In the dark of the night a shrill screech resonated through the city. Anatefka plowed through the streets, bounding over anything in her path. Two soldiers on horse-back thundered behind the child in hot pursuit. Each armed with nets and lassos.

"She's cornered! Move in!"

Suddenly the woven trap fell over Anatefka like a web. She clawed and snapped against her captors, but there was nothing she could do. Try as she might, she was powerless as her hunters dragged her back to the Palace of Justice.

With guards at the door and window, Frollo studied the caged girl. Screeching like a demon, she threw herself against the bars over and over.

"She is possessed" Frollo said to himself quietly.

Anatefka was indeed a strange girl. The child was unusually small for a nine year old and didn't look an inch higher than four feet. She was nude except for body paint made from mud. She was absolutely filthy, reeking of rot and skunk cabbage. Cords of matted hair hung down to her knees. If Anatefka had been cared for properly, she would have been an adorable little girl.

"Have the Archdeacon prepare a baptismal service" Frollo said.

With much difficulty, a guard dressed her in a long baptismal dress and wrestled the child down to Notre Dame by a leash.
A small group of monks gathered in the cathedral nave as the archdeacon prepared for the ceremony. Bound to a pillar the screaming Anatefka had lapsed into a frenzy. As she screeched and fought, the archdeacon held aloft a goblet of holy water over Anatefka's head.

If only the she could escape!

Suddenly with a great burst of energy, Anatefka's wrists slipped from her bounds and she tore like mad out of the nave. A small door welcomed her into dark cool shadows.

Panting for breath, Anatefka pinned herself against the wall. Her fevered brain struggling to think of a way out.

If I climb this hill, maybe I can see far enough to find my way home.

She kept her body low to the ground as she hiked up the winding staircase. There was no way to determine how far it went up. But the stairs seemed to go on forever.

What are people?

But the thought was quickly dismissed. People were a total enigma to her. To her humans were ignorant, dangerous creatures and vowed never again to scavenge the city again.

After hours of climbing, Anatefka made it to the top of the stairs.

The bell tower was like no place she had ever seen. Wooden beams jutted across the walls, creating shafts of light like trees in the forest. But it was the colossal bells that amazed Anatefka the most.

But something else caught her eye.

A gargoyle. Her head cocked to the side she cautiously approached the stone being. It's bared fangs forcing the savage child to a submissive stance. But it didn't take long for Anatefka to see the gargoyle for what it was. After sniffing the stony monster she concluded it wasn't alive and returned her attention to the bells.

Running up to the biggest bell, Anatefka placed a grubby little hand against it's bronze form. With a gentle knock, a droning vibration peeled through the entire tower.

It almost sounded like singing.

Suddenly the sound of thick footsteps echoed from the tower's roof. Somebody was coming!

Squeezing herself under a table, Anatefka watched with bated breath from her hiding place. A bulky figure entered the tower and took a seat by a shaft of sunlight. The keeper of the bells.

His oddly shaped visage held two large, beautiful eyes. Yet one was almost hidden under a large, egg-like growth. His nose looked as though some one had smashed it into his face. The mouth full of jagged, malformed teeth.

Atop his head, a lush crop of red hair that could easily put a rose to shame. Protruding from his back was an arching hump that topped off his muscular body. The face did not frighten Anatefka. But his sheer size stunned her.

Her time among wild beasts taught her never to bother anything that was bigger she. And this man looked like a giant. As Anatefka sat in silence a wisp of cobweb drifted down from the table's underside, landing deftly by her nose.

A sneeze was welling up inside and had to be released.

Achoo!

His brow furrowed, the bellringer went to investigate the source of the sound. Her large sinewy hands pulled away the makeshift tablecloth, revealing the terrified Anatefka.

With fear in her eyes, she remembered one of the many rules of the wilderness.

Forcing herself out, she got on all fours and bowed her head. A sign of respect among the dogs and recognition of dominance.

The bellringer had no idea what to make of the child. There was doubt in his mind concerning her untamed nature. But still there was something endearing about the little girl. Even if was buried in years of filth and savagery.

The hunchback thought of reaching a hand out to stroke her, but the notion of being bitten or clawed arose in his mind.

Slowly he went to a cupboard and brought fourth a plate of scraps. Anatefka stared a the food with confusion. It looked like the sort of food she found in the streets. But the bread and smoked meat looked far more appetizing then anything she ever came across.

Keeping at least one eye on the bellringer, Anatefka polished off the food in a matter of minutes.

"Quasimodo, its time for Evening Mass. Why are the bells silent!"

Anatefka recognized the voice immediately. Claude Frollo!

Jumping to her feet, she leapt nimbly over the balcony.

Quasimodo feared she had fallen, but was relieved to see Anatefka safely climbing down the rough cathedral walls. It amazed him to see someone just as adapt at climbing high places as he was.

Agile as a lizard, she shimmied down the columns before finally reaching the bottom. Quasimodo did not see her again for another two months.