Daddy's Little Girl

It was a painfully long day. After experiencing that dream, my mind had become numb. My body shivered with fear and anger as tears escaped uncontrollably. The constant reminder of abandoning my very own children for such a useless reason ate me alive. I chose money over them. And no matter how noble of an idea I had or how much it could benefit my family, I still abandoned them. And now I am paying the price for that. Stuck like an animal in a cage, for God knows how long. With no way to escape and no way to communicate with the people I Pp. love. I think this is what my punishment from God was. This was the only way I could atone for my sins. For leaving them all behind.

I couldn't even raise my head and open my eyes. Because I know that when I do, I will be attacked. The photos of my own family, my own daughters, stared at me. I can feel their hatred, their anger. But they have every right for it. I left them alone. The world is a scary place and even scarier for women. And I left...I left my two little babies all alone. I have to escape. But the stares I get from them. I can hear their voices, their laughter, their cries. I know I'm not going crazy. I can hear them. As if they are right here. Standing right in front of me.

"Daddy. Daddy."

My eyes flew wide open as I slowly lifted my head. In front of me, Alissa stood with a smile. She was wearing her favourite blue dress. She forced me to buy it after we had watched Cinderella. She always asked me near the end about when she would find her Prince Charming, and I would always reply the same.

"When your daddy grows old, then he will come for you."

And now she stood here in front of me. In the exact same dress, I bought her. Her hair was neatly tied into two pigtails. Not believing that she was really here, I waved it off as a figment of my imagination.

"Daddy, why aren't you responding to me?" Her voice said, seeming slightly upset. "Are you mad at me?"

"You're not real." I said bluntly.

"What I am real. I'm standing right here. How could you be so mean to me." She said as tears started to come out of her eyes.

"Leave me alone."

"But daddy..."

"I said leave me..." Looking up with anger, I couldn't finish my sentence.

My mind turned off as I fell into the trap. I didn't care what illusion this was. All I saw was my daughter in front of my eyes upset by me. Using a father's own children to manipulate them was a grave sin. But it was the easiest way to accomplish things. And I had fallen into the trap. Instinctively, I grabbed her and pulled her into my chest, hugging her tightly. She clutched onto me as she wept for what seemed like forever. I could feel her ragged breath on me as I tried to calm her down. Stroking her hair, I sang her a small lullaby to help.

After a while, her crying slowed down, and I removed her from my chest and stared deep into her eyes. I tried really hard to find a slight difference. Something that would prove that this wasn't my daughter. That this wasn't the person I had spent my life providing for to see her happiness. But the more I searched, the more I began to realise that there was no difference.

She is my daughter.

My heart had somehow forced my mind to accept that notion as well. My body eased up as I followed my emotions. I caressed her cheek, to which she replied with a smile that lightened my body. She hugged me again, her arms around my neck, holding onto me so tightly that I couldn't even move. Without hesitation, I hugged back as I closed my eyes. My body relaxes more and more.

"Daddy, where are we?" She asked.

"I don't know, sweetie. How did you get here?"

"I was playing with Mommy and Alissa, and then all of a sudden, I ended up here."

That bastard.

I thought to myself. How could he bring my daughter into this. I had made up my mind that this was most definitely my daughter. Everything about it was real. And there was no evidence of that mysterious gas at all. So, I could not have fallen into another dream sequence.

"Don't worry." I told her. "Daddy will get us both out."

"I know you will. You always have." She said with a huge smile.

Her presence was comforting. It allowed me to cool down and not worry too much. However, I knew that I could not sway my attention from the maniac at hand. As I looked around, all there were where photos of ourselves and a mirror were. As I stood up, I walked around the room touching every single piece of the wall.

"Daddy, what are you doing." Alissa said, confused.

"I'm trying to find a hidden door. If he had put us in here, there had to have been an entrance and exit. Knowing a bit about psychology experiments, there had to be a way to enter in case of emergencies. So somewhere in this room there had to be a door. All I need to do is find a way out."

As I continued across each panel, I also removed all the photos and piled them up to one side. I made sure that none of them were harmed. Continuing my search, Alissa also volunteered to help as she began to feel most of the lower walls. It felt like hours as we just walked and searched for any glimmer of hope available. However, to our disappointment, we could not. Sitting back in the middle, we both rested for quite a while as we gained our strength back. Alissa began to yawn as she felt tired from the long search.

"You did well, sweetie. You can rest for a while." I said, patting her head.

"No, it's okay. I want to help you, Daddy." She said, slowly getting up before falling down. Her legs had given up at that moment.

I let out a chuckle as I lay her down on the floor. "Just rest, dear. I will continue searching, and then you can help me when you're back at full strength."

"Okay, Daddy. I love you." She said as she fell asleep.

"I love you too." I replied.

As she fell asleep, I stared at her for a while, not saying anything.

"Oi. I know you are listening. What the hell is this charade." I said my voice low and angry,

"Oh? What do you mean by that?" A voice said suddenly from the speaker.

"This girl. Who is she, and why does she look like my daughter?"

"Come on, man. Don't act stupid. That is your daughter."

"Don't try and trick me. Even you couldn't pull something off like that."

"I can show you some proof."

Suddenly, a television erupted out of one of the walls. As I walked towards it, something was playing. I watched intensely my heart sinking more and more as I continued to watch.

"Local news today as the daughter of Harold Bane, the man who runs Bane Industries, Alissa has been declared missing. Her mother had filed a report as she explained that she had taken her two daughters for a walk, and as she had gone to buy ice cream for them, Alissa wandered off and disappeared. As of now, the police have no idea what could have happened and are searching all over the city to find her. Stay tuned for more."

The broadcast cut as the television vanished back into the wall. My lips quivered as I slowly turned my head and stared at my girl sleeping on the floor.

She's, my daughter?

I thought to myself. My mind is beginning to spiral out of control. I couldn't believe anything that was happening.

How was she here?

And then my insanity turned into anger. My blood boiled as I clenched my fist. Staring into the speaker with such hatred, my eyes changed to a blood-red colour.

"You bastard! How dare you bring my daughter into this! I'll kill you!"

"Oh, how cruel. Are you even capable of killing, Harold?" His voice deep and cold.

"Just come down here, and I will give you my answer." I replied in a similar tone.

"How scary!" He said, his attitude shifting to a much more childish manner. "But..." His voice slowly turned into one which was more devilish than the devil. "...don't threaten me. I can kill her right here right now in front of your very eyes. Wouldn't that be a shame, Harold? Your precious little Alissa's lifeless corpse there for the rest of the time you are here."

"You wouldn't dare." I replied.

"Oh, and how can you be so sure? Don't test me, Harold."

I couldn't speak back after that. My body didn't allow me to talk, and all I could do was accept his taunts and threats. I truly felt humiliation at that moment. But I knew a few things now, thanks to his slip-up. As soon as he left, I began to think.

That television came out, so it confirms that there has to be an entrance somewhere. I have checked the majority of the walls, but if he can open up certain parts, then I there could possibly be more areas. If I can just find the right position and place, then I could surely find a way to escape. But how would I open it up?

Looking around, I pondered as to what I could use. And then my eyes locked onto one particular object.

The mirror! Of course! I could use the mirror. The walls here are all made of fabric, and the cracks are wide enough for me to fit a few of my fingers in. But I can't do it so plainly. I need to find a way to make sure that he doesn't catch on but quick enough to escape in time.

After a while of thinking, I sat beside my daughter as I slowly brushed my hand over her hair. A smile filled my face as I watched her sleep so blissfully unaware of what was happening. Even though she was in danger, my heart felt somewhat at peace. I think it was because she was there. I finally had hope and comfort. And that was enough to help me continue driving forward. I lay beside her as I held her tight to my arms, making sure that no one could steal her from me again as I whispered to her how much I loved her. After a while, my eyes slowly started to close, and I felt myself lose my touch with reality. Not long after, I had dozed of into my own peaceful sleep, my daughter in my arms.

I watched as Harold fell asleep sitting comfortably at my desk with all three monitors watching them all. Harold was resting peacefully, as was Annabeth, but Jolynn still scarred from the dream sequence was in a constant state of pain and misery. I watched as a small, maniacal smile creeped onto my face. I hadn't noticed how much I truly enjoyed this. My heart fluttered with immense pleasure, and I couldn't help but let out my excitement.

Before I knew it, I was laughing. A cold, ruthless yet pleasantly sounded laugh. It echoed across the entire laboratory as I continued to fade further and further into my insanity. I was long beyond saving, not that I needed it, but it felt so thrilling. My eyes reflected my psychotic nature as my face distorted and glitched in an unusual manner.

This was what I had lived for all this time. This was my moment, my calling. And I made sure I didn't let it go to waste. My voice became much more possessive as I felt a strong urge of craziness overcome me as I uttered the words in such a horrific tone that I could not even recognise myself anymore. I had truly become the devil.

"Until we meet again, my dear subjects."