The Beginning

Ten years ago.

The night sky was cloudy, hiding the moon's thin stroke.

A low-cost, previously owned van was seen pulling up with two hooded figures inside. In their arms was a child, perhaps four or five years old. Her facial features were relatively small, and half of her Bob cut hair was covered with a cloth.

When the couple arrived at Autumn-vale's entrance, it appeared vibrant, well-lit, and prepared to hold people.

A man with a mask covering his face, dressed in a sleeveless top and knee-high boots. He was muscular, strong with a spear like weapon in his left palm

"Keep her alive until we return," requested a male voice from one of the hoods.

Without further ado, the masked man picked up the child and made his way towards the building.

The child's screams accompanied by a woman's weeping from the other hood were heard simultaneously in the background.

Inside Autumn-vale

The girl finally stopped crying when the masked man seated her on a cushioned chair and left the room.

She was facing a young man across the office table, who seemed to have just entered his 20s. He had unexpectingly a genuine and friendly aura that calmed the child down.

"What's your name dear?"

Hesitantly

"Sayaka. Sayaka Sazuka."

"Nice name Sayaka, how old are you?"

Little Sayaka takes out her four finger of left hand and counts them with the index finger of her right.

"One....two....three....four. I'm four"

With that he flips through a few pages of a book and starts writing.

With a feeble tone,

"When will daddy return?"

He smiles and hands her a candy,

"Hello Sayaka, I am Rhys Birkbeck, from now on I am your daddy, mommy and family. You will love here with us."

"Us-"

With that a sweet scent intoxicates the room and sayaka loses her consious.

After a while

Sayaka slowly opens her eyes rubbing them slowly,

"MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY WHERE ARE YOU? Sayaka is hungry....."

Her voices decreases as she realised unfamiliar surroundings, recollect the past interaction sayaka examines the bars of the cell.

She peeps out side and sees an endless trail of of isolated cells, few were empty and few had one person each.

There was another trail of cells on the opposite side of her cell. In between were tables and seating made of stone, which were fixed so as to not be movable.

Before the little sayaka could think further four men came in with trolly full of unique food, one by one they distributed to the cells that contained people.

The distributer when reached sayaka,

"You are todays new entry right? You haven't earned your meal yet."

"But I'm hungry"

Without further argument, the distributer handed her a water bottle and went ahead.

Confused as she was, and famished sayaka slid down the cell and collapsed on the floor. She was too energy less and disappointed to be able to scream or cry. After all she was a four year old who was in need of her family.

As her weakness grew and water was of no help, she fell asleep again.

Only to be woken by a loud noise.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***