💖- A memory that made them feel special
“What are the new results?”
Upon hearing this question, three men in white lab coats looked at themselves. None of them wanted to be the one to actually answer the fourth man, who was already getting impatient and annoyed. He was the only one not wearing the lab coat; clearly an aristocrat.
“There are none, Sir. The girl…” – one of the men finally started to speak too afraid that the silence might have worse consequences than presenting the facts.
“Are you telling me you cannot handle a five-year-old?” – the man’s voice sounded amused but his eyes had dangerous sparks in them. Silence was all that answered him. He stepped towards the one-way mirror and looked inside the laboratory. The girl, aged about five, was lying on a floor in its corner. She was small for her age, thin, and visibly tired. Her flaxen hair was a mess, tangled and fully covering her face. Only her black dress, well-made of expensive fabrics and richly decorated with hand-made lace, gave the impression that the girl was something more than she appeared. Something more than a lab rat. She suddenly looked up and stared at the mirror. Her face was marked with traces of tears and a few bruises, but her blue eyes were still rebellious and full of anger. She looked as if she could see through the mirror, but did nothing and soon put her head back on the floor seemingly ignoring her surroundings.
The fourth man chuckled. “Stay here.” – he ordered. It was clear he was used to giving orders. And that his orders were followed without a slight opposition. He went inside and sat close to the girl. The girl did not move. But she spoke.
“You’re not one of them…”
“You are hungry and tired.” – the white-haired man said instead answering the girl’s question. She suddenly sat down and looked at him with surprise in her tired eyes. No-one ever cared if she were hungry. Nor tired. She looked five, and yet she reacted as if she was much older.
“They don’t let me eat or sleep.” – she complained; the man did not find it necessary to reply – “You are going with me.” – he ordered – “You need to get some rest and some proper nutrition.”
He knelt close to the girl and gently brushed her blond locks off her face. He picked her up into his embrace and started to go out. No-one stopped him. No-one dared to say a word. The girl did not trust him, but she figured out anything was better than staying with those three other monsters. When the man and the girl were passing close to the other three man she said: --
“I will kill them one day.”
“Of course, you will. And it will be a painful death. Make sure of that.” – the man confirmed startling the girl. She expected him and them to laugh at her words. But he was not mocking her. He was serious. But why? She was too tired to think about it, but she was glad he thought she would have her revenge. She snuggled closer to him and fell asleep. He was right. She was tired.
When she woke up, she was in a large and cozy bed. She did not remember how she got there, but she liked it there. The bed was soft and warm.
“I see you have woken up, Nunnally.” – she heard the voice. She jolted in fear. It was not like her not to nice that she was not alone. She looked around but apart from the man that took her out from the laboratory, there was no-one else in the room.
“I am not Nunnally.” – she protested – “They call me a girl.”
“That’s hardly a proper name.” – the man said softly approaching the bed– “You’re Nunnally now.”
“Nunnally…Nunnally…Nunnally…” – the girl did not say her new name loudly, but she was visibly speaking it silently in her mind.
“Nunnally…” – she finally decided – “…I…I like it.”
“Nunnally, you will now get up and let your maid brush your hair and dress you up. Yes, you now have a maid.” – he explained before the girl was given a chance to ask a question – “We’ll eat together when you are ready.” – he finished walking toward the door.
The girl, now called Nunnally, jumped out of bed and run after him.
“No!” – she cried – “Don’t leave me.”
The man’s eyes flashed with satisfaction. He turned around to the girl, knelt in front of her and let her hug him. He did not hug her back, though.
“I am not leaving you. You are mine now.” – he said softly – “But Nunnally needs to learn how to be an obedient girl. And respectful. Nunnally was told what to do, wasn’t she?” – he continued in a harsher voice.
“Yes…” – the girl agreed – “Nunnally will be a good girl.” – it was clear that she truly enjoyed calling herself Nunnally – “Nunnally will get ready and have a breakfast with you…but who are you?” – she decided to ask.
“That’s my girl.” – the white-haired man said patting her head – “I’ll teach you everything soon enough.” – he did not answer her question. Again. But the girl did not mind it. She was Nunnally. Nunnally was somebody’s. Nunnally was his. Nunnally will eat with…? With whoever that was. That was all that mattered.
She was Nunnally. For the first time in her whole miserable life, the girl felt special.