Alignments

Chapter 2

"Sweetheart, what is your name?" The little girl held her head down. "How old are you?" Silence. "Do you know where your parents are?" Nothing.

"Can she hear?"

"I believe so." They walked away to another desk.

"Why do you think she's not talking?"

"I don't know, but it's not shocking. The police said that according to the neighbors, no one had been in or out of the house for two weeks. She must've been in there all that time." The little girl looked at her doll and played with her hair.

"Sweetie, we need to know your name so we can help you." The little girl continued to play with her doll. The lady sighed and sat back. Across the office, a radio played some music on a low level.

"Let the music play.

I just wanna dance the night away." The little girl bounced her foot to the beat.

"Here, right here, right here is where

I'm gonna stay.

All night long." She moved her shoulders and head.

"Let the music play on." She hummed, catching the lady's attention from her computers.

"Just until I feel this misery is gone.

Movin', kickin', groovin', keep the music strong." The lady leaned to the little girl.

"Do you like that song?" She nodded. The lady stood up. "Hey, Paul, bring the radio over here for a second." The guy picked it up and brought it to the lady. She sat it on the desk and the little girl smiled.

The song continued to play and she danced in her seat. "You really like this song?" She nodded excitedly. "Well, how about this? Until you're ready to talk we'll just sit here and listen to the music. Would you like that?" The little girl smiled. "Good, then that's what we'll do."

The little girl felt excited in her body. She was never able to have fun at home. Everything she did was bad, according to her parents. They thought her playing music was annoying, so she was never allowed to do it. "You can play as much music as you like." She smiled showing all of her teeth.

Janet turned over and groaned as the sunlight hit her face. With her eyes still closed, she felt around the bed and when she found it empty a smile spread across her face. She loved having the bed to herself. She could sleep the way she wanted to. Rolling over, she laid in the middle of the bed and spread out. She gathered all of the covers around her and just snuggled into them. "Hmmm." She sighed with a sense of satisfaction. She was at peace.

She stared out the large window in her bedroom and watched the sky. It was a little cloudy out today so you could see the clouds moving very slowly, but she enjoyed that. This cleared her mind. These types of moments are when she can truly think and work through things. She didn't have many of those when her husband was home. He was always talking to her or yelling at her. It wasn't a peaceful existence, but it was necessary. There was no other choice.

Knock. Knock. Janet stretched a little and sat up. "Come in." The door opened and an older, short lady came in.

"Good morning, babygirl." Janet smiled.

"Good morning." The lady came and sat on the bed.

"How did you sleep?" Janet sighed.

"I slept okay. He kept trying to hold me all night."

"Hmm." She leaned on the older lady's shoulder.

"He just doesn't get that I like my space." The lady wrapped her around Janet as she talked.