4.

Majella, at thirteen years of age, has been taken by strangers who, as one states, are working on behalf of the state. This certainly was not something done at Tom's request. No matter what thoughts he may have had, he would never harm, abandon or disown any of his children. He would never intentionally send any of his daughters away.

Nothing to do with the State either, as it soon would be discovered. No matter what has been stated, the whole thing is extremely suspect with Majella being abducted rather than sequestered and with dad receiving a punch or two to the gut for his efforts of interference. The ungodly hour and nature of the event, front door being forced open, certainly throws it in the mix that all is not well.

Tom swears that he will do all he can to fight what has happened, no amount of fighting on his behalf could have prevented her from being taken. Dad, of course, is willing to fight with every ounce of strength within him to ensure he gets his daughter back but how can he fight what he doesn't know? He is just one man with two other daughters to take care of.

This is not on; it is not right; no one should have the right to take a child from their parent without permission or any kind of consent. Who are these people? How do they know of Majella?

It is frightening to watch Majella be taken away in the manner she was while dad was being restrained, being helpless to do anything about it and it is also frightening to hear her final prediction prior to being taken away. Majella stated that she had foreseen the death of her eldest sister, Abigail. And that death in Majella's eyes is set to occur in the near future; it is not imminent but not so far off either. She implored her father to do all he can to save Abigail.

Thing escalated quickly, going beyond Tom's worst nightmares. His youngest daughter has been taken from him, bungled into the back of an unmarked white van and he had not been informed as to where she was to be taken and he was and is being held back in more ways than one. He was prevented from following anyone or doing anything that could move things in a direction he needs to go.

Over the coming days, weeks and months he hires a solicitor, someone who soon discovers that there is no record of a Majella Smith, no record at all. No record of where she may have been taken, no record of where she currently is and there is not even as much as a birth certificate on record to state she ever existed at all. This is not typical state activity, is it?

Conveniently or not so conveniently, any and all records Tom Smith owned relating to his third daughter now longer exist. They apparently have vanished from where they were being kept. To add to all this, Jenifer Smith's death is now on record listed as being due to illness and not of complications during childbirth. Those records state that Tom and Jenifer Smith had, have two daughters together, not three. The suggestion soon comes from that hired solicitor, and any other hired investigator, to move on and move forwards as best as humanly possible. There is no third daughter and Tom is supposed to just accept this.

How can anyone, any family even think about moving on from something like this? Forget about a child, a sister? No, can't do that, not a chance. You cannot, however, fight what you cannot see or find someone who on record does not exist. Police even deny making any kind of raid on the Smith household. If the two daughters of which they come to know about were not of age or close to it then they may worry for their safety believing Tom Smith not to be in the full of his health. As it is, family services will not be called upon.

Maybe no official emergency service had been involved. Their lack of understanding appears real. Where is Majella? What is happening to her? Will her family ever see her again? Who is doing this to them? This is difficulty at its worst.

A home for special girls is what Majella is told she has been brought to, but to her this will become nothing more than a prison, an asylum of hurt and pain, a lot of which is to come her way. As time goes on, her treatment worsens, and she is told over and over that she will never get to leave this place.

There are many small white walled rooms for accommodating 'patients', two girls to share each of these small box-like rooms, where being locked inside at certain times is common practice. There is the odd older patient or two here too, this reinforces the fact that Majella may never see the light of day again.

Within the room she is to share with one other, Majella claims a corner as her own, a spot where she will often sit, rock back and forth and dream of being free. The other girl sharing this particular room is of similar age, possibly a little younger.

This younger girl has long blonde immaculate hair and spends most of her time within this room at the end of her bed on her knees praying. Other than the whispers of her prayers, this young girl for the most part is silent, so much so that Majella can't help but believe that there may be something wrong with her roommate, well maybe not something so much wrong but something perhaps all too right.

Majella's first opinion of her roommate, her cell mate, is confirmed when Majella attempts to ask questions and only receives silence and the odd glance or two. Majella doesn't even ever get a name from or of her roomie, a name will come though not just yet, and whenever something is required, demanded of, or taken from that roommate; she always appears to be compliant to those with power no matter of what official position is held by whomever has come to her and no matter what it is being taken from or demanded of her.

Things are to be demanded of and taken from Majella too. Thing is though, those who run this place come down much harder on Majella, almost as if they fear doing the same to the roommate. She is not scary or frightening in any way, if anything she is quite the opposite. If only they did know more or would be informed of who exactly Majella is ...

***

In the common room within the building within which she has become a prisoner, Majella sits alone and away from all others. She hasn't been there all so long when a thin poorly looking middle aged woman approaches.

'You know my daughter' speaks this sickly-looking woman.

'Excuse me?' asks Majella with some shock and surprise, not knowing what to make of what is happening in this moment or of the woman who has come to her.

'My daughter, you know her, don't you?'

'... I can't say that I do ...'

'I suppose it is not time yet. You will know my daughter, for she is your sister. You will know her ... you will ... he will bring you all together. Tell her to come see her mother, won't you?'

'Now, now Lacey' speaks Sammy, the orderly who had accompanied this Lacey person into the common room. 'Leave Majella be. Give her time to get fully accustomed to her new surroundings.'

Lacey turns her head away then moves away towards one of the four corner of the room where she continues to observe the newcomer.

'Don't mind her' Sammy tells Majella. 'Missus Ellis has been here for some time. She is harmless. There is a bark though she never bites, well not in a very long time at least. Let's just hope you don't see her bark at its worst.'