A tiny, malnourished child with fiery hair ran through the forest lit solely by the waning moon. The snow crunched under her bare feet, but the cold could not bite her. Her unnaturally heightened senses picked up the scent of pine from the trees that threatened to engulf her. The malicious sound of the gang of men on her pursuit thudded against her brain, and the vibration she felt under her feet from the men's stomps made her feel as if the darkness her eyes couldn't penetrate would imprison her.
"Awhooo!" The hunting hounds picked up her scent and alerted their masters of her whereabouts.
"She's this way!"
"Hurry the fuck up! Grab that little bitch before the boss finds out!"
Panicked, a sharp yelp escaped from her lips, and she quickly threw herself on the ground. She dug through the snow; it instantaneously melted in her hands, but she needed to get to the mud buried underneath. She matted it onto her porcelain white skin and rolled around in its gooiness. It covered her entire body, and she silently hoped her scent would be masked, and that the soft abnormal glow radiating off her skin would be dulled.
Her five-year-old brain could not understand why her father abandoned and sold her off to a brothel where several evil, older people would constantly touch her. She did, however, understand that if she stopped running, that horrible underground place would forever be her cage. Adrenaline coursed through her tiny veins; her fluttering heart felt like it would give out at any second.
The pine trees further thickened, blocking out any source of light, albeit almost non-existent. Her chartreuse eyes shook wildly and desperately darted in every direction, like a cornered animal looking for an escape. Darkness enveloped her. With tiny hands in front of her body, she felt her way through the thicket. Stomping tore through the forest, zeroing in on her location. Gasping for air, she bolted; her weak ankles barely withstood the strain of her body from being starved most of her short life.
Bright scarlet drops ran down her face, arms, and legs as the trees' needles ripped into her skin and the red night gown she was forced into for the auction she escaped. It was disgusting how short and revealing it was for a girl just recently freed from toddlerhood. Her eyes welled up with tears and she bit her bottom lip bloody to keep her from sobbing aloud. Regardless of the seething pain, she carried on, trying to avoid tripping. She wanted to survive… to be free. Her breathing had become fast and uneven, her eyes widened in anguish, and her pounding heart drowned out the surrounding noise.
"Hey Antony! I think I see her over there!"
The little girl grimaced. "No." She whimpered.
They sprinted towards her with torches lighting their way, glowing yellow and red in the distance. The hounds growled and barked at her with foaming mouths and pulled back lips, revealing their golden fangs. They glinted a malicious yellow with a red glow from the torches' fire, ready to tear into her flesh and drag her through the snow; to drag her to the pits of the underworld.
"No! Go away!" She cried out, hugging herself to alleviate her panic.
The man named Antony, their leader, threw his head back in laughter and held his beer gut; it bounced with his every guffaw. "You have to be kidding me," he mocked, "Why would I let you go when you cost the boss a pretty copper? The most expensive whore in our little shop!" The men behind him chuckled, their stupid grins making them look like ogres. He took a step forward.
"Stop! I don't know what that means!" The child screamed back.
"No, you're coming with us, little pixie. You look like an elven princess, and I'd like a taste." He flashed his rotting teeth in a disgusting grin and looked around at his men. "You are a rarity. The boss will have our heads, along with that maid who helped you escape!" Antony rubbed his chin, feigning he was thinking something through. Finally, he looked back at his men with a glint in his eyes. "Do you think the boss will give me a discount? Ha!"
"Stay there! Don't touch me!" The little girl huffed, causing the men to laugh louder.
They began to march towards her once their laughter died down.
The child's heart squeezed and skipped several beats. She gave out a shrill, animalistic screech that vibrated down the men's path. It reverberated off the trees, causing the hibernating animals to wake and sprint from their holes. It was like a banshee's anguished howl. Charred pine needles scattered around all of them; the ones closest to her erupted into several small flames. The snow beneath her melted with the echoing sound. Bewildered, she jumped in fright at what she had done, turned back to look at the men with bulging eyes, and took a hesitant step backwards as she prepared for another escape. There was no time to think too deeply just yet.
"it-it's useless, little pet!" Antony yelled across the trees, his voice wavering a bit from what he just witnessed.
She froze on the spot for a second. Was it useless? Tears welled up in her eyes. She did not want to go back to that place. The memory of it made her stomach tie itself into knots. Little boys and girls were sold to old men and women. The sounds or screams from the private rooms were so unbearable, she would huddle up with the other girls for comfort in the small prison cell they were kept in.
Memories of the torture she endured the past year were too horrific. She tried to shake off the memories and returned to her present. Falling snow melted on her skin. The mud-covered child took a step back, shooting daggers from her eyes at Antony, even though her legs shook with uncertainty. Twisting around, she dashed away as fast as her skinny legs could carry her.
"Move you idiots!" bellowed Antony as he aggressively pointed in her direction. The dogs were freed from their leashes, and they lunged forward; about seven grizzly-like men ran behind. She recognized a few of them as the vile men who "trained" her. They would beat and assault her into shape, so she would learn to be a living doll to their clients; quiet, obedient, and a toy.