Prologue: 'The Apartment.'
Daisy didn’t like it when her brother left the apartment. He didn’t like leaving her either. He always tried to get back as quickly as possible. But whatever he was doing. Whatever it took to keep them off the streets and in that warm, cozy apartment—kept him out for hours.
She knew he always left to protect her. She loved him for it… But she hated the apartment. It wasn’t cozy. It wasn’t truly safe. Even as a little girl, she knew that. Because whenever her brother left, he left her with him.
Tick. The man who found them. Who looked out for them. Who treated them like his own children whenever her big brother was around. But when he was gone, something would always change. Daisy couldn’t put her finger on it… But he was frightening when her brother left.
Whenever they were alone together, the atmosphere in the apartment would change. It was harder to breathe in there. Every time he moved, her little body would grow tense. And the hairs on the back of her neck would stand whenever he sat beside her.
She didn’t like being alone with Tick, but she didn’t have a choice. Not tonight. Her brother was running late again. She was sitting in front of the TV. He was sitting right beside her: one hand on the remote, the other squeezing her thigh. Daisy squirmed with discomfort and squeezed her teddy bear close to her chest. Fear turned her into a squeamish mess. She shook uncontrollably. She couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down her face.
“You know, Daisy. You really are turning into a beautiful young woman,” said the man. He was looking at her now. She could feel his gaze piercing the side of her face. “So soft too…”
“I… I’m not a woman. I’m just five.”
“Age doesn’t make you a woman, Daisy. You wanna know what makes you a woman?”
“N… n… no…”
He didn’t hear her, or maybe he didn’t care. “Pleasing your boyfriend. And I wanna be your boyfriend, Daisy.”
She shot up, but he was too quick. Tick grabbed her by her waist and flung her back into the couch. His hands were so rough. One tug and she felt her wrists cry out. But still, she fought, and she screamed. “Let me go!”
“Don’t be stubborn, Daisy,” he shushed, covering her mouth with his hands.
Daisy didn’t hesitate. She bit his fingers as hard as she could, gagging when he pulled away. She could taste blood on her lips. It tasted awful and had an awful smell. But none of that mattered when Tick screamed and glared at her with all his might.
“Little bitch!”
He struck her, hard enough for her to see stars. Something in her face broke. Maybe her nose. Maybe her jaw. Daisy couldn’t tell. There was blood everywhere. The room spun out of focus. She kicked, hit, and screamed, but she couldn’t even see Tick. She could only feel him grabbing at her hands to try to hold her down. Fighting felt futile. But she couldn’t stop. She refused.
“No! Get off! Help me! Dax! Dax! Dax!”
There was a sudden noise. It sounded like the door being kicked down. Daisy still couldn’t see anything, but the weight was suddenly flung from her.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
She gasped for air as Tick screamed and begged for mercy. Her eyes slowly settled despite the horrifying sounds of crunches and final gasps. When Daisy could see again, she saw Tick first—bloodied beyond repair. Face bashed beyond recognition. And then, she saw her big brother. His hands were full of blood, up to his elbows… and there was a wildness in his eyes that… scared her too.
“D… Dax?”
He looked at her. The moment his eyes found her face, he froze—eyes wide and red at the edges. Nose filled with snot. Mouth whimpering and trembling as he reached for her.
“Daisy, I’m—”
He didn’t finish. Never got the chance. Sirens echoed from below. Police stormed into the apartment in a wave. Before she could comprehend what was happening, police officers were dragging her away and slamming her brother’s body to the ground.
“Dax! Dax! Dax!”
She screamed at the top of her lungs. But she didn’t hear him. She didn’t see him. After being ripped from the apartment that she disliked so much, Daisy Crossman never saw her brother again.
