The next day, I went to school with a headache and a gash on my forehead. When I got home late, my mom took the knife she was cutting tomatoes with a slashed it across my forehead. Then she pushed me down the basement stairs and locked the door so I couldn't get out. I spent the night in the freezing cold basement with the spiders.

I didn't sleep a minute all night.

I was exhausted and achy, and dozed off in homeroom. Ms. Martin yelled at me and made me stand up in the back of the class. People held their noses as I passed them. I probably stunk, since I haven't had a bath in about a week. My hair was dirty but tied back in a ponytail.

I actually fell asleep in English, but Mr. Jacobs had a nicer way of waking me up than Ms. Martin. He waited until everyone was working and gently prodded me. I then woke up, apologized endlessly, and went to my work.

I went home that day barely able to keep my eyes open. I dozed off walking and fell, my hands flying out to catch myself. I cut my hand open. Marley came bounding towards me, and I picked myself up off the ground and following him. My hand was bleeding and so was my forehead, and I wanted to get it cleaned before it got infected.

And I kind of really wanted to see Charles and Alli again.

It wasn't long before their house came into view, and a huge wave of relief washed over me. Even though I had just met them, I trusted them. I walked up the porch stairs, hoping that either Charles or Alli was home. I rang the doorbell and waited. A few seconds later, the door opened, revealing Alli. She stared out over my head for a second, but then looked down to see me. Her face broke out into a grin.

"Hi, Shiloh," She said, smiling hugely. I tried smiling back at her, but my lips wouldn't cooperate.

"Hello," I whispered.

"Would you like to come in?" Alli asked.

"Okay."

We walked to the kitchen. Charles was at the kitchen table, his laptop open. He seemed to be focusing intently on the screen.

"Char," Alli said. Charles jumped and looked up. He smiled when he saw me.

"Look who it is," He said, his grin wide. "What brings you back here, Shiloh?"

I held up my hand and looked down in shame.

"How'd you do that?" Alli asked, taking my hand and examining it.

"I fell," I muttered, starting to fall asleep again. I felt lightheaded and dizzy and I started to sway.

"Charles, she's passing out," Alli said, her hands holding me steady. I heard chair legs scrape on their floor, and I suddenly felt like I was at home again, with my abusive parents. The chairs would scrape across the grungy kitchen floor. I was momentarily frozen.

Another hand suddenly touched me.

And I flipped out.

One second I was in the middle of the kitchen, another I was across the room cowering in a corner.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I said, putting my arms in front of my face to keep any blows from flying at it. "I'm sorry, I promise it won't happen again! Please don't hurt me!"

It was completely silent. Nothing moved except Marley, who came over to stand in front of me.

"Shiloh, what are you talking about?" Alli asked gently. "Why would we hurt you?"

My lip trembled and I bit it.

"I've… I've got to go," I said, scrambling to my feet. I made a mad dash for the door, but Charles said: "Wait, Shiloh!"

I stopped. I turned and looked at him, scared about what he was about to do.

"We won't hurt you. I promise we won't ever hurt you."

I nodded, not believing him.

"How about you come back tomorrow?"

Yeah right, I thought. You just want to hurt me.

"Sure," I said, "That sounds cool."

Charles smiled.

"Awesome. See ya then."

The next day at school was worse than the day before. I smelled terrible, and I was ashamed of my stench as I walked down the hallway, trying my hardest to conceal the stink in one place. I sat alone at lunch again, like always, reading Harry Potter. It was only Wednesday, and for some weird reason, I wished it was the weekend. I was tired of walking by and people holding their noses.

I was actually excited to go home that day, but I think it was mostly because I wanted to see Charles and Alli again. Even though I didn't believe Charles in saying that he wouldn't hurt me, I could still hope, right?

I ran out of school; my short, fast legs propelling me towards Charles and Alli's house. I was actually excited to see them. Maybe they did care…

Stop it, Shiloh, My mind snapped at me. Stop dreaming and getting your hopes up.

I slowed down my pace. Marley came bounding towards me once again, her tongue out. She barked playfully and grabbed at my ripped skirt. I tried to smile again, but once again, my cheekbones wouldn't lift. Marley ran towards Charles and Alli's house, and I ran after her. It was like a race, but Marley was like a flash of white and black light, and I trailed along in her wake.

As I walked up the porch steps, I was uneasy. What would happen when I went inside? Would Charles do something bad? Will Alli hit me?

For some odd reason, that didn't stop me from knocking on the door. Alli answered almost immediately. She smiled down at me, took my hand, and led me inside. I was greeted with the familiar sights and smells of their house, and I watched the floor as Alli led me towards the kitchen.

"Charles, she came back!" Alli said happily. I looked up to see Charles smiling at me from his place at the table. I tried to smile again, but it still wouldn't work. Charles then frowned, getting up.

"Why do you make that look?" He asked, approaching me slowly and apprehensively.

"W-what look?" I stuttered, backing up.

"The look you made when I smiled at you. It looked painful."

I backed up even more, getting really scared. What was he going to do? Was he going to hurt me, like everyone else?

"I-I was s-smiling," I said, still backing up. Charles was still walking towards me, and I started trembling.

"It didn't like a smile."

I backed up into a cabinet, my hips hitting the wood. I closed my eyes and put up my hands in a blocking way.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" I cried. "I promise I won't do it again, daddy, please don't hit me!"

The room went silent. No sound was made, and I slapped a hand to my mouth when I realized what I just said.

My vision disappeared.

The room was very quiet, along with very dark. I hated the darkness; bad things happened in the dark. Monsters resurfaced and demons eyes lit up through the black. I heard movement, and I started crying. I didn't want to be hurt anymore. Can't I just die? A knife was on my throat then, and I felt pain on the right side. I cried out.

"If you EVER tell," He whispered. "This knife will be in your heart." Daddy whispered.

My eyes grew was wide as they could go in fear. I needed to go. I needed to go before they found out any more. I turned and made a mad dash for the door, but a hand hooked on to me before I could get anywhere.

"Shiloh, wait," Alli said. "Why would your father hurt you?"

My eyes fell to the floor. "I misspoke. I'm sorry, Charles just looked like my father for a second, and I thought Charles was going to hurt me." I gulped. "My father loves me very much, and so does my mother."

Alli nodded, her eyes trained to my face to detect any sort of untruthfulness. When she found none, her smile returned. "Okay. I got worried for a second that your father would hurt you," Her smile faded again. "You'd tell someone if your parents were hurting you, right?"

I nodded vigorously. It was a dead lie, but Alli couldn't know that.

"I really need to go home," I said, tugging my arm from her grip. "My parents told me that they're making my favorite meal tonight." Yeah, my favorite meal. Nothing.

"Oh okay," Alli looked upset. "Will you come back tomorrow?"

I opened the front door and looked back at her. "Sure."

And I would.

(Alli's POV)

I didn't know why I felt so attached to Shiloh, but I honestly felt like she was my own little girl. The child I never had; The child I hoped to someday have with Charles. She surprised me with her shyness and general fear of people; she seemed like she would be a very chatty little girl.

But I felt like she was keeping something from me. Something big.

I wanted to know why she flinches whenever someone laid a finger on her, or why she's deathly afraid of Charles. I want answers, but I was unsure of how to get them. Did kids at school bully her?

And why was she always hurt? I wanted to know that too. Everyday now she's come to Charles and my house with a cut, scrape, or bruise. Why was there a scar on her neck? What was the story behind that? How are her parents?

Is she abused?

That horrible question always drifted to the forefront of my mind whenever she flinches away from Charles or me. Why did she curl away from any sort of contact with humans, and most of all, why did she say "daddy, please don't hurt me?"

So many questions, so many answers.

All locked away in the mind of Shiloh Grace Carter.