The Horrors of a Different Childhood

Prologue

"You can't do this to us," I whispered, my voice shaking with fear and exhaustion. "P-p-please, I just want t-to go ho-home!"

"Well, you should have thought about that first," They sneered from the other side of the bars. 

"Wh-what did I do? Wh-what did any-any of us do?!" I cried, rocking. I heard a scream in the distance, but I didn't flinch. I was used to the horrors, and it wasn't the screams that worried me. It's when everything is quiet and you don't hear a thing.

They never replied to me, but they didn't hand through any food either. I couldn't steady myself nor let tears escape while the grown-up was near me. My body trembled, aching in pain, but I had felt worse. Another scream echoed off the walls, not much different from the everyday.

"DON'T HURT HER!" There was a shout from a boy, and the person who was watching me dashed towards his voice. "SHE NEVER DID ANYTHING! LEAVE HE-" The boys' shouts were broken off, and a blood-curdling scream erupted, mingling with the young girls' screams.

Those were the screams I was afraid of - the ones that rattled your bones that you feel their pain too. I shivered, closing in on myself. We didn't belong here, none of us did. We were children, from the age of five. What did they expect of us? Soon enough, there won't be such a thing as childhood, or free will.

I was exhausted, and I was bruised and beaten. But I know that it could be worse, it could be so much worse than it looks. Maybe I could curl up and hide, fake the truth to get out. Screams again pierced the air, and I smelt a rusty metal-ish smell. Blood, they spilt blood again. Groaning, I covered my nose, wishing to be anywhere else when a figure stood outside my bars.

"It's punishment time," They smirked, opening the door and stepping into the room.

"No, no." I stuttered, scampering across the floor as they approached. "Please, I-I'll cha-change, I-I'll do be-better -" I cut myself off, screaming.