Chapter One

                             

         "Shhh... be still, be quiet little one," he crooned. "Soon you can sleep."

         She tried to be as quiet as she could even as the pain that radiated throughout her head and face was most unbearable. Punishment would be severe when she did not comply and she did not know how much more she could endure. Stifling the cry continuously threatening to rise from its resting place deep within her throat, she allowed a single tear to roll down her cheek.

         "Now lift your arms for me," he gently asked and she obeyed immediately.

         Even though she could not see, she could feel as he pulled the garment first over her outstretched arms then gingerly over her head, finally pulling it smoothly down the length of her body until she felt it rest at her knees. She knew that he was now behind her as he pulled at the closing zipper until it reached her neck, the fabric tightening around her chest. Now reaching around her, he positioned what felt like a rope about her waist, fastening it mid-way down her back. He took her hand and slowly turned her.

         "Almost perfect," he whispered, sitting her on a chair.

         She flinched as the first brush stroke made its way through her hair, then repeatedly, picking up the long renegade strands that were sticking to her skin and taking them away from her face.

         Now there was a pause and she tensed up as the thoughts of what could come next entered her mind in rapid succession. She could not help but release a sigh of relief when she felt him tying what she believed to be a ribbon to keep her freshly brushed hair in place. He then took her hands and placed them softly in her lap.

         "My perfect porcelain doll," he proclaimed, the appreciation beaming from his voice.

         Then there was nothing but silence, except for her own breathing not a sound was to be heard. She was unable to open her eyes and had been solely depending on her hearing. She had no sense of where he was, if he was still in front of her, had moved or left altogether. A layer of perspiration began to coat her body and a sudden chill was soon to follow. She could not stop her startled reaction when a voice came from behind her.

         "Are you ready to sleep now?"

         All she could do was nod her head yes.

         "I want to hear you say it," he said in a soothing voice and then repeated. "Are you ready to sleep now?"

         It had been all she had thought about in the last few days, going to sleep. No more pain, no more torment, the promise of eternal darkness to take it all away.

         She tried to say what he wanted to hear but she could not find her voice. It had been so long since being allowed to use it without threat of reprisal, she was not even sure she would be able to. With that thought, the tears started to flow more easily down her cheeks.

         He brought his mouth to her ear and repeated once more, this time with a little more vigor, "Are you ready to sleep now?"

         Then she finally said it. Her voice might have been hoarse and almost inaudible but she managed to release the words she so desperately wanted to, "Yes, I'm ready to sleep now."

         The silence returned and the fear was quickly on its heels. She was not afraid because of what she asked for, but that maybe it would be yet another time the promise of release would be stolen from her.

         Like a snake, she felt as a thin cold wire encircled her throat, overlapping and fitting snuggly around her neck. He started slowly, pulling the ends in opposite directions and tightening. She could still breathe but the pressure in her head increased, the wire slightly cutting into her skin. As he continued to pull, her airway continued to close but she refused to fight it. Her eyes felt like they were trying to escape her closed lids and the unmistakable trickle of blood ran down her neck. Her head was beginning to feel foggy and she knew that unconsciousness would shortly take over.

         What felt like an eternity really only took about ten seconds. Permanent darkness.