THE CODE THAT LINKS US ©

Chapter Sixteen

MADISON

I am back to being a little girl. Tied up by my wrists and toes to the bed. My green and shinny eyes just stare at the mirror me till someone else enters the room.

My mother enters and walks towards me with a forced smile on her face."Mommy," I say with a childish voice.

"Hello Maddie," she says sweetly passing her hand lovely on my head. I try to move but the belts make sure I stay still.

"How are you?" She asks me. Tied I try to say but something else leaves my mouth.

"Good."

The crystal door slides letting in a younger Wen and my younger father.

"You have visitors," says my mom as they approach me.

"Hello Madison," says Wen. "How are you?"

"Good," fooly little me says.

"We will see that," he says and I just stay quiet. My father pulls a metal table and leaves it right next to Wen. I can't see what's in there but I am aware it might hurt. "Look, Madison" Wen says and I obey. He shows me a thin golden tube that seems to be a kind of metal straw. "This is a new gift from the doctors," he says twirling the strange straw between his fingers. "We will call it, the obeyer." The name alone sends chills down my spine. What's that thing supposed to do? I look back at mom as she just stares at me insecure about what will happen.

I look back at Wen. He walks to my feet and takes one on his hand to then touch it with the strange golden tube. I hear an electric discharge. I don't feel anything, but it immediately makes little me cry. That must have hurt.

"Mommy," I unwillingly cry looking for her but she just stays where she is with tears on her eyes.

"Wen is that really-"

"Stop crying if you don't want me to do it again," he orders interrupting my mother and my cries stop leaving me sobbing. "That's exactly how we are going to work, okay? You do as I say and I won't use it. Is it clear, Madison?" I sob in reply and he threatens me with the little tube once more. "Let me know you understand. Is it clear, Madison?"

"Yes, daddy."

I wake up.

Outside it's still all dark. The city lighted up only by the moonlight and the cars. I search for the clock in the wall and see that it marks 4:26 a.m.

I stare at Alison. She looks so peaceful, so normal and real. She's just a little girl. Sleeping just like any other child her age should be right now.

She doesn't deserve anything of what she has been through. No one does.
How can they do what they do? My father, Wen... My mom. She's just so young. I, was so young.

"I am sorry," the words leave my mouth without hesitation as I grab her little hand. "I am sorry I didn't notice about you before. I am sorry I let them hurt you," I begin to cry unable to stop. "I promise you, that I won't let them take you back in there."

* * *

I serve Alison a waffle bathed in cholate syrup with some of the chocolates she bought, perfectly organized on the top. "Chocolate!" she shouts excited when she gets to climb the chair. I smile to her as she grabs one of the little Kisses.

I finish preparing my waffle, this time putting some whipped cream over it, along with strawberries and at the end some chocolate syrup over it. I am about to start eating when I realize she already ate all the chocolate that was over the waffle, including the syrup leaving just the whole waffle.