Donata's POV, 2 years later

I awoke and looked about my room. I saw the bright yellows, oranges, and greens that decorated the bright, vibrant room. I stepped out of bed and walked down the hall to mommy and daddy's room. It was a big room. Everything was big. The bed, the dressers, even the door was big. There in the bed was mommy and daddy, both asleep not stirring even though Daddy's music box was playing a soft tune that had so many times been sung to me by mommy.
Masquerade...
Paper faces on parade...
Masquerade...
Hide your face so the world will never find you...

I had noticed that daddy always hid his face. He wore a mask. Just like the people in mommy's song. I wanted to know who Daddy was. I slowly walked up to the bed. I put my small hands on the mask that daddy was wearing, and slowly lifted it off his face. I did not have even a second to look at it, for daddy pushed me away and I tumbled to the ground. He covered his face. He said words, and I had never heard such language. Mommy woke up and looked from Daddy, to me on the floor, and back to Daddy again. Being like this on the floor brought back terrible memories.

Flashback
He burst through the doors and pushed Aunt Jaclyn and Aunt Naiomi aside, then advanced on me. His long hair was behind him, matted. He pushed me to the ground and spoke to me, laughing at my weakness. He told me in a stern voice,
"You belong to me. That thing is not your father. He is a corpse. He cannot love. He is a monster. You will come with me eventually. You spoke back to me at the wedding. You shall pay," With that, he beat me. He slapped and hit by back, and I could not take much more when he suddenly stopped. I was very weak, but I managed to turn over and see Aunt Jaclyn standing above me, and the man lying on the floor, not moving.
"Are you alright, Donata?"
"Ouchie,"
"I'll bring you up to your room,"
and with that, whe picked me up gently and carried me up. It was nice to be back in my room, and she wrapped cuts, and put a new nightgown on me. I slept. I felt secure, still hoping that that would never happen again.

End flashback

I started sobbing as I sat there on the floor. Daddy peeked at me through his fingers and sighed. He picked up his mask and placed it on his face. He then sat next to me and held me in his arms. Those big, strong arms always made me feel safe. He said softly,
"I am sorry, Donata. I just...don't like when people see my face. You see, my face is deformed. I wear a mask to cover it up. I don't want to scare you. There is no need for you to fear me, and I do not want to give you a reason,"
I nodded at him and continued crying. I spoke between my sobs,
"You reminded me of the bad man, daddy. When he came while you were away, he pushed me down just like that. I felt like he was back again,"
Daddy picked me up and put me on his bed. He then said,
"I am truly sorry, Donata. I did not know that would remind you of him," and he handed me to mommy who hugged me close while daddy slid under the covers once again.
"Go back to sleep, Donata," Said mommy. "You need rest,"