NEW BETA here is her email arnoldjpa96 gmail. com (tell her stampylongirl send you okay)
As I run in the woods, I recall who I was before this and the eight years of my
suffering.
Everything that has happened for my nine years of life. Before
darkness.
(flashback nine years ago, Zandelle's birth , Gotham Hospital)
"Honey she's perfect...do you want to hold her?" That must be my mom
I feel strong, firm hands holding me; it has to be my dad. I am slowly
opening my eyes and when I do I see my dad.
He smiles, "She is beautiful." He says with joy. "what should we name her?." My mom asks him.
She stops to think, "I was thinking Annalise it sounds like a nice name for
her." She offers.
My dad smiles, "What about Zandelle Adeline Annalise Wilson?"
I smile and dad smiles back, "I think she likes it hun." mom says.
The doctor comes in "Have you decided on a name?" he asks. A nurse follows behind him.
"Yes we did." Mom says.
"Zandelle Adeline Annalise Wilson." Dad finishes the sentence. Dad places me in mom's arms and she smiles. Five minutes later the nurse comes in a takes me.
"Where are you taking my daughter?" My mom asks in a protective way.
The nurse ignores her. She turns down the hall to a emergency exit and a man waits at the door.
"Did you get her?" he asks.
The nurse nods "The boss will be very pleased once this meta is done away with, but further testing must be done." She says. The man nods and turns to grab something from the briefcase sitting at his feet. It is a air tank attached with a mask. I remember the air tank filled with anesthetics. The man has a evil smile on his face, "Lights out." The last thing I remember was being sent into a world of darkness.
(Flashback ,Two years after kidnapping , Zandelle two years old , Area sixty-two)
White walls, a dark room, a small, broken bed, a small glass window, and
chains that hold me. I am sitting on the bed with only silence as a friend and a door that confines me in a cell from the world. They are through
with me for today, but I know that they will be back. Two years of pain and
hurt...Two years of waiting for dad to come take me home...Two years
of-
The door opens and a tall man in a business suit stands there, pulling me away from my thoughts.
He walks in and closes the door. He carries a flashlight with him and walks to where I am sitting.
He kneels down and speaks, "You know, 622607, that your family never
wanted you?" He asks. I nod. "And that your mother died because of
you?" he continues. Again, I nod.
"Your father died in war today he left you here to rot." He finishes and gets up. He walks to the door without another look at me, and walks out closing it with a slam.
That Afternoon
"Again." he says coldly.
I look at him with a silent cry for mercy.
"Please...Sir," I pant, "I've run it fourteen times already...please, not again...I-I'll pass out." I say, believing it wholeheartedly.
He turns to me with a wild look in his eye, studying me carefully for a moment. I'm exhausted. The changing obstacle course I've been running through all day had worn me down. I couldn't keep going. Sweat poured off my body and soaked into my black clothes as I looked up at him from my slumped position.
"That is a risk I am willing to take." He says unforgivably as he changes the course yet again. My shoulders fall more at his proclamation. A singly tear slips down my cheek. OR is it sweat? I couldn't tell, all i knew was that I wouldn't be able to make it through the course again.
"Get to the starting line!" he snaps loudly. The sudden change in his tone made me jump and begin moving to my designated spot.
"You must beat your previous record of three minutes and fifty-two seconds. If you do not, the consequences will be ones that you will not find to be in your favor, or particularly good for you health, and most certainly will not benefit you in any way during training. Needless to say, you punishment will not be pleasant. Do I make myself clear, 622607?" he demands.
I nod. "Yes, sir. I understand."
He nods. "The clock will begin in 3...2...1."
I launch myself away from the starting line with energy I didn't know I had I had a distinct feeling I knew what would happen to me should I fail...I'd seen Trainer Parkers angry before, and I definitely had no desire to face his wrath again...I would get through this. I had to...
I ran quickly, jumping over platforms and ducking at incoming projectiles. I twisted my body though spikes and did my best to deactivate any weapons aimed for me. All I had to work with was a few boomerangs and my agile body.
About halfway through the course, I felt my energy and adrenaline waning. Sweat pored off of my face, hitting the floor mat as it fell from my heated flesh. I crawled through the next tunnel using my elbows. My arms were sore, in fact, I could feel a fire raging in almost every muscle in my body. I hurt...but I ran anyway. I wasn't running for him, I was running for me. I wouldn't dare admit it to him, but I was terrified of the man who stood off to the side as he watched me struggle yet again through the obstacle course. I knew what kind of pain he could inflict without even touching me...I knew that he reveled in seeing me fail, and I knew he enjoyed punishing me for any small infraction. I did try to please him, but nothing I did ever seemed to be enough. I knew he didn't care about me...and I knew that I had to get away from him. I was torn away from my thoughts as I felt the stinging impact on my face and heard the dull thud as I hit the ground. Stupid. That was stupid. I should have been paying attention..
As quickly as I could, I pushed myself up and ran under the pesky obstacle. The finish line was a mere ten feet away. I had gotten though this far, I could finish. With renewed strength and vigor, I pushed my way through the course, over the remaining obstacles, and finally climbed over the fifteen foot wall. I collapsed to my hands and knees upon reaching the finish line. I smiled to myself as I watched my sweat fall to the floor, and saw the long, rebellious strands of hair that had wiggled themselves away from my bun and dangle in front of my face. I made it. I could hardly believe I was still conscious. I looked up as two heavy boots stand in my vision. Doing so makes my head spin, but I don't show it.
His face hold a look of displease, and it is then I know I've failed. Surely he wouldn't be so angry at me...I made it through, after all.
"Four minutes and six seconds." Is all he says. I barely have time to let out a deep sigh before he roughly picks me up and stands me in front of him. I close my eyes and wait for the inevitable. I am not disappointed. The sharp sting spreads across my face as he backhands me first on the left, then immediately after, the right. A tear slops past my defenses. I quickly wipe it away...I will not cry. not again. Not again. I'm unmercifully dragged out of the room. My defenses were quickly torn down. My lip trembles as I watch the heavy metal door open and I am dragged through. the heavy door slams loudly shut behind us, the loud nose making my eyes water. I know there is no fighting him. Compared to me, hi is all powerful. I cannot ever win. all I can do is endure. Tears fall freely from my eyes as I see THAT door up ahead.
"Please," I silently plead, "please don't take me in there..." I hope beyond hope that he won't. But where has hope ever gotten me? I used to hope my parents were alive.
But they aren't. I hoped that he would be kind to me, just once, but he isn't. Hope...
Hope is for the weak minded who can't face the truth. People hope for something good to happen when all they know is chaos and hurt. Like me. Hope is stupid. Hope doesn't work. I know that now as I run through the woods toward what I believe to be my freedom. But then, I was merely a child controlled by monsters a demons. My spirit was cursed a little more that day as he drug mi into that room. A room I never want to see, or think about again. Terrible things happened in that room...
Things I hope to forger, But know I never will.
(Flashback , six years after dad's 'death' , Zandelle eight years old ,
Gotham City, escape)
I run into a ally and slide to a halt to hide behind a dumpster. I catch my
breath and sink to the ground with a sigh.
"I did it. I escaped." I think to myself.
I hear approaching footsteps, and ready my metal staff to attack. I sense the person is near.
I hear a voice issue an order, "Call Gordon. Tell him we found a kid." I turn
my head to find the person who was near me was a cop. I glare at him, thinking to myself "If they even try to arrest you, run."
I get up from the ground and face the cop defiantly. He kneels down to my level, "Where are your parents?" He asks.
I sigh before giving the answer, "Dead."
The cop behind him sighs, "Kid's an orphan." He says as he walks up to stand next to his partner before addressing me, "Do you know any aunts or uncles?" He questions me.
I turn my head in disdain, "They don't want me. They left me there to die." I tell them without emotion I turn my head back to them again. The cop who knelt down to me looks up at his friend. His friend nods.
I sigh, knowing I have to go "I longed for freedom and now I'm going to be some other kid in their book." I tell myself. The cop gets up and looks at me "You're going to have to come with us." He says somewhat sadly. I nod and begin walking to the police car to get in.
That night, they finally put me in an orphanage, and feel the comfort and safety I always longed for, but I know I can't stay long. Everyone is sleeping. I smile as I get up from my bed and walk to the window. I do my best to open it silently, but I am not quiet enough. I hear someone shift in
their bed.
"What are you doing?" A young girl asks me.
I smile in the dark. "Escaping. Don't worry I am not coming back. I have my dad looking for me." I tell her.
Another girl next to her gets up, "You are in an orphanage, your dad is dead or doesn't want you. Why would you escape? The cops will find you and bring you back."
I sigh, no matter what I say, they won't truly understand. "I don't want a new family or a new life. I just want to find my dad. He's alive, I know it." The smaller girl sighs but the older one laughs at me.
"Really? Your dad alive? HA! That is a joke." She mocks as I worm my body out the window and jump onto the soft, dew covered grass. I get up, wipe my hands on my jeans, and start running.
I get a mile away before I hear a cop car siren going off.
"Stop!" A cop commands.
I ignore the order and keep running faster bending a platform I fly low
near the cars. I look up and see a chopper shining his spotlight directly on me. I make
a hasty decision and fly directly up and over the loud helicopter.
I let out a sigh of relief, "Finally lost them. Now it's a straight flight to Jump City." I say out loud to myself.
I hear the sound of a jet plane behind me, and decide before they call Air Traffic Control in Gotham that I should starting landing on the ground. I'm about 3,00 feet in the air before I begin my descent.
I continue to get lower and lower reaching heights of '2,500 ft, 2,000 ft,1,500 ft,1,000 ft,500 ft,250 ft.' I'm going down fast but smooth. I brace myself for landing...'150ft, 50ft,25 ft,10 ft, 5ft.'
I jump on the ground landing nicely and start running to the city. I made the
choice to avoid the highway, roads, and other public places at all cost. I learned from running away never to do that because it's a risk and you can get caught easily. I busted out about a month or two ago from area 62. I find myself surrounded by the woods. I'm suddenly very grateful for landing here. The woods are the safest place to be...I'm concealed from prying eyes.
I see a bright lights and four people walking through the woods.
"Nine year old female, black hair and blue eyes height: 4ft ...okay guys, start searching." One of them says.
I gasp, 'cops' I think as I begin climbing a nearby tree, resting myself on a branch with my right leg bent and ready to run and my left ready to jump start if I have to run. I see a flashlight coming nearer to me and the footsteps come closer. I hold my breath for dear life, hoping
they don't find me. The light shoots at my face and the cop grabs this
communicator.
"Found her." He returns the device to his belt and removes his handcuffs, "Alright kid, come on down. I'm going have to take you in." He says
to me. I smile at him and jump out of the tree. I turn my back to him and run as fast as I can through the woods. I hear a vehicle stop to pick up the man behind me and then the sound of pursuit as they take off after me.
"We got a runner, all units respond to the docks. Look out for a female nine year old black hair blue eyes height four feet. Over." The radio blares. I ignore it and run faster, nearing the edge of the woods near the ports.
I ran in a maze like pattern through trees and over creeks, and after thirty
minutes I lost them. I couldn't run anymore...I disappeared into the first
alleyway I found. Climbing up the fire escape, I see an empty room
through a small, rectangular opening, — probably the shape of a door.
End flashback
I stop recalling my memories and I come to know that those people who
tried to stop me are my enemies. I am my father's daughter and I do what I
must.
*A/n as Zandelle has a life flashback she is still running. The last part
where she can't run anymore is the last part before she met Slade. In the
next chapter Slade (her father) explains the family tree. (Who had her
older brothers Grant and Jericho who had her older sister Rose and who
her mother was it will also show who her uncles, aunts, and cousins are.
Ect.)
** Zandelle has fully gained 100% of her brain power from her father. (Two
ways to spell Zandelle, Zandelle or Zade)
Fun fact humans use 10% of brain power!
*** Tell arnoldjpa96 gmail .com stampylongirl53 send you that way she knows who is advertise her for a beta reader.