SOFIA ALUREZ was not always like this. She wasn't always selfish or deceitful. She wasn't always cruel and corrupt. No, she was a saint-like most children. She always washed the dishes and said goodnight to her parents. She even had friends and loved going to school.

Sofia was the kindest soul anyone would ever meet. She always took care of others and always wore a smile on her face. If Sofia was not smiling, something serious must have been wrong. 

But not anymore.

The light that was Sofia's soul became dim one day as if someone blew out the fire inside of her heart. And that caused a cold and hard shell to form, never allowing joy in Sofia's heart again.

MAY 11th, 2010

Sofia had only just begun packing all her things. She and her family were planning a trip to Europe for the entire month. Her dad's job had him going away to Spain, but he couldn't live without his family, so he decided to bring everyone along. 

Of course, Sofia would have to homeschool for the month, but she was perfectly okay with it. She would do anything if it meant staying with her family. She could never imagine them apart. 

On her iPod played a bunch of her favorite Disney songs. She was preparing herself for the new Disney movie, Tangled, to come out in late November. Sofia was even planning on being her for Halloween, without even having seen the movie yet. 

Her family always did group Halloween costumes. Last year they were Alice in Wonderland-themed. Sofia was Alice, obviously. Her mother, Clarissa, was the queen. And her father, Luis, was the Mad Hatter. 

It was small moments like those that would always be special to Sofia. 

"Sofia, mija! Are you ready?" Clarissa called from across the floor. The family stayed together in a small one-floor house in the middle of LA, California. Sofia's parents thought that by allowing her to grow up in big cities, Sofia would have greater chances of being successful. 

However, the little family of three did not own much. They barely get by enough to pay the bills and have some extra. But Sofia did not mind. She knew her parents did, but she didn't. She has air in her lungs and a roof over her head. That is all that matters.

"Coming!" nine-year-old Sofia hastily took off her earbuds and zipped up her Little Mermaid backpack. She then grabbed her Twinkle Toes sneakers and raced out of her room. 

In the kitchen, her mom was finishing her specialty Venezuelan arepas while her dad watched the news on the small tv above the kitchen counter. 

"Terrible what happened at the Stark Expo, no?" Luis began. Ever since Tony Stark announced himself as Iron Man, the world has gone crazy. It's part of the reason Luis is so eager to get out of the states. It seems that everything crazy is happening in the U.S...so far. 

Placing the arepas onto the counter, Clarissa headed for the fridge to grab some cheeses. Truth be told, she was not a large fan of Tony Stark. She believes that he has too much money for his own good, and the world's. By naming himself Iron Man, he is only becoming more and more popular, which is exactly what he wants. Obviously, he didn't think of the consequences this would have on everyone else.

"Truly," Clarissa replied, lacking interest in the conversation.

Sofia's head popped up from behind her iPod. She paused the music ever so rapidly. "Wait. What happened?" she took a quick glance at the tv, "oh isn't that Iron Man?" 

"Yeah," Clarissa scoffed, "Iron Man." 

Sofia never understood her mom's dislike of the man. She thought he was a hero who could do no wrong. Just a few years ago he had saved the world from his ex-psycho employee or something. Besides, there's no harm in believing in heroes.

"Nothing happened, Sof. At least nothing bad enough for you to worry about." He gave her daughter a genuine smile which she easily returned. Luis got up and turned off the tv, making his way toward Sofia instead. With one large hand, he ruffled Sofia's hair, entirely messing it up. He then brought his hands down and began tickling her. 

"Papi! Stop!" Sofia giggled. She reached her hands up in a weak attempt of stopping him, but it was not working. It got to the point where her stomach started hurting because of how much she was laughing. Luis finally stopped and sat down beside her. 

"You know...if this month goes well, we might be spending a lot more time in Madrid, Sof." Luis' tone turned serious as if desperate for his daughter's approval. He wouldn't want to force her into another country. 

Grabbing one of the arepas on the counter, Sofia took a large bite into it. "Okay!" she said nonchalantly. 

"And you're okay with leaving everything here behind?" Clarissa joined the conversation as she finished packing her own personal bag. She partially felt bad for her daughter but if she only knew the intensity of the situation. It was not only going to be for a month, it was going to be for much longer. It was no longer safe for them in the states anymore.

"Yep! I'd do anywhere with you guys," Sofia replied, smiling ear to ear. 

Suddenly, a knock on the door disrupted their peaceful moment. Sofia's head turned ever so rapidly with curiosity. She wonders if she had accidentally forgotten to tell one of her friends she was leaving and if they were here for a playdate or something.

Standing up from the kitchen table, Sofia began to walk towards the door. But then her father's hand stopped her from continuing forward. 

She looked up at him, confused. "What's wrong? I was just going to get the door." 

Luis and Clarissa exchanged a worried glance with each other. He then crouched down to Sofia's level and placed an artificial smile on his face. "I'm sure it's just one of my clients. How about you go back to your room and finish packing, alright?"

"But I did finish-"

"Sofia." Luis' voice hit a level of cold Sofia had never heard before. She even found it a bit frightening. Without saying anything else, the nine-year-old grabbed her princess backpack and went back into her room. However, she left the door open just about three inches. Sofia was eager to know why her father's mood switched up so quickly. Surely he couldn't hate a client that much, right?

Sofia couldn't hear much from her room, just a lot of muffled talking. She could make out bits and pieces, though. 

"What do you want?" Clarissa's shaky voice echoed in the room. 

Sofia could see a tall, dark shadow standing in the doorway. His hair was long and covered most of his face with the help of a black mask. Sofia squinted her eyes, trying to get a better look at the mysterious man. 

Sofia stepped back with a gasp. It wasn't possible yet there he was standing just a few feet away from her parents. 

The man had a metal arm. And he looked dangerous. This was most definitely not a client. 

"You know what I've come for," the man said, his voice piercing like a thousand needles on Sofia's skin. She knew something was gravely wrong but she had direct orders to stay in her room. 

But what if this man wanted to hurt her parents?

"You are not getting it." he paused, taking in a deep breath, "Tell HYDRA that we will die before we give you anything," Luis spoke with strong determination. 

The room became silent and Sofia could almost hear her heart thundering in her chest. For the first time in her entire life, she was afraid, and she hated it. Sure, Sofia's scared of spiders and clowns, but she's never felt the pure terror she was feeling right now. 

"That can be arranged," the man ran up to Luis and grabbed his neck with his metallic arm, choking Sofia's father. Sofia let out a loud cry, alerting everyone in the house that she was there. 

The soldier's head snapped in her direction. He dropped the chokehold on Luis and began walking toward the nine-year-old's room. 

It was at that moment that everything became ten times worse. She heard the screams of her parents but she couldn't tell what they were saying. Sofia backed up slowly and shut the door. She reached up for the lock but was struggling. Her hands were shaking. Sofia heard his footsteps growing closer and closer by the second but here she was, unable to move. 

Was she about to die? She didn't know.

The door opened.

The soldier just stood there, staring at the little girl. He was thinking of all the cruel ways he could get the information out of her parents and went with the most brutal one. Leverage.

With tears streaming down her face, the soldier roughly grabbed her hair and began tugging her into the kitchen. Incoherent screams left her mouth as she hit his metal arm continuously. She knew it was doing her more harm than him, but she would not stop. 

"If you don't give me what I want in ten seconds, she dies," the soldier's voice was like venom. She hated it and she hated him.

"I cannot," Luis spoke with tears in his eyes, too. Sofia has never seen either of her parents crying before. He could not give away what the soldier wanted because more lives would be lost. He knew it was one life against the world. 

With his strong arm, the soldier lifted Sofia from the ground and shoved her right next to her mother. Taking out a small knife and pistol, he walked over to them as the father watched with horror. 

He forced the knife into Sofia's small hands and held her at gunpoint. "Now listen up. I want you to slowly push the blade into your mother's neck, or else I'll kill the both of you." Sofia stared up at the man in shock. 

"No! Please! She's only nine!" Clarissa shouted, "Please leave her alone!"

Ignoring the mother's pleads, the soldier continued. "I will leave her alone if  you give me what it is I want." 

Everyone looked at Luis and only Clarissa knew what his plan was. The two of them had created a failsafe in case a situation like this should ever arise. Luis was to protect the serum at all costs and never let it get into Hydra's hands....even at the cost of his wife and daughter's lives.

Sofia stared at her father in shock, "Papi, please!" she begged. She wanted to live, she had so much left to do in this world.

Luis looked away, not being able to look at the mess he has created.

"So be it," the soldier said and grabbed Sofia's hand, pushing the blade into her mother's neck. Blood immediately started pouring out and got all over Sofia. Her heart shattered. She was trying to pull away but the soldier's grip was too strong. 

"Papi! Please!" Sofia sobbed harder than she ever has before. Never in a thousand years would she have thought that her father would sit idly by as her mother's life was on the line. Her's as well. 

Seeing how the father was not budging, the soldier decided to take it to the next level. He momentarily let Sofia go and went into the kitchen. Sofia did not hesitate to place pressure on her mother's wound and wrap her in a strong and long hug.

"I am so sorry!" Sofia cried, "I didn't have a choice!" 

Barely being able to breathe, Clarissa replied, "it's okay, mija. It is not your fault."

Sofia only becomes more confused but does not let go of her mother. She needed to make sure she survived. Sofia could not imagine life without her. 

Then a disturbing thought entered her mind. Where was Iron Man? Wasn't he supposed to be a hero to everyone? Where were the police? The FBI? Anyone? Why were they all alone? Slowly, Sofia's hope of being saved began to dim. No one was coming for them. They were all going to die. 

Sofia just felt so betrayed by her father. Why couldn't he just have given the man what he wanted? They could have been at the airport by now. 

The soldier came back carrying a lighter and a match. He had left the kitchen in utter ruins just trying to find those two items. He approached Sofia with strong determination. He was going to get the serum one way or another. After all, his orders were to extract the package using any means necessary. 

He lit the match on fire and slowly brought it closer to Sofia's face. "She burns...unless you give me what I want. Do you want to witness your daughter's skin melting off her bones? It's a fate much worse than death."

Sofia was frozen into silence. She simply stared at her father, hoping he'd give the man what he wanted.

But no such luck came.

But Luis couldn't break. He couldn't. Little did Sofia or the soldier know that the serum is already in Sofia's veins. When she was just newly born, her parents wanted her to be ready for anything so they put it inside her. If the soldier were to kill Sofia, the serum would die with her...but Luis would not be able to live with himself. 

Luis is just now realizing what a terrible mistake it was to put something so dangerous into his precious daughter. The serum couldn't even activate unless Sofia was met with extreme conditions such as freezing to death or...

They just wanted her to be safe...they never thought that this would happen. 

But now as he watched his dying wife on the floor and the match only getting closer to Sofia's face, he was left with a choice. He could save both their lives and give the soldier what he wanted, but the world might as well be doomed. 

Or he could remain silent and hear the terrible screams coming from Sofia. 

No matter what he decides, Sofia is getting hurt either way.

If he were to break, the soldier would either take Sofia to HYDRA's headquarters or draw blood from her veins to the point where she can no longer move. But if he didn't, he'd sit idly by as she burned alive and the serum would activate, making it easier for the soldier to identify she was the one who had it. 

"Alright! I'll give it to you!" Luis burst out. 

Just as the match was just about to hit her skin, the soldier pulled back. He did not say anything, inclining Luis to continue. 

"It's in her," he pointed at Sofia but didn't look her in the eye. He had failed her. "The serum is inside her." 

The soldier was wearing a mask but Luis could almost see a smirk from behind it. He dropped the lit match on Sofia's leg, making her scream out in pain as her pants caught on fire. Sofia quickly brushed it aside behind her, but the fire did not go out. He then pulled out his knife. Right next to the burn mark on her jeans, he cut a thin line allowing blood to pour out of it. 

As if ready for this exact situation, the soldier with the metal arm took out a small glass vial and collected her blood as if it were liquid candy. 

Sofia's tears turned hot like fire and she could no longer take this pain anymore. She began to feel her leg numbing because of the adrenaline, but it would not last long. She didn't have the power to speak anymore, much less cry out in pain. 

And to think, just a few minutes ago she was enjoying her arepa on the kitchen counter, excited for Madrid. How could everything change so quickly?

Clarissa had finally stopped moving and Sofia had finally realized she was gone. It was like the only thing she understood right now. She didn't know why this man was here or why he needed her blood. She didn't know why this was happening. She didn't even know what her parents were hiding from her. But she did know that her mother was dead, and she was never coming back. 

Once the soldier was satisfied with his full vial, he stood up roughly and walked past Clarissa, not even bothering to look in her direction. 

Luis scooted his way toward his daughter and held her tightly in his arms mumbling sincere apologies for everything. He applied pressure on both her wounds and promised that they'd be okay after this. 

Upon hearing this, the soldier went for his holster, grabbed his gun, and pointed it at Luis. But he was only dragging out the inevitable for his entertainment. HYDRA said no witnesses so that means everyone had to die, except himself of course.

He noticed the fire behind them and smiled. Gradually, they'd all burn to death, but that wasn't enough. It would not ensure their deaths. 

The HYRDA agent turned off the safety, aimed his weapon, and pulled the trigger. Instantly the bullet flew, hitting Luis directly in his brain. His body immediately went limp and fell on top of Sofia.

She felt like vomiting all of her insides out. 

The soldier aimed his gun again, but this time at Sofia's stomach. 

He fired.

All Sofia heard was a loud noise. Her entire body numbed and her hands went up to the wound. Her vision blurred but she could make out some wet substance on her hands now. She couldn't concentrate any longer. Her skin burned as the fire grew, destroying her house slowly. Sofia's ears rang louder than church bells.

And then she felt nothing. Her eyes became heavy and her head lolled to the side. She started struggling to stay awake. So much had happened that day but everything was becoming one big blur. 

Why her? Why this family? Why did it have to be them? 

Where were the heroes? The police? Anyone? They just abandoned her. No one showed up. Not even her neighbors.

The soldier just stood there, staring at the fallen family. He turned to leave and the last thing Sofia saw was the bright red star on his metal arm. That was when she knew she'd survive. She will survive. She will force herself to survive all just to see the day this man dies by her hand. 

Sofia made a promise to herself that night. She made a promise to that man. 

As long as she was alive, he would never know happiness just as he had ripped it away from her. 

A/N first chapter yayy

so i asked my friend how i could make this particular scene traumatizing for Sofia and she replied with "have sofia watch her mom bleed out and then have her get burned" and then i took it to the next level and said "lets burn the entire house :D" 

anyways the idea for this story came out of nowhere and im super excited to write more of it.