Escape Plan

Helena nodded and said something muffled by Prudence's shoulder. "Everything is going to turn out fine. Don't worry your pretty head about it," Prudence said.

Samantha and Prudence did what they could to find clothes for the toddlers, but they didn't have enough to go around. This meant most of them still had to shuffle around in their old clothes, though Samantha did manage to find Helena something dry to wear. She recoiled with surprise when the little girl hugged her as Samantha put her down for a nap. "Oh, thank you."

"You aren't going to leave us, are you?" she asked.

"No, of course not. No one is going to leave you again. Now close your eyes and go to sleep. When you wake up I'll be right here." Helena did as she was told and before long was happily sucking on her thumb. Samantha watched her sleep for a minute, regretting anything bad she'd ever thought about Helena.

Samantha found Prudence in the dining room then, trying to clean up some of the mess. She wore rags over her hands to keep from touching any of the spilt gruel. Prudence looked up from her work, her lower lip trembling as she tried to keep from crying. "This is so horrible," she said. "Those poor children. Do you think he's done this before? To all of us?"

"I think so." Samantha thought back to the dreams she'd had since waking up in Eternity. "I know he did it to me."