Forever Mine

Sasha's POV

I enter a vividly pink room appearing to be a nursery. The only problem is the furniture seems much too large for an actual infant. "Hailey?" I called again, sure she had to be here. It was the only room with a deadbolt on the door. I hear shuffling under a table in the far corner and slowly walk towards it. Once again preparing myself for the worst, I crouch down so I'm eye level.

Gasping upon discovering a very different, fearful Hailey, I extend my hand towards her. "What has he done to you?" My eyes scanned over her red eyes, her bruised arms, and her outfit. "Is... is he treating you like a baby?" Hailey doesn't responded as she stares at me blankly, almost as if she doesn't recognize me.

"We need to get out of here before he gets back," I try to coax her out. "No!" She screamed defiantly, "I can't leave him."

"Hailey..." I was so sure she would be happy to be saved. I thought she'd run with me.

"No, no, no, no, NO!" She pushes me out of the way and crawls across the room, grabbing a pink teddy bear. "I can't leave my daddy," she says between sobs.

"He's not your daddy," I try to explain patiently but knew he was going to be back eventually. "Hailey, please," I begged, "we have to get out of here."

She stubbornly shook her head, her tears soaking that stupid bear. I sigh. "Can I ask you a question?" Hailey looked at me curiously and I proceeded.

"Hailey, do you know what Stockholm Syndrome is?"

The recognition crossed her face but instantly she discarded my question. "He loves me," she responded, "that's why I'm here." I knew then that this wasn't the Hailey I knew. That girl was gone. Dead.

"But I love you, Hailey," I said firmly, choking back tears. "Your family loves you. Your real daddy too. This man stole you. Can't you see what he's done to you?"

It was as if I hadn't even said a word to her as she processed none of it. Defeated, I sighed and pulled out my phone, dialing 911.