You weren’t always like this. You were once clean, pure, an angel among a world full of revolting demons. But you let them change you; you let them hold you to their bosom as they fed you lies of a world so vile. Your ears drank up their empty promises as if it were your mother’s acidic milk. The blood in your veins began to curdle with time, and with each passing second, you could almost feel your heart slowly stop to beat.

You didn’t have the best life in the world, but you were content to live with it. As content as one could be, that is, when forced to live in conditions even rats would turn their noses up at. You had a job that worked your fingers to the bone and burned holes in the soles of your feet, you had a wife that was never at home; you knew where she was. She was always off with a better man. A man that could please her, keep her happy, and keep her spoiled. Everything that you couldn’t give her, despite how hard you worked to give her what you could. It never seemed to be enough.

The days had grown shorter as the Winter months rolled in without a single ounce of mercy to their name. Snowfall was rare where you lived, yet the temperatures never ceased to drop well below the double digits when you were forced to walk the three miles of asphalt and concrete that seperated your work from your home. You had pulled your ragged coat around your body, in a failed attempt to keep out the chilled wind that continued to nip and bite at your skin.

You stopped at the first unoccupied phonebooth that you could find and slid into the box to escape the cold, even if it was for just a moment. The entire booth reaked of urine and feces, but whether it was from a stray animal or homeless human, you couldn’t be so sure. Truthfully, you didn’t want to know. You tried to push the thoughts out of your head, or at the very least, to the back of your mind so that you could stomach remaining in the phonebooth until your legs thawed out enough to continue on home.

There were very few people out at this time of the evening on a good day, and even fewer when the weather was this wretched. You viewed this as a part of the advantages to working so late, but a disadvantage to having to walk the entire way home on foot. While the number of people roaming the streets had been reduced due to the Wintery conditions, the type of people to be out never changed. And that is what scared you the most.

A loud bang came from just outside the phonebooth. A homeless man, dressed in rags more soiled and worn down than your own, had his dirty face pressed up against the glass. He seemed angry; he was mumbling something that you couldn’t quite understand. After you cracked the door just slightly, you caught the tail end of his rant: “…is my house! Get out of my house!” With a sheepish look on your face, you vacated the phonebooth without a single word to the grumbling man. Your heart was beating intensely, the utter shock of the sudden confrontation wracking your nerves.

You continue on with your journey home, hoping and praying that you’ll be able to make it to the sweet sanctuary before any other being decide to creep up on you. You attempted to shorten the distance by first quickening your steps into a brisk walk, then slipping into a swift jog, before finally breaking out in an all fire run. The sound of your boots slapping against the damp concrete echoes in your ears, but your pace does not slow down. You’re almost to the finish line, as the outline of your shappy apartment building finally comes into view. Your heart is racing once more, fear, relief and adrenelin all rushing through your veins. You can almost smell the rich, sweet stench of freedom wafting from the open windows. But then…

Everything goes dark. You’ve connected with something large and solid, and at the speed your feet were carrying you, the impact had knocked you back onto your ass. The breath, just moments ago coming in the form of pants, was knocked clear out of your lungs when your back hit the pavement. Your eyes had begun to open slowly, to see just what you had neglected to see while you had been running so recklessly down the sidewalk. They did not stay open long, as a fresh wave of pain coursed its way down your spine, negating any pain you might have felt from the fall. Wave after wave of pain crashed through your body, sending you into a twisting, jerking, seizure like attack. You could see nothing, hear nothing, yet with every few seconds a new wave overtook the subsiding pain and intensified it that much more. A choked gasp spills past your bottom lip, sliding effortlessly across the blood that was seeping down your chin. You’re bleeding from various wounds, the most painful being those in your sides, stomach and chest.

There’s a shift in the shadows just to the right of your pounding skull. You try to focus on the form, but there’s a blurry film that’s formed over your eyes that’s obsuring your vision. The form gets closer and closer until they’re right above you. They seemed to be talking, but your hearing had already weakened, so any hopes of catching what the stranger was saying were dashed before you could even try. You squinted in desperation, hoping to at least try to make out what the figure was saying. But alas, your attempt was in vain. You were weak and broken; they had you just where they wanted you.

Another form had joined the first, and another after that. Three beings were standing before you, all speaking in a wordless tongue. You tried to close your eyes, but the one closest to your left gripped your jaw, and forced you to reopen them. They’re closer now, and you could just barely make out the outline of male features. Rotting breath collided with your nose; the stench caused you to gag on the bile and blood that had already collected in the back of your throat. You wanted so badly to spit it out, but the hand gripping your jaw made movement impossible. So you swallow it instead.

Their mouths opened in what looked like laughter as you tried to speak. Your tongue felt too big for your mouth; your teeth were clashing against each other in a desperate plea. The one that had been holding you let you fall to the ground, and pain shot through your spine as it connected with the bloodstained asphalt below. It was your blood that stained these streets, not that they hadn’t been stained enough before. Your blood was merely the icing on the cake, so to speak.

While you were laying there, the three forms began to talk once again. They seemed to be discussing what to do with you. Part of you wished for sweet death to come and whisk you away to a place where pain wouldn’t be a factor anymore, and this would all turn out to just be a horrid nightmare. But you knew you were not that lucky. You were never that lucky.

The one to your right picked you up next. It was another man, larger in stature and stronger than the first seemed to be. The previous man had since left on the order of what looked to be a female form. You didn’t understand any of it, but you were helpless to protest as they took you away, and shoved your beaten and broken body into the trunk of some car. You closed your eyes and hoped that you would wake up before the car rolled to an earth shattering stop.

However, you weren’t that lucky then, either. You could feel yourself being forced out of the trunk by the same man that had put you in there and then drug by your hair through the grimy, disgusting halls of what looked to be a hospital. Your vision was still cloudy, so any details were too blurry to make out. Maybe that was for the best.

You were thrown into a dark room; a wince had escaped your control as your bruised spinal cord connects with the metal bearings of the cot in the center of the room. You had no idea where you were, and you knew you didn’t want to know. Fear was nearly pouring off of you in the form of sweat, but still, no sound would come from your lips.

The lights were then cut on, blinding you for a split second. When your eyes had adjusted, you found that you had been thrown into a rotten smelling hospital room. There were blood stains all over the walls and on the floor. Insturments that had been rusted with age and improper use had been left to waste on a cart beside the table. The very same table that you had been forced onto. Your blood ran cold in terror, but you knew you couldn’t escape. You knew there was no way to escape. They descended upon you, your last sound as a human being the cold, dead shrill that had finally escaped your lips.

One thump. Two. A third, echoing thump before the precious heart that strained so desperately to hold on finally faded from existance. Your ribcage had become dusted with the ash left from the crumbling organ; your eyes, once a beautiful, brilliant blue were now duller than the metallic table you were laying upon.

Twisted smiles and wicked intentions now gleamed in the eyes of the beloved. You had become the center of attention. The living doll, as some had said. You did their dirty work for them, you cleaned up after them, you killed for them. You had earned a nice little collection as a reward. A collection of young girls that you kept in the basement dwelling of your horrific home. You’ve earned them, they told you. Do with them as you wish.

Yet, what of the broken, what are they to do whilest you sit and ponder about your next victim? Laughter and cheers errupted around you, and you drank it up as if you had been wandring in the desert plains for weeks without a drop to satisfy your insatiable lust for attention. But what were we to do, the ones you used for your own pleasure and gain, then tossed away like yesterday’s newspaper?

At times you would smile at us, grace us with your heavenly presence even, and if we were lucky, we would get to feel the gentle caress of your unscarred fingers. Each day, you would come to our quarters, and we would line up like stray dogs, sitting on our hind quarters and begging for your gracious attention. You would walk up and down, pacing in front of us and ever so often, giving us a teasing pat of your hand, only to turn back and decide you didn’t want to play right then.

Our hopes and dreams were dashed, yet again. One by one, though, the girls start to disappear. You would come to collect one of us, and while she follows blindly to a most pleasurable demise, the rest of us are left waiting, watching in envy as that door shuts slowly once again, and we are enveloped in darkness.

Was it really the freedom that we craved, or is it the touch, so acidic and vile that we can only scream and cry for more when you have us bound to the table, splayed open for your own enjoyment. Do we enjoy the pain so much that all we can do is whimper and whine for more, in which you so graciously reward us with if we whine just loud enough, or thrash in just the right ways to please your peircing gaze?

Finally, you came to collect another. There were only three of us left, and together, we were huddled in the corner. None of us wanted to go, no, we had figured you out, and we wanted to stay together. But you pulled her away, and as much as we tried to stop her, the door shut once more. Two left, and together, we cringed, holding onto one another as the desolate and futile cries of our ’sister’ rang out in our ears. You didn’t take as long with her, as the others. No, you’ve came back, and for my remaining friend. She reached for me, as I her, but you dragged her off, laughing at her attempted whines and clawing at the wall.

A blind love turned deadly in moments. You grew bored with your collection, but your precious family said that you had to use your old toys first, before you could gain any new ones. This was mainly due to the fact that some of the previous girls you had chosen had run off, blabbing about everything that had been done to them. When the authorities became involved, you watched in silent darkness while your new family played the innocent card and claimed that the girl was merely delusional. So, one by one, you picked us off, killing us with the very pleasure that we used to crave so eagerly. My sister’s screams finally dwindled into nothing, and my body began to tremble once more. I was afraid, I was angry, and I was fighting off the pain of madness slipping into my veins.

The door opened, and light poured in, illuminating me, the final girl you have to play with. Bile rose to my throat with the thought of what you did with all those bodies when you’ve had your fill of them. Part of me didn’t even want to know where my fate would end up. However, part of me was screaming, yelling at me to fight back when those smooth, scarless fingers reached into the barred cage us girls were kept in to grab me by the hair. I acted upon instinct, now, instead of admiration. I bit, so hard, that I could taste the crimson life liquid staining my teeth and lips.

Big mistake; you backhanded me like I was nothing, like I am nothing. But to you, that’s exactly what I am: nothing. That’s all that we’ve become since the day that we were taken from our homes. A whore and a toy for you to use whenever you feel like it, and dispose of when you’re bored with me. Just like the other girl’s, and how you got bored of them. But oh, you wouldn’t grow bored with me as quickly. I could see it in your eyes; the fact that I was the first to ever fight back caused something to ignite in your veins, sending you lunging after me. I attempted to move, but you were much faster than I was. Now, at least.

Your body was not only beautiful and flawless, but agile as well. You grabbed my legs and forced me to the ground, much like your captors had once done to you, so very long ago. Back in a time where thoughts of mutilation, rape and murder would never have crossed your mind. Back before they mutilated you into the perfect puppet you now were.

Your body had pinned mine to the floor, but I struggled none the less. I wouldn’t let myself become another one of your wretched toys. I kicked and screamed, but your hand clamped over my mouth like a vice grip. I tried to bite you, but my attempt was in vain. You had already ripped off my ragged dress, but the rope you normally used to bind the girls with was left on the table. So you left me, kicking me so hard in the stomach that I had to roll over just to catch my breath.

You felt no danger because no one had dared to fight you before, they had all wanted this disease you spew from your lips and loins. You assumed I did too. I knew the truth, however, and your biggest mistake was turning your back to me. I refused to be another victim of your charming, snake-like tongue and vile, acid laced words.

Without adequate nourishment for so many weeks, my body was weak, and I was barely able to push myself up from the cold basement floor, much less weild the weapon I had chosen to use to end this cycle of turmoil and agony. The shovel, the first thing I could find, came down hard upon the back of your head, and I watched as the force of the impact on your skull brought you to your knees. But I didn’t stop there, no, I couldn’t. I wouldn’t. My rage and fear pushed me on, and with a wild, tear choked cry for my fallen sisters, I crushed the blade down onto your skull over and over, until there was nothing left of your head but a bloody mess of tissue and bone.

To the ground I slid, splattered in blood and brains, to sit and wait prosecution. I knew that my battle cry, strangled and weak as it was, would have been heard from the sadistic humans that dwelled upstairs. Would I get a sweet death for the brutal murder of one of the town’s most beloved? It was in self defense, after all, but will any of that matter when the sight is seen, and I am the one left standing? The fragile girl, who had lost her family when taken, just like the other girls, and then had suffered through the pain of losing them, she was who was left now, at the end of this serial massacre.

Laughter bubbled to the surface, mixing with the bile and horrid taste that your kiss had left in my mouth. Louder in volume it grew, until the lights upstairs clicked on, and the curious sounds of your beloved family coming down to check on their beloved creation floats down the stairs. Oh, but what do they find but me, sitting before their beautiful doll’s desicrated body and laughing away the last shreds of my already diminishing sanity.

They will be in need of a new doll now. Their eyes held no emotion as they shared a glance, standing there on the bottom step of the basement stairs. When they’ve turned their hideous, acid-kissed gaze back to me, I know my fate has been sealed. There will be no pleasurable death for me. Oh no, I won’t be offered such a luxury. In punishment for breaking their most prized and valuable toy, I was to take his place. I knew, as soon as they looked at me, that I was the next doll to be added to the collection.

I wasn’t always like this. I was once a beautiful angel, residing contently in a world full of hideous, revolting demons. Now i’ve become one of them. A permanent resident in their pretty little dollhouse.