Page 2 (2/2)

Her eyeselse beside the pail A steel container Opening it, she found a s beast in her stomach after days without food, she ripped off a piece and chewed The bread wasn’t moldy or stale but siiven instructions toto her left, the sound of tiny paws on stone

She turned her head, found her eyes htmade pets of such creatures in her father’s home Still, she exa, its bones showing through its skin Hardly a threat Tearing off a piece of bread, she held it out "Come, little friend"

The mouse froze

She continued to hold the bread, almost able to see the way the tiny creature was torn between lunging for the food and protecting itself Hunger won and it darted to grab the bread froone It would return, she thought, when its belly forced it to

Closing the container with half the loaf still inside, she placed it beside the water and ht drowsily as her body began to shut down, this place was not so terrible The monster clearly needed to take lessons from her father in how to make it a filthy pit full of screaan the same way

"No, Bitty, no" She was ser at the long-haired white rabbit as her best friend "You have to fetch"

Since Bitty was a rabbithimself, he didn’t so ot up and fetched it herself, but she wasn’t really sad Bitty was a good pet He let her stroke his long silky ears as h of an effort to apuss," she said, pulling him into her lap "Oomph, you’re heavy No more lettuce for you"

Under her hands, his heart beat in a fast rhythled to her feet under the burden "Let’s go in the garden If you’re really good, I’ll steal some strawberries for you"

That hen the door opened

And the dreaed

The man in the doorith his black hair brushed back froray eyes and cadaverous fraht he’d heard what she’d been planning for the strawberries, but then he smiled and her fear lessened a fraction Just a fraction Because even at five years of age, she knew nothing good ever ca her out "Father?"