1967

[Buzzer]

Her little cousin said, “I’m fine too,” and took her mothers hand.

Aunt Louisa said, “You will have time to talk to each other when we get home. Now we have to get Jan. Let’s go.”

Ellie was gonna go over to Nina, but Dani took her hand. Ellie would walk with her. They headed off and soon reached Jan's school-which would be hers soon. They must've been late or early, since there were only a few children in the yard, a few girls on a swingset, two boys playing marbles and another boy sitting alone on the steps. The boy straightened up when he saw them and cried "Mother!" and ran over to them. "You are late" he said, sounding annoyed.

Then he realized who Dani was. In a different tone of voice, he said, "Oh, you must be Danielle. My Mother told me you would come today.” He gave his mother his bag and after a moment of thinking it over,he put his hand on her shoulder. "How are you?"

She was being asked that an awful lot. Did they know about Da hitting her...and the other thing? "I'm fine, and you?"

Before he could answer, a nun came over and Dani felt very intimidated. "Hello, Mrs. Gedeck. Is this Danielle?" She asked looking at Dani. Dani nodded. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Sister Anne, I'm the Headmistress here. I hope I won't be seeing you in my office too much." Dani nodded "Yes ma'am."

[Aline]

“Good afternoon, Sister Anne,” Louisa greeted. “Yes, that’s Danielle, she arrived today."

“You must be very tired, my dear,” Sister Anne said.

The girl didn’t reply. She still felt uneasy.

“Yes, Sister Anne,” Louisa agreed.

Jan looked from his Mother to the nun. He didn’t like her very much, she was always giving orders. The boy took his bag from Louisa’s hands again, and unwillingly made the nun turn to him.

“Hello, Jan, I’ve heard you are doing very well at your studies. Congratulations,” Sister Anne said formally.

“Thank you,” Jan said and looked at his Mother, who smiled at him, proudly.

“This must be his sister,” the nun said, pointing to Nina.

“Yes, Sister Anne, she is Nina,” Louisa replied, holding Nina’s hand.

“Well, I hope to see you all soon,” the woman said. “You too, little girls,” she addressed Nina and Ellie, who looked at each other with an intrigued expression. “I must go now. Have a good day,” she said and returned to the school.

“What’s that, Jan?” Louisa asked when her son pressed her hand and heaved a sigh.

“She gives me the creeps,” he replied, not looking at his Mother.

“Oh, come on, she is not that bad,” Louisa said, hoping the boy hadn’t scared his cousins and sister. “Let’s get going. Grandma and Grandpa must be waiting us for lunch.

They headed back to the Lodge, Danielle holding her sister’s hand all the way. Louisa walked behind them, holding Jan and Nina’s hands. They all realized how hungry they were only when they arrived at the Logde and smelled that delicious food that had just been served.

“Hum, I wonder what we’ll have for lunch today,” Jan said, rolling his tongue over his lips.

Louisa winked at Ellie. The two had chosen Danielle’s favorite food. It was meant to be a surprise.

“Alright, children, go wash your hands and come back here,” Louisa demanded. She washed her own hands and went over to the living room, where her parents waited, along with Liesl and her son. Anton was there too, so was Andrew. They didn’t usually had lunch together, but Louisa had asked them to go, as it was a special occasion, and they had agreed.

Louisa walked over to her husband. “Hello, honey,” he said, and gave her a slight kiss. “You seem nervous, what’s it?” he asked.

“Oh, well, it’s all so new for me. I don’t know if I’m doing well,” she explained.

“You are great, don’t worry,” Anton assured, taking her hands in his. “Where are the children?” he asked.

“I told them to- ah, there they are,” she said when the four returned.

“Father!” Nina and Jan exclaimed, running to Anton. They weren’t used to have their Father over for lunch.

“Hello, pests. How was school?”

Louisa noticed Dani and Ellie were uneasy, not knowing what to do. She went over to them and took their hands. “Come on, girls,” she called.

“This is your uncle Anton,” Louisa introduced.

“Hello, Dani, you finally come. Welcome!” he smiled, putting Nina back on the ground.

[Buzzer]

As the adults talked, Dani tuned them out. She was looking down at the little girls. Ellie had pulled away from Dani and was showing her cousin the doll. She was pulled out of her gaze by a sudden movement from Jan, getting his bag and Sister Anne's attention, who started talk anout his studies with him. She finally left after talking to the girls briefly and Jan admitted to her giving him the creeps. Dani agreeded whole-heartedly.
Louisa said, “Oh, come on, she is not that bad. Let’s get going. Grandpma and Grandpa must be waiting us for lunch.

They returned to the lodge, and Dani kept Ellie next to her the whole time. When they entered the lodge, they were assulated by delicious smells.
"Hum, I wonder what we’ll have for lunch today,” Jan said, and Dani wondered as well. Louisa ordered that they go upstairs to wash up. The four children trooped upstairs and washed up and they waited for each other and went into the kitchen together. Dani saw two strange men there and her stomach gave a squirm. She could deal with boys, but not men. Nina and Jan ran to their father, and he picked Nina up.
“Hello, pests. How was school?”
Aunt Louisa came over and took their hands in hers. "Come on, girls" She said. "This is your uncle Anton."
“Hello, Dani, you finally come. Welcome!” he smiled at her, returning his little girl to the ground. Dani didn't say anything and backed up into the main room. Ellie followed her, and paused when she caught sight of the TV. "DANI," she yelled, "DANI, IT'S DA!" Dani froze and turned towards the entrance. Empty. She frowned, and looked around and saw the TV.

It said

"Breaking News: Jailbreak"
And there were six mugshots. One of them was their father. They had to go. He knew they would end up here. They had to run. "Ellie, we have to run. Now." she said urgently.

[Liesl]

"What's all the noise about?" a voice spoke out.
the girls jumped a bit frightened. Ellie knew who it was but Dani had no idea.
"You must be Danielle, I'm glad you're here now." Dominic stepped toward Danielle and gave her a little welcome hug. He had been in the room sweeping the floor when the girls came in.
"I hope you'll enjoy you're stay here. It's really nice, you'll get used to it." Dom had been knealing so to be at their height, like Liesl would often do. He stood up.
"Now what's the problem?" He meant on the TV.

[Buzzer]

Dani squirmed away as soon as he let her go. Ellie said "It's our Da. He's gotten out of jail."
Dani nodded "And he's gonna come and find us so we gotta run."

[Liesl]

Dominic knealed down again. He could see the worry in their eyes. He layed his hands on both of their shoulders and they turned towards him. "Listen, as long as you're here noone can get at you. you're completely safe. Your dad would have to go through the whole family including me to get to you two." He lowered his soft voice to an even softer whisper "I'm not going to let anything happen to you two. I promise."

He stood back up again. He felt old when he had younger children to take care of. He knew they wouldn't believe him, but atleast he told them the truth. There was no way their father could get to them.

"You might want to tell Aunt Louisa or someone, just so they know and so they can inform the police he might be looking for you two."
He felt real smart, it made him feel really good.
Dom continued his sweeping.

[Buzzer]

Dani was trying to think of the best way to get out of town and to tell them, when Ellie yelled at the top of her lungs "AUNTIE LIESL! WE'RE RUNNING AWAY!" and went to get her coat.

[Liesl]

Liesl practically ran when she heard that.
"You're what?" she asked.
She saw Danielle heading up the stairs to get her things.
"Danielle, you're not running away. That won't solve anything. You're safe here. Outhere, he might find you. Maybe you don't understand, but you have to trust all of us, the reason you came he is because we love you both and we want you to be safe. You can't run away, that wouldn't be helping any. You're staying here."

Liesl met her halfway up the steps, she was somewhat out of breath from running to her in the first place. Ellie was watching close by.
Liesl outstreched her hand to her. "Now please, the food is ready, I think you'll like it."
She decided to take a few steps closer to her while Ellie remained silent. "You have to just trust us, we would never hurt you. We're all here for you and your sister."

Liesl's hand was still cold out in the air waiting for young Danielle to accept it. Dominic stopped sweeping and it seemed like everyone was watching the whole thing.

[Buzzer]

"No. Don't you understand? He knows where we are! He's been here before! So he'll come and hurt us!" She cried in a shrill voice. In a softer voice, she said "I won't let him hurt Ellie. T'ain't so bad when it's me, I'm older and I can handle it, but Ellie...at least he won't..." she stopped talking suddenly. She couldnt tell about THAT.

[Aline]

“Oh, these girls will be dificult to deal with, specially the oldest,” Anton said when Dani didn’t anwser him and went back to the main room.

“That’s why I’m worried, Anton,” Louisa explained. “I’ve been doing my best to make her see she can trust us, and that she is safe here, but she is so frightened.”

“We have to be patient, Louisa,” Anton tried to soothe her.

“I suppose so,” Louisa said before Dani’s scared voice echoed in the room. “Oh, my God,” she exclaimed nervously. “What is that, now?”

“Let me go see-” Anton started, but Louisa didn’t let him finish.

“No, Darling, please, I’ll do that. Take the children away from here now,” she demanded.

Anton called Jan and Nina and left with them to the garden, so they wouldn’t have to witness whatever was going on inside.

Louisa hurried to search for the girls, and found them halfway up the steps, talking with Liesl. Or better, with Liesl trying to calm Danielle down. At first Louisa said nothing, she only took Ellie and pulled her closer, in a motioned for him to get closer too. The boy obbeyed. She would wait to see what was going on and be there to help Liesl if necessary. Louisa could see Danielle was very nervous.

[Liesl]

"Don't you see Danielle?" Dominic stepped forward and broke the silence that followed Danielle's words. "We're trying to help you and keep you safe. If you're not going to try to cooperate, then you won't be safe." He opened his mouth to say more but his mother's stare made him stop.

"Dom's right Danielle, you really have to trust us. Why would you think we'd let something happen to you?"

While Liesl spoke, she sort of signaled to Dominic to go into the kitchen, he didn't know why.
Liesl wanted him to call the police. Hopefully they could keep an eye out if Dani and Ellie's dad was around.

Dom still didn't understand what his mother wanted him to do. So he just went to the kitchen and stood around.

"Hello, Police?" it was Dom's father, Andrew on the phone.
"Oh Father! I-" Andrew put up his hand so Dom would stop so he could better hear the policeman.

Dominic went back out into the hallway to see if his mother or anyone had gotten anywhere with Danielle.
She seemed very stubborn to him.
Dominic walked over to his aunt Louisa and whispered "my father telephoned the police, Aunt Louisa."

[Buzzer]

"We have to go. He killed before and he'll kill again, but you won't get hurt if we ain't here." She tried to explain. How could she tell them how dangerous he was?

She took a deep breath, sighed and shrugged. "Fine, we'll stay. But don't say I didn't warn ya."

[Liesl]

Liesl sighed with relief, as did everyone else. She gave a smile toward Danielle. She knew that the girl understood that they wouldn't let anything happen to her.
Liesl walked up the rest of the stairs and knealed down to her. "Don't worry. Now, how about we go eat, I bet you're hungry." Liesl walked Danielle down the steps. "Let me see how the food's doing." she went into the kitchen.
"Good choice Dani" Dominic said. "I won't let anyone touch you guys" he repeated once more, while flexing his muscles which made Ellie laugh, seeing as Dom had no real muscles.
"I mean it, we'll take care of you. Right Aunt Louisa?" She nodded.

[Buzzer]

Dani didn't say anything, but went to the table and lifted Ellie into a seat. She looked out the window and saw a police car. She ran out the door and over to the cruiser. The police officer was on the ground, bleeding.

Before she could comprehend, she was grabbed from behind by her father. She screamed bloody murder, but he clamped a hand over her mouth and threw her into the car and got in and drove out of sight. She started crying quietly.

"What's the matter now? I'd think you'd be used to this by now." He asked with a sigh. She didn't answer him and he pulled over into a valley and showed her a knife.
"You don't do what I say, you die, then your sister dies and everyone else in that house, understand me?" She nodded.

He opened the door and took her into the valley, where he raped her. When he was finished, he held the knife to her, and said in an over-friendly voice, "I'll give ye a head start. Go." She took off, ignoring the pain and ran to the car and pulled the door opened and slammed it shut behind her. She could hear him coming. She hit the locks and he tried to open the door. He banged at the windows, going around the car, and Dani sobbed and tried to get out of his view. Her foot hit the gas and it hit him, ran right over his body and kept going. She drove to the police station that was right down the road and went into it. A half-hour later, she was calling the lodge.

[Aline]

As soon as Dani’s Father grabbed her, the desperate policeman tried to stood up. Anton had seen him, but when he was approaching the man to help him out, he saw Desmond getting Dani from behind her back. Anton halted on his track, turned and came back to behind the house, where he had hidden Nina and Jan. Knowing there was nothing he could do to help Dani then, he only waited for the car to drive away and left the hiding.

“Jan, pay attention, go back to the house through the back door and stay with your Mother. Take Nina, and please, hurry,” Anton had told to his son. He watched Jan and Nina enter the house and headed to where the policeman was.

“Good afternoon, Sir. I’m Anton Gedeck, Danielle’s uncle,” Anton introduced himself to the policeman. He was bleeding, but didn’t seem very bad. “Let me help you go inside.”

“Thank you, Mr. Gedeck. I’m Officer Thomas Crown,” the man said, accepting the hand Anton had stretched out.

Anton led him inside, where Louisa, Andrew and Georg waited anxiously. They had seen Dani rush off the house, and she hadn’t returned. And there had been that noise made by the car’s door being slammed. Liesl and Maria were with the children, keeping them away of the situation.

“Anton, what happened?” Louisa ran to him when he entered with the policeman.

Georg got someone in the Lodge to clean off the blood and put a bandage around the bruise on Officer Crown’s leg. The policeman explained them all the situation, how he had been surrended by Desmond on his way to the Lodge. He was going there due to Andrew’s call, but then that horrible man appeared. Officer Crown also told him how he had gotten Dani and pulled her into the car. Everyone listened to him with crescent worry and despair. He had just finished telling the facts when the phone rang.

“I’ll get it,” Louisa managed to say.

“Are you sure, darling? Let me do it,” Anton offered.

“No,” she said shortly, and got up from the couch. She picked up the phone. “Hello?”