~ June 1703 ~

Fear, frustration. That's what Grace felt when her parents were packing all of their belongings in quite a haste. They refused to tell her why, only that she should go and play and shouldn't worry. They had returned from their so called job late this afternoon, later than they normally did. The only thing different from all the other days was that this time they looked afraid. Not just afraid, they looked terrified.

Grace knew that their work wasn't exactly the usual work that normal people do. They worked with advanced technology, technology that seemed to be from the future. All that her parents told her was that it was for the greater good, for science. They were experienting with a so called apple to see what power it helt and what it could do to help people. Grace also knew that the last couple of weeks their parents became unsure of what exactly they were doing, they were devolopping guilt and hesitation.Especially the day before, when her parents remained silent no matter what Grace did. She should've known that her parents were up to something, something dangerous.

This time they had brought the apple itself with them. Now Grace stood there, looking at her parents with her tiny eyes. She was too young to understand that they were in danger and that they had to leave as fast as they could.

"Eveline." Grace's father spoke her mother's name as he looked her deep in the eyes. "Finish the packing, I need to go downstairs."

Eveline nodded, sighing as Gerard softly kissed her forehead. He knew every moment together with his wife and daughter could be his last. His eyes remained pressed closed as his hand held the back of her head tightly, his breathing loud enough for Grace's little ears to hear.

"Dad?" Grace walked towards her father slowly and tried grasping his large hand. She stood up on her toes to reach him.

"It's okay sweety, everything is going to be okay." Her father smiled at her but Grace saw though his facade. She knew he was afraid, what was very frightening because as far as Grace knew he was never afraid of anything. Her father ran downstairs for god knows what while Grace stayed with her mother.

Her eyes flickered to the window when she heard voices, her tiny feet carrying her towards the glass. For a moment she stared back at her own reflection, looking at her white dress and the doll she held in her right hand tightly. She squented her eyes though when she saw a moving object coming their way.

"Mom?" Grace's voice alarmed her mother when she saw a carriage stopping before her house.

"Hide in your room Grace, and don't come out." Eveline knelt down before her daughter, her face immediatelly changing into one with panic. She kissed her daughter's forehead and then envelopped her in her arms, holding her young daughter like it was the last time she would. "I love you." Eveline whispered and sobbed, kissing her daughter again.

"Now go!" Eveline pushed her away when they heard the door slamming open downstairs.

Grace ran to her room and hid behind her closet where there was an hole in the wall. For a long time she could vagualy hear a lot of noise from downstairs, mostly grunts and screams of pain. Tears ran down her tiny cheeks as Grace hugged her legs against her body, crying softly in the tiny space.

It was when she heard her mother scream in pain that Grace knew that they were coming for her.

And they were coming fast.