"Where should we put her since the beds are taken?"
"What do you mean the….oh no no no. I'm going to have a talk with Shadow about who to bring and who not to bring in here. What day is it?"
"Don't you know what day it is. It is Sunday, Sofia."
"Then why are they here? Wake these people up, clean the floors and get these people out of here before Shadow comes back. You know what happened last time people decided to overextend their welcome and stay here on Sunday."
"You don't need to remind me, girl. I still have the bruises from Shadow to show it. But in all fairness although it only happened once it was still cool to watch. The full anger, rage and emotions of Shadow came out as his dragon took over and he tossed the tables of all the collectors and broke all the benches where the alcohol sat."
"Jesus says be angry and do not sin right? Wel Shadow was angry but when he drew blood from everybody they got the message real fast never to disobey his orders again. 'It is written, my house will be called a house of healing but you are making it a den of unlawful deeds. I heal you all physically but you turn around and think that is not enough so you have to heal each other of your raging passions. GET OUT and NEVER come back!!'"
"Let's just say that night was scary and a sight to behold. You drive them out, Genie, prepare the cage and I'll wake up our newest guest of honor. Break."
"Sofia, are you sure you still want to go through this? The cage is where Shadow got his fire but it nearly stole his life in the process. He said it himself, 'she is not ready.' So why are we still doing this?"
"She may not look ready but Shadow wouldn't have ordered us if he didn't first see potential in her and see what others couldn't. When he took us in no one saw the potential in us but he wasn't looking at who we were on the outside but who we could be and now look at us. If he says she's ready then I believe she is."
"But...hmm. Go do what you must."
"Thank you. I'll take her to the showers."
"Showers can't prepare her for fire."
"No, but it can wash her clean. God says you will be tried with both water and fire before you're accepted as sons and daughters of the King. Just make sure this place is cleaned up before any of us get back."
"Sixth! Sixth! Can you hear me? If you are hearing what I am saying then show me a sign. Please don't be dead…. OUCH!! Why'd you kick me?"
"Where am I? Who are you? Where's Shadow and what's the cage?"
"Hold on girl just remaign calm and drop the knife. You're in Dreamworld, Shadow rescued you and brought you here so you could experience the truth. My name is Sofia and I'm just getting the bath ready for you."
"If that is all you're doing then why do you have a knife?"
"Shadow punched you real hard back there causing some of your insides to cave together and not let blood pass through. I can see you are feeling it now. Going in and out. Eyes are dilating and you're slowly starting to faint. I need to cut you open so blood has air to move and can heal. Then I will put you in this bath which will soak into your skin and turn into blood."
"You're a doctor right Sofia? You sound really smart like you know what you're doing but I'm not letting anything or anyone cut me open. The last time something tried to cut me open I turned around and cut him down to size for thinking he had the right to touch me."
"I know. Heard you killed a lion and drank it's blood then let Shadow heal you. If you trust Shadow then trust me and please hand me the knife. Slowly now..we don't want anybody to get hurt. You're doing good, Sixth. Almost...ouch."
"I'm sorry Sofia. You sound like a really nice girl but I can't stay here. I already wasted too much time. Hope you can understand."
"Thief! Thief! Genie, Abby, Shadow she's getting away. Sound the alarm."
"Wolfs, on me!"
"Shadow, you came. Abby is tending to Sofia as we speak. She cut her up real bad. Sixth might not be the girl you thought she was. What should we do?"
"Genie, the plan hasn't changed and neither have we. Find her and put her in the cage but have no harm come upon her. You search high and I'll search low. You can't run from the truth forever because sooner or later it will find you."
"I'll round up the rest of the numbers."
"Genie…..get Rat too."
"Shadow, Rat's a sneak. He slithers from one place to the next like the snake he is. Are you really sure we should trust him for something like this?"
"The only way you can have someone trust you is if you first trust them. Find him then find her."
"Lori!"
"Shadow!!"
"What do you do?"
"I'm a babysitter. I make sure everyone and everything is in their proper place and bed before parents get home. Why? What can I do to assist you, Shadow?"
"Can you help me get someone back to their proper place and bed?"
"What are you planning on doing once they return safely home?"
"I'm taking her to the cage where she belongs."
"I'm coming. Just guide me where to go and I'll go."
"Thank you. She couldn't have gone far in her hurt state of being."
"Who hurt her?"
"Someone she looked up to. They started getting angry when he tried to open her eyes to something new but when she questioned why he was opening her eyes; instead of being the adult; he got angry and beat her. Now she is running from him because she doesn't think she can trust him anymore."
"That doesn't sound good at all. Why not just wait for her to come back?"
"Wait, what? Why would she want to go back to the person who beat her in the first place for not wanting to hear what she said?"
"She's just cooling off. When I babysit and a kid ever gets angry at me; they always storm off on their own because I am not the real parent so why should they listen to me? After a while they cool off and come back to me because they realize that although I may look different and they might not like change; they know that my styles and techniques may be different then what they usually are comfortable with; at the end of the day I still want them to be safe and protected and that's what they come home too."
"Lori, are you certain she will not be angry forever and that she's just cooling off?"
"Shadow! It's my job to protect and care for children so it doesn't matter the age of a person; they will always come back. Age is just a number but in every situation I have dealt with; both with the child and also someone older; the same thing happened."
"You're right. I just have to have patience. Lori?"
"Yes, Shadow?"
"What's your number?"
"My number? Why do you want my number? You already know where to find me?"
"I know but I still want to know what your number is."
Silence ensued for a few seconds as Lori stopped and pondered what Shadow could possibly mean when he asked for her number. But after a few seconds she realized what he said as a smile broke her lips.
"My number is eight!!"
"Hello Eight! Would you like to meet the rest of the numbers?"
"I….would be honored. What about Sixth?"
"Lor, it's like you said. We just sit back and wait for her to come to us. Patience....is….a….virtue!!!!!