Stolen Time

Prologue

A young 14-year-old girl is sitting on a bed. The sheet was plain and the blanket thin. In the room, there were 3-beds lined against the wall and painted a dull grey. She shared the room with two other girls who were out playing. She writes in a journal the people gave her to shut her up. The girl did not for a second think they would ever let her go and she felt she needed to put her emotions somewhere.

"I remember the day so well that sometimes I wish I had forgotten it. It plays in my head almost all the time and—" she stops writing trying to decide if she should go on. A few seconds later she picks up the pen again. "Well, will I ever forget? It was the day everything fell apart, and well I was just six when it happened. I was barely old enough to remember or to even have a life before it. I avoid saying it on paper but the truth and that it for many reasons." Tears are pouring down her face now as the memory replays in her head. " I remember the blood on my nightgown, the screaming of my siblings. And I remember my dad, I saw the moment he realized he lost his mate. His face held immense pain in it and he begged for his mate to come back. He held her body that was covered in blood. I wish I could forget the look and what happened the following days and years after."

Madi was interrupted from the trace of writing by the door opening and a young girl coming into the room.

"Madi, come and play with- is everything okay?" She says as she sees the tears on Madi's face.

"Yes, can you give me a minute?" Madi answers back as her voice cracks.

The little girl nods to her and turns to leave the room. Madi finishes what she was writing. "I did not forget and haven't told anyone what happened or how much it affected me. I may never forget but I hoped writing it down would help. They said that it would help but they could be lying. They do that a lot and-" Again Madi is interrupted but this time but the head of the house.

"What's going on here? Mckenna says "you're up here crying, you know that you shouldn't cry for no reason." She raises her eyebrow at Madi. Mckenna stands by the door, looking guilty that she said anything in the first place. Madi pulled herself off the bed and stood by the front of it.

"I-I am sorry...." She stutters and bows her head to show respect for the older woman. "I just miss my parents and siblings, can I please see them." The woman's eyes grow wide and fill with anger. She moved through the door way and stood in front of the young girl.

"How many times do we have to tell you that your family is dead? Do you really want to see them that much?" the woman shrieks. Madi bows her head more if that was even possible. She lets out a whimper and the woman growls at her. She then slaps Madi across the face, leaving a big red hand mark. "Now come and play with the other children," she says calmly.