WWC: The Children

The Children

The room was dark, a single dim light in the middle, uncovered and hanging over the pink haired woman tied down to a chair, both legs tied to a different leg of the chair, her hands cuffed behind the back of the chair. It was not a comfortable position, but the pink haired, blue eyed woman didn?t think on it. No, she was too busy glaring at the woman standing before her. She worked to ignore the table, covered in rather painful looking items behind the other.

The other woman had dark brown hair and matching eyes. She stood with a pride reminiscent of the military, and was smirking with absolute glee. This was what she had been waiting on, after all. Little miss Hope to show up, and mess up. Despite her bearing, she was not in uniform, but a formal Victorian style dress, in grey with a yellow ribbon about the bottom and at the cuffs of her wrists. This was about all the color encouraged in her culture.

In comparison, her prisoner wore khaki cargo pants and a green tank top, looking more like a rebel wild child than a civilized woman. That didn?t stop her from glaring at her former best friend, her voice low with a warning, despite her bound state. Very little had ever stopped Hope, Liese reflected.

?I want my children back.? It was a statement, a demand. Hope would have her children back or else. Give them to her now!

?But Hope,? Liese?s woman was sweet, kind even as she pointed this out, a smirk on her face. ?legally speaking, you?re dead. I can?t just give those two darling twins to a dead woman, much less that sweet Academy boy.? There was, perhaps, a hint of glee in her voice. Every moment of their friendship had always been a competition of some sort. This was no less true now.

Hope strained at the handcuffs, leaning forward and pushing against the ropes with her legs, seeking escape. If she could just build enough slack, the shape shifter planned, then she might manage it. ?I know what it looked like! Hell, I saw the damn pictures. But that doesn?t change the fact that I?m rather obviously not dead. Let me go and give me my children.?

The fury and longing were equally clear in her voice. She was a mother, who had been forced to fake a terrible scene, one her eldest had found. And now, now it was safe to see them, to hold them once more, and all she wanted was her children back in her arms. That was, it seemed far too much to even begin to ask.

Liese began to pace in front of Hope, a thoughtful mien on her face as she pretended to consider the other?s demands. ?See. Here?s the thing, Hope. Henry remembers you of course, but his last memory of you was of finding your dead body, a rather large hole in your head.? Hope?s breath hitched at this reminder and she closed her eyes, no longer straining against her bonds. Her poor baby boy. Her poor Henry. She had never intended for her doppelganger?s body to be found by her children. A co-worker had been supposed to find it, to keep her children from seeing the body that was not hers.

?As for those darling twins? They were only a year old, my friend. They don?t even recall your face. It?s been a year. If you were alive the entire time you should have come back.? Hope cried out at this, and began to struggle at her bonds once more, heart breaking at the simple facts of how she had failed her most precious burden. Oh her poor darling children. Her poor little ones. Her heart broke with the knowledge that she had failed as a mother, despite her best attempts.

Liese watched silently for a few moments then knelt down next to her, her face the picture of compassion as she smoothed her skirts out. ?Why didn?t you return quickly? Who died in your place?? There would be answers. She demanded them, required them even! Of course, for now, her voice was the picture of compassion. This woman had lost custody of her children after all. That was never an easy thing for a mother to bear.

Hope spoke not a word, but continued to try and struggle her way out of the bonds. Liese sighed heavily and stood next to her friend, even as the other woman struggled harder, against the cuffs and the chair. The interrogator put her hands on her captive?s shoulders, forcing her to remain still, even as she leaned forward to speak next to Hope?s ear.

?Now Hope, I?m only being so nice because we were such good friends. You there for me, me there for you?I even took in your orphaned children, after all. And as long as neither of us mentioned business, it worked out incredibly well. Now, answer my questions, and I may let you glimpse your children before you die.?

Her voice was hard now, requiring an answer. There would be no escaping. Hope refused to give a response to the woman who cared so for her children. Her lips tightened, refusing to open for this woman.

?Why didn?t you return, Hope? Who died?? Her eyes narrowed and she whispered in her former friend?s ear. ?Where have you been?? The captive woman lowered her head, her shoulders drooping as if she was exhausted. Then, quite suddenly, her head jerked back in an attempt at a head butt. Liese cried out as contact was made, and stood, walking to the front and dabbing at her nose with her handkerchief. It was not, she observed, red with blood. There hadn?t been enough force.

The lighting in the room was poor, but Hope could see the table in front of her, and recognized what was on it. A cat of nine tails, for flogging. Tongs, for the removal of nails. Knives, for cutting, though they would be a little dull, just enough to cause more pain. Sharp knives, after all, caused so much less. There were several other similar items and Hope tracked Liese with her eyes as she ran her hand over the tools of torture almost lovingly. This wasn?t going to be fun. Hope had been through torture before. It never was.

?Now Hope. It doesn?t have to be this way.? Liese pointed out to her, voice gentle. ?If you just cooperate, I can guarantee a nice swift death.? Hope smirked quietly, and relaxed backwards, her shoulders relaxed, not tense, and everything about her screaming confidence. Liese?s eyes narrowed. The captive woman obviously had a plan. This was not going to end well. Liese needed to keep her wits about her.

With Liese in front of her, Hope was able to fiddle with the handcuffs, managing to unlock her hands, though she kept them being her back, careful not to let the cuffs drop to the floor. ?You?re right, Liese. It doesn?t. They are my children. Just give them back to me, and we?ll be fine. Friends again even.?

?You don?t have room to be making demands.?

?Oh very well.? Her shoulders slumped in defeat, even as her legs strained at the ropes, pulling them as loose as she could. Liese hadn?t been the one to tie her up. The house guard had, and had only lashed each leg with a single piece of rope. If she could just break the knot? ?I was unable to; I can?t say; classified.? There were her answers.

Liese rose a hand snarl on her face, ready to strike Hope, but stopped and lowered it at the other?s challenging gaze, eyes narrowed on her former friend?s face. ?I ought to skin you for that.? She informed the other. ?You made me lose my temper.?

?I do that often. You know the nature of my work intimately. Did you expect actual answers? Now return my kids to me, and I won?t break your arm.? Apparently tied up and held down, and she was still making threats. Hope was not the sort to bend or break easily.

?Ha! You?re tied securely, Hope. As if you-? At that moment, Hope stood and the ropes fell down about her ankles, she stepped out as Liese went for her gun, and held up her hands in a gesture of peace. Really. As if ropes and cuffs were going to hold her. They had pumped her full of a cocktail to prevent any shape-shifting tricks on her behalf, but they hadn?t thought she?d be able to escape? Fools!

?Now Liese, if you shoot, the children will wonder. You know how close we are to your house, if we aren?t still inside it. They?ll hear, and not know if they will ever be safe again. That would be cruel to do, darling.? She mocked her friend, hands still up.

With a snarl, Liese lowered the gun, clearly unimpressed with her friend?s opinion on this mess. ?I really just need to kill you.?

Hope lowered her hands with a smile, and took a step to the side, away from the chair. ?But where would the fun be in that?? After all, Liese hadn?t killed her yet. The woman?s eyes narrowed on Hope and Hope offered a smug smile in return. Oh yes, she had all too much fun messing with her friend. It was all too easy. The door at the head of the stairs leading down into the room opened, and a little girl stood in it, unable to really see in the darker room.

?Mama, Daddy says it?s almost dinner.? The toddler was obviously repeating what Daddy had said. Hope?s breath hitched as she looked up to the small girl in the doorway. She knew that form, even if she was taller, older. Her baby girl was there, just a little bit away.

Hope ignored Liese?s warning scowl, and took a longing step towards the stairs. Her little girl was so close it nearly hurt the mother to not be able to hold the child. And she had called Liese Mama. Hope?s heart broke.

?I?ll be right up Adalie!? Liese called. ?Go let your Daddy know.? No need to chance the child seeing the equipment in the room, after all. The well-dressed woman turned to give Hope a verbal warning to stay away from the children. They were hers now! But Hope was gone, no longer there, no sign of her in the room.

Damn spy. Liese would have to increase security to ensure the safety of the little ones. Hope was hardly fit to be a mother, after all. The somber woman headed to the stairs and climbed them, heading straight to the dining room. The minute she arrived, she cuddled her two young toddlers in her arms, and kissed her eldest son on the head, before joining her husband at the head of the table.

?Are you alright, Aunt Liese? Your nose is all red.? Henry asked her, unsure. That couldn?t be a good thing. Was the woman sick?

?I?m fine Henry.? She assured him. ?I just wasn?t paying attention and walked into a wall. Now, let?s eat.? The family bowed their heads, as her husband said the blessing.

?Kampf keep us and preserve us,
Bless our food and our table,
Keep us safe through all our days,
And help us succeed in all our endeavors. Amen.?

?Amen.? The family echoed after the patriarch.

From windowsill above the family, Hope watched, perched carefully, well aware the security cameras, and thus the guards could see her. She read the father?s lips as he prayed, mouthing the words of the dinner time prayer with him.

?Amen.? She breathed. Then, hearing the shouts of guards, she took off running, intent on escaping the estate and the grasp of the guards this time. It had been nice seeing her kids, and in its own way, nice talking to Liese. But if she ever wanted her children back, she had to be alive and free.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/IYhFKxu-hM4/viewtopic.php

blackhawks howard johnson levon helm firelight world peace elbow kevin love think like a man