there was always this little soul

She lay curled on the floor - like the way she was inside the womb- she never knew
The bed was no longer a bed - never the soft comfort zone she dreamed of . It was where her nightmares started - the pain, the agony. The floor was safer

"Don't trust the police- they are bad" - trust me - the man with the golden voice softly told her
as she stood one evening - shivering in the cold in the bus shelter. She had run away from the place she called home - it was a home the local adoptive agency had bundled off to -
Her foster parents had no love for her - but for the money ,the State paid for her upkeep and for their "inconvenience", they had undying love.

The State was glad to be rid of her. Life at the foster home was not bad- but not good either - she was just a number in that house. She was neitherattractive nor plain - just another kid. They hardly cared if she was alive or not - only thing was that she was never abused. Still she wanted out.

One evening she did just that. Walked out .Aimlessly she wandered the streets - a young, frail thing - All she had in her possession was the dress she wore - a couple of odds and ends - a packet of cigarettes and a little money that she took from the house -

She knew her foster parents would never seek her out - maybe when the Social Worker paid them a visit on hearing that she was missing - they would weep copious tears. They would bawl away saying how ungrateful she was after the love and attention they showered on her. The Social Worker would nod her head but knowing fully well the parents were whining about the money they lost. Then again they would find another kid and the money would flow again.

Towards evening, legs aching, she sat at an abandoned bus shelter - wondering what her future would be, and never having a clue what her past was. It was then that the man with the golden voice approached her. She never heard the big car arrive - its engine quiet as the whisper of the evening breeze.

He smiled the most beautiful smile she had ever seen and asked her point blank "Runaway, right?"
She looked at him smiled and said "yes"."You don't want to go to the cops, you can never trust them. They will send you back"She looked at him and asked "Do you know where else I could go or who else with?"

"Sure, I know this family who could take care of you, with lots of love and warmth. Without blinking an eye she got into the car with him - not for a moment caring where she was going or who the guy way.

They drove through the night - she slept curled in the back seat of the car - and then he had gently woke her up . "We have arrived", he said simply. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and saw this lovely house. "This will be your new home,at least for some time", he said. She knew her foster parents would not care where she was - they would simply tell the State Agency that she ran away - and how ungrateful she was causethey had taken such good care of her. The would whine about the money they lost- but the state would send them someone else to replace her.

He rang the doorbell and a grandmotherly lady opened the door. "Hi Nicholas", she addressed the man how nice to see you". "C'mon in ". "And who is this with you"?
"She needs a home, love and care, Maggie", said Nicholas.
"Awww c'mon you poor thing", let us fix you a bath so you can freshen up and, I have clothes at the top that belongs to Annette. You could use them".

She thanked Maggie and had a wonderful, hot shower, put on the clothes and went down to join Nicholas and Maggie."Honey," Maggie said - "I don't want you to go out for some time lest, someone recognizes you and sends you backto you home, which I know you don't want to go to". She nodded her head.

She lost track of time - was it four year five years - was she 16 was she 14? - she never knew - she had never stepped out of the house on her own - Maggie made sure of that - Nicholas or some other guy was always with her and the other three girls who lived in the house.

From a child to a woman overnight- that is what she became - from a child to a piece of flesh that was used and abusedover and over again. At nights when they grunted and groaned over her body, she would cry silent tears - wishing and praying that no other girl would have to go through this - but then she knew - There was always a Nicholas and a Maggie who made
sure there was a constant supply and ....... and there was always this little soul that suffered..

p.s. -> i have read the story some time back ,somewhere in this immense sea of internet, i accept that i was really dumbstruck after reading it and couldn't fightback the idea of placing it here in my words so that may be there is something that can lessen the suffering of that little soul . ameen......