Abbie slept restlessly that night. The nightmares that had haunted her for years came back every so often, sometimes every night for weeks on end.
It was 1943, Abigail Hall had just turned three years old. Her mother, LuAnne, placed her in a dumpster in an alley, everyone screaming and running on either side, "You stay here, you stay right here until I come and get you alright?"
Abigail's wide eyes filled with tears, "Why Mama? Where are you going? Are you going to find Papa?"
"No baby, Papa ran away a long, long time ago."
"Then where are you going Mama? Why can't I come? I promise I'll be good."
"You are good baby, you're the best, but it isn't safe okay? You have to stay here."
"I love you Mama, be careful."
LuAnne just smiled at the little girl she loved so much before closing the lid to the dumpster and walking away. That was the last time Abigail Hall saw her mother.
About two days later, kicking and screaming for her mother, "Mama! Mama come back! Come back Mama! MAMA! MAMA!"
Tosh's eyes flew open when she heard screams coming form the guest room down the hall. "Mama! Come back! Mama! MAMA, COME BACK! MAMA! PLEASE! MAMA! MAMA!"
"Abbie, wake up, wake up, it's just a bad dream, Abbie, focus, listen to my voice, come on, Abbie," Tosh coaxed, gently shaking the girl.
Abbie's reaction was, unexpected, to say the least. She woke with a start and when she felt hands on her shoulders she catapulted backwards off of the bed and backed into a corner, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you I'm sorry, please don't make me go into the hole again, please don't make me, please, I'll be good, I'll be good. Please Misses Porter, I'll be a good girl, I'll be a good girl."
"Abbie, it's Tosh, I'm not going to hurt you, you're safe now," Tosh whispered, placing a gentle hand on Abbie's knee. Not her best idea. Abbie kicked her leg up out of instinct, nailing Tosh in the jaw before she got up and bolted from the room.
"Yeah, Jack, I'm having some slight, err, problems with Abbie, I kind of need some help...well she didn't steal anything or hurt anyone on purpose...she was having a panic attack and she kicked me in the jaw...no, nothing's broken and she hasn't left the house...Jack, she won't let me anywhere near her and last I saw of her she was scared out of her mind and hyperventilating...thanks Jack, I owe you one."
Whaaaaat?! What happened during Abbie's childhood? Will Jack be able to calm her down? Find out what the hell is going on in the next chapter!