Chapter 59

"Ariane."

"That's a beautiful name. Would you like to come with me? We can get you cleaned up and maybe some ice cream."

I nodded. "Can Ize have stawbury pwease?" I still had trouble saying the word right.

He nodded and scooped me up. He looked back to the other men. "I'm going to take her to Daniel. He has that boy... umm... Charlie. Round her age I think. He'll know what to do."

The man put me in his truck, and we drove. I dozed off so I didn't know how far we went. We came to a big white house that had blue shutters. The man came around and took me from the truck and carried me to the door. He knocked. It took a little while, but a big hairy man came to the door. He looked sleepy and irritated. 

"What the hell Bobby. What is so damn important that you have to wake me up in the middle of the night." He glared at the man and me. I pulled closer to the man holding me, afraid. 

"There was an attack. We handled it and the beast is dead, but she is the only one left of her family. I knew you had a kid so I thought I would bring her to you."

"And just what am I supposed to do with her?"

"Raise her. She sees now so she can be a Hunter later and help."

"Fuck. Alright. Give me the brat. It got a name?"

The man holding me frowned. "Ariane."

"Stupid name."

The man set me down on the porch and looked at me. "All right sweetie. You go inside with Daniel here. You can get cleaned up and tomorrow you can meet his son Charlie. They are going to take care of you now."

He patted me on the head and went back to his truck and drove away. The man in the door looked at me in disgust. 

"You're filthy. You are not tracking that shit through my house. There is a hose around back. Go clean yourself off. Stay on the back porch tonight. I will figure this shit out in the morning."

He shut the door in my face and turned off the porch light. I didn't know what to do. Finally, I went to the back of the house. The yard was overgrown, and brambles scratched my legs as I went near the porch. I found the hose and it took a minute to get the water going since I kept turning it wrong. Once I got it going, I aimed the water at myself. I gave a small quiet cry. It was winter and the water was ice cold. I did the best I could getting the blood from my clothes and hair. I was shivering and a little blue by the time I was done. I looked at the porch. There wasn't much there but some old empty cardboard boxes. I crawled into one and curled up with my knees to my chest. Eventually I fell asleep.

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The scene wobbled as the worst was about to start and I was scared and ashamed. I felt love come from Bucky and Loki as Bucky held my hands and Loki stroked my hair. "It's ok, pet. It's okay."

I nodded and the illusion steadied.

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I woke up feeling a stick poking me. I opened my eyes and saw a blonde boy staring at me with a cold expression. 

"Hey. What are you doing on our porch? Dad! There's some girl here. Make her go away."

I heard the man coming over. 

"Unfortunately, we're stuck with her, Charlie. Damn Hunters brought her here. Just a useless mouth to feed. YOU, GIRL! Get up you lazy thing. Time to see if you can make any use of yourself."

He kicked the box, and I crawled out, still shivering. He eyed me up and down. "Not much to look at. Hopefully you can work. Get to the kitchen. NOW!"

I wasn't sure where to go. I turned toward the door when his boot sent me stumbling into the door, banging my face into it bruising my cheek. I heard the boy he called Charlie laugh. 

"Do it again Dad."

"Later son. There's going to be time for that later. Girl, get your ass in that kitchen and wash those dishes. If you want food, you have to work. Nothing is free in this house."

I quickly learned there was one thing that was freely given to me. Pain. I went inside and there was a mound of dishes. I had never done dishes before, so I didn't know what to do. I looked for soap. I knew Momma had used soap and hot water. I found it under the sink and got a box to stand on. I was too short to really reach the sink. I put a plug in the sink and turned on the hot water. As it filled, I added the soap and started to turn the cold water on when the man, Daniel, yelled at me. 

"No! They need to be clean. Use only hot water. And you better do it quick, or I will box your ears for you."

I wasn't sure what that meant but I figured I didn't want to know. When the sink was full, I turned off the hot water and put some plates in the water. When I tried to put my hands in, it was too hot. I cried out.

"Oh, shut up. It's just hot water you brat." He got up and came over to me. He grabbed my hands and shoved them into the water. It burned! I tried to pull my hands free, crying from the pain. He just laughed and held me there. Finally, he let go and I pulled my hands out. They were bright red, and blisters were already forming. 

"You are weak. Soft. Useless. Now wash." He slapped me upside the head, making my ear ring. I turned to the water and whimpering, started to wash. He nodded and went back to his recliner to read the paper. Charlie sat in the kitchen chair and just watched with an evil grin on his face. Tears poured down my face as I washed dish after dish. The blisters had long since popped and were bleeding. After a while Charlie came over and felt the water.