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CHAPTER TWO

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Caliko sat up on the bed and rubbed her head. She hurt everywhere. Her head ached, her eyes were blue and swollen, her jaw throbbed with pain. She ran her hand over her neck and felt the scratches that encirlced it. She wouldn't cry. She didn't last night. Not since her family died from the virus, had she cried.

She stood up and gathered her torn clothes from the ground and carefully dressed herself. She found herself in a room with barred windows containing only a dirty mattress. Caliko tried the door and found it locked. She beat her fist on it. Crying out, "Come on! Let me out! I played your game, now let me go!" But her cries went unnoticed.

Dizzy, she sat down in the corner of the room, the thought of sitting on the mattress made her shudder. She was getting hungry and already very thirsty. She wanted to get out of there and clean herself. Get the smell and feel of him off her body. She fought back the tears and thoughts of what her parents would think of their little girl, sitting there, hungry and broken. She stared out the dirty window, trying to concentrate on finding a way out and not on the thoughts that could drive her mad.

She heard a noise at the door and she stood up as quickly as she could, but kept herself in the corner, debating on if she should try to make an escape should the door be opened.

The door opened, but only far enough for whoever was on the other side to hastily toss a hunk of bread and a bottle of water in and quickly close it.

Caliko crossed over and grabbed the bottle, opened it, and drank nealry the entire bottle before stopping. The bread she left untouched and she returned to her corner and eased herself back down. Not so thirsty anymore, she laid her head back and stared once again out the window. As she concentrated on how to rid herself of this nightmarish place, her thoughts became muddled and thick and she slipped into a fitful sleep.

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"Wakey, Wakey! Eggs and Bacy!"

Startled, that she had fallen asleep, Caliko looked up, dread seeped over her.

Top Hat walked towards her and knelt down beside,. He grabbed her chin and forced it up and into better light. "Tsk. Tsk. If you would have played nicley last night, I would have played nicely too." He smirked.

Caliko pulled her face away from him. "You got what you wanted, you won your game, let me go."

Top Hat stood back up and chuckled. "I found myself a new trinket. And I'm not done playing with it yet. No, my little Trinkett, you'll stay here with me until I'm done with you." He smiled cruelly at her and walked to the door. "And next time I think you'd be smart in learning how to play nicely."