Saving Beth

Part 8

*Beth*

Daddy started being nicer to me after he got that phone call. He let me leave my room sometimes, and even started bringing me ice cream for desert, even when I was bad. He still did bad things to me, and punished me, but something was different. I think he stopped taking care of Mindy too.

Sometimes I could hear her crying at night, trying to call for me. But I didn't want Daddy to stop being nice, so I ignored her.

Today was the first day of the festival, Daddy told me, and we were going outside. He made me put on a pretty pink dress that didn't fit me very well, and he pulled my hair into a pony tail that was so tight it hurt. But when he asked me if I felt pretty I just nodded and tried to smile.  I didn't want Daddy to change his mind. It had been so long since I'd seen the outside.

Daddy didn't want to wait in all the lines for the rides, but he let me get cotton candy. The big lady behind the whirly machine handed me my giant ball of pink fluff and smiled at me. But Daddy was already pulling me away, towards a crowded stage.

He made me take a raffle ticket, but I just wanted to enjoy the sights and sounds. We stood to one side, Daddy kept his arm tight around my shoulders, but I didn't want to run away anymore. Daddy took good care of me; it was the outside that scared me now.

The music was loud and annoying. I couldn't understand what they were saying, but Daddy seemed to enjoy it. After a while a big bald guy took over the mic and it was time for the raffle.

Daddy checked our tickets as the man called out the numbers, and he handed one to me and nudged me forward.

"Go on Princess, you won!" Daddy smiled at me, and I felt proud that I made Daddy happy. I ran up to the stage, and the guy handed me a little card.

"Alright pretty lady, what's your name?"  The old man asked me, but I couldn't think. I searched the crowd for Daddy, but he was gone. The crowd was scary now, all watching me and waiting.

"Um... Annabeth?" I squeaked, but it didn't sound right. I kept searching the crowd, and I locked eyes with an older girl, she looked so familiar.  But I had to find Daddy, he'd be mad at me if I was up there too long. I started running back to where he was standing, but he had disappeared.

I decided to go back to the cotton candy lady. She'd help me find Daddy. But I got really lost. I ended up in a cold dark alley, and all I could do was curl up and cry. I don't know how long I stayed there, but it got even darker, and I was hungry. I waited for Daddy to come get me, and I knew he'd be really upset. He would do bad things to me, and I didn't think I'd have any ice cream. But I didn't care, I just wanted to go home.

I heard footsteps coming down the alley, but I kept my head down even as I apologized. "I'm sorry Daddy, I didn't mean to get lost. Please don't hurt me." I whimpered.

"Beth..." It wasn't Daddy's voice. I looked up, but it was too dark to see who this girl was.

"Did... Did Daddy send you?" I asked, remembering that Daddy had warned against talking to strangers. But she knew my name, so Daddy must have sent her.

"No sweetheart. But I am here to take you home." She held out her hand, and I took it. She walked me out of the alley, and there was a lot of lights and people. But the festival was closed, and these lights were red and blue, not the pretty ones from the rides. And then a lady with dark hair and tearstained cheeks stepped forward, and I remembered. I remembered everything.

"MOMMY!!!" I screamed, running to her open arms. I was home, and Daddy was never going to hurt me again.