn almost wanted to cry. This was a scene all too familiar to her.
Sight of the girl awake made him turn around. "Good morning" he greeted, smiling slightly. He stepped over to her bed and sat down. "How'd you sleep?"
Kathryn grabbed her notepad and pen from the night stand, scribbling on it. She held it up for Spot. *All right. First time I slept without interruption.*
"Oh yeah. What kind of interruption?"
A wince fell over her face. **What am suppose to say - screaming, hitting…** Spot notice this and decide not to go any farther. "You don't have to answer that."
He heaved, standing up. "I gotta go. You be careful cleaning up today. Us boys can be real messy." Kathryn finally cracked a smile herself. "See you soon." With that, Spot strolled out the door, leaving the girl to her thoughts.
Kathryn hated to think. It was something that only brought pain, because all she would do is brood and beat herself up for how her life was playing out.
When she was almost a year old, she lost her voice to an illness that damaged her voice box - allowing her only to grunt and moan. Her parents didn't want a "dumb" child, so, they brought her to an institution for the deaf and mute. Instead of being treated like a dumb child, she was raised to have a good education. **Not as dumb as they thought.** But as her eleventh year rolled around, the payments stopped for her education and lodging.
The next month after, she was put out on the streets. A nice man by the name of James Campbell found her, and brought to his "special" house for girls. It turned out to be a brothel where Kathryn sent five years being a pleasure for men...until yesterday when she escaped. Thank goodness Spot was there to help her make the escape a successful one.
**No use in mediating over my life.** She stood off the bed to start her day in her new job - cleaning the Brooklyn Lodging House.
***
The morning and afternoon went by mainly fast. Kathryn started downstairs sweeping and helping Baxter sort papers. He was rather surprised at how quick she was with organizing. By 3:00 p.m., she'd moved upstairs to the bunkroom.
Kathryn had just finished straightening out the sheets on one of the bottom bunks when she heard footsteps come into the room. She looked around the bunk to see Flaggler sauntering in. The arrogant grin on his face made her cringe. She keep her eyes on the floor as he walked up to her.
"I figured it out" he gabbed, waging a finger at her. Kathryn keep her gaze downward. "Your from the Campbell Brothel on DeBecker Street. I remember the night we had..." He sighed in satisfaction then leaned down, caressing her cheek and pressing his lips against her neck.
Kathryn's stomach sickened with every undesired touch. Her mind ached, thinking **Not again.** As much as she wanted to, she couldn't pull away. Tears began to roll down her cheeks.
Flaggler stood straight, still grinning. "Let's just keep this between the two of us." With that, he walked out the bunkroom chuckling.
Kathryn was frozen in place until the adversary was gone. She fell to her knees, sob after sob pouring from her chest. She hadn't escaped...
***
The next morning, Kathryn woke up to rustling near her bed. She groggily opened her eyes to see Spot - through the candle light - looking in the mirror, slipping on his hat. Kathryn almost wanted to cry. This was a scene all too familiar to her.
Sight of the girl awake made him turn around. "Good morning" he greeted, smiling slightly. He stepped over to her bed and sat down. "How'd you sleep?"
Kathryn grabbed her notepad and pen from the night stand, scribbling on it. She held it up for Spot. *All right. First time I slept without interruption.*
"Oh yeah. What kind of interruption?"
A wince fell over her face. **What am suppose to say - screaming, hitting…** Spot notice this and decide not to go any farther. "You don't have to answer that."
He heaved, standing up. "I gotta go. You be careful cleaning up today. Us boys can be real messy." Kathryn finally cracked a smile herself. "See you soon." With that, Spot strolled out the door, leaving the girl to her thoughts.
Kathryn hated to think. It was something that only brought pain, because all she would do is brood and beat herself up for how her life was playing out.
When she was almost a year old, she lost her voice to an illness that damaged her voice box - allowing her only to grunt and moan. Her parents didn't want a "dumb" child, so, they brought her to an institution for the deaf and mute. Instead of being treated like a dumb child, she was raised to have a good education. **Not as dumb as they thought.** But as her eleventh year rolled around, the payments stopped for her education and lodging.
The next month after, she was put out on the streets. A nice man by the name of James Campbell found her, and brought to his "special" house for girls. It turned out to be a brothel where Kathryn sent five years being a pleasure for men...until yesterday when she escaped. Thank goodness Spot was there to help her make the escape a successful one.
**No use in mediating over my life.** She stood off the bed to start her day in her new job - cleaning the Brooklyn Lodging House.
***
The morning and afternoon went by mainly fast. Kathryn started downstairs sweeping and helping Baxter sort papers. He was rather surprised at how quick she was with organizing. By 3:00 p.m., she'd moved upstairs to the bunkroom.
Kathryn had just finished straightening out the sheets on one of the bottom bunks when she heard footsteps come into the room. She looked around the bunk to see Flaggler sauntering in. The arrogant grin on his face made her cringe. She keep her eyes on the floor as he walked up to her.
"I figured it out" he gabbed, waging a finger at her. Kathryn keep her gaze downward. "Your from the Campbell Brothel on DeBecker Street. I remember the night we had..." He sighed in satisfaction then leaned down, caressing her cheek and pressing his lips against her neck.
Kathryn's stomach sickened with every undesired touch. Her mind ached, thinking **Not again.** As much as she wanted to, she couldn't pull away. Tears began to roll down her cheeks.
Flaggler stood straight, still grinning. "Let's just keep this between the two of us." With that, he walked out the bunkroom chuckling.
Kathryn was frozen in place until the adversary was gone. She fell to her knees, sob after sob pouring from her chest. She hadn't escaped...