"I don't understand!" Jerry said. "I really don't!!"

Panicked, I looked at Liam. He was part of the reason we were in this mess and yet he looked panicked as well.

I wasn't surprised.

"You don't need to know," Liam scoffed. He began to turn away. I did the same.

Jerry put one hand on my shoulder and the other hand on Liam's. I shrugged his hand off.

"Please," I begged.

"How bad could it possibly be? Neither of you are evil people."

Liam sneered. "How do you know that? You barely know her. But I know her. Her true self."

My true self. I rolled my eyes. Liam knew my true self? I didn't understand.

I saw policemen cuffing the hands of both of my parents. I was violently thrown into a basement by the man who had kidnapped me.

The boy--Liam--looked both frightened and shocked at the situation. I pleaded with my eyes for him to help me, but he responded coldly. I didn't blame him--he just lost his mother. But I just lost both of my parents too. They had murdered. They were going to jail. Who knows when--if ever--I would see them again?

I struggled, but it was no use. I was 10. I was no way stronger than the man in front of me--who was maybe in his late thirties or early forties.

I was cast into the darkness. I screamed, but it's not like anyone could hear me.

My true self--what could that possibly mean?