Natalie's Story

After the last passenger exited the van, the officer finally unlocked Natalie's handcuffs and returned to the vehicle. It felt nice to finally be able to move about freely again. Unsure of what to do next, Natalie looked around and noticed the boy with the over-sized goggles knocking at the door. Almost immediately, a woman answered the door and introduced herself as Miss Love, and Natalie decided right away she didn't really like this Miss Love character. She was too sweet, and quite different from the low-life street thugs she was used to. Slipping the hood back over her head, Natalie concluded that she would try to steer clear of this woman and took a few quiet steps back from the doorway.

Noticing the small, gothic girl returning startled Natalie, causing her to return to her defensive, crouched position. Her heart beat fast and her breath quickened, expecting the worst, as the girl crouched down beside her. However, to Natalie's surprise, the girl simply began humming a gentle melody before introducing herself as Lyne. Natalie was not used to this kind of gentle and caring treatment and was rather unsure what to make of it altogether. Her brother, Carmen, especially intimidated Natalie, with his large body and loud, baritone voice, but, instead of hurting her like she was used to, simply extended his hand in front of her.

Despite the fact that the two seemed to be completely safe, Natalie was incredibly nervous, and, after a few moments siting paralyzed, staring at Carmen's hand, she darted off quickly, diving behind a nearby bush and crouching down. She, in all honesty, kind of wanted to take Carmen's hand and go along with them, but she was far too distrusting of people to actually do something like that. Nevertheless, Natalie was rather intrigued by these two characters and decided to follow them and learn a bit more about them...from a safe distance of course.

Besides, she would rather liked to hear that soothing melody of Lyne's again...

Despite her notable timidness, Natalie really did want to become friends with Lyne and Carmen. They were so nice, something Natalie was not at all accustomed to. The gang members she had grown up with cared nothing for her, using her purely as a machine, an instrument to commit the crimes they were not willing to do themselves. At best, they simply wouldn't abuse her, ignoring her completely. At worst... Natalie didn't want to think about that right now.

Her mind turned to meeting back up with Lynne and Carmen. However, Miss Love was still standing at the door as Lyne and Carmen passed, and Natalie really did not want to risk making contact with that woman. After a few moments consideration, Natalie decided to stay in the bushes for a while. She could always find Lyne and Carmen later. Besides, Miss Love wouldn't notice one missing teen hiding outside... or would she?

Murdoc chuckled; he didn’t see any point in being here because he liked himself the way he was. Oh yeah, except for his smoking. Murdoc reached for the packet of smokes in his pocket and pulled it out. He opened it and clenched a cigarette between his lips.
Next he pulled his zippo out and swiftly lit the cigarette. Murdoc took a puff, his first one since yesterday. His back was turned to the other newcomers and Miss Love.
He took another puff and squinted at the moving bush.
Murdoc looked around; no one was really paying attention, so he started walking towards the rustling leaves of the bush. He bent slightly as he tried to see what was going on.
Murdoc was slightly startled when he saw the girl hiding there. He didn’t expect to find a person.
Murdoc raised his eyebrows and smiled crookedly. With the smile still on his face he raised his finger too his lips.
He gestured that he would not reveal her hiding spot by pretending to zip his lips. Murdoc disposed of the cigarette and turned his back on Natalie.
He had to go in and face Miss Love sometime.
He doubted her innocence and her pretentious ways, as he doubted everyone. Murdoc stuffed his hands into his pockets and stopped a few good feet away from everyone.
Murdoc turned his head to look at Natalie again. He smiled, he liked her tattoos.

Othello noticed the girl with tattoos rustle in her hiding place. She sighed. Great, another escape artist. She pulled her desert eagle out of the holster and pointed it where Natalie was hiding.

"Child, if you know what's good for you, get inside and introduce yourself. NOW. Don't keep Miss Love waiting."

She cocked the gun and waited. She had no qualms about killing this kid. However, if she had to, it meant more paperwork. But she didn't let that stop her fun. She loved to scare the piss out of new recruits.

The last teen passed by Natalie, smiling at her as he passed, and entered the house. Several moments passed, and Natalie began to think she had successfully avoided Miss Love for the time being. About to leave her hiding spot and look for an alternative entrance into the house, Nataie began to stand up, only to come face to face with the barrel of a desert eagle.

"Child, if you know what's good for you, get inside and introduce yourself. NOW. Don't keep Miss Love waiting."

Murdoc shot a look at the woman with the gun. Why would she want to scare someone who is already scared out of her mind and feels out of place.
He stepped into the line of fire and kept a blank expression on his face.
He didn't think that scaring her into the house would work.
"What did she do wrong?" Murdoc demanded with a slight accent. His hands were still in his pockets and his face now took on a daring expression.
He smirked. A woman with a gun, is not as scary as it is hot. Murdoc looked back at Natalie, hoping she would come out of her hiding spot.

Up until this point, Natalie had been completely out of her element. Friendly characters and warm gestures were not at all what she was used to, bringing out the timidness inside her. This however... gruff characters shouting commands, guns pointed... this she was used to. This was definitely not the first time someone had pointed a gun in her face.

She now crouched in attack position, left foot back, eyes blazing, and sharp teeth bared, as she let out a viscous growl. Unclenching her fists revealed a set of metal claws embedded in her finger tips, surgically implanted in a procedure she had been forced to undergo several years ago. They were very intimidating, though not near as dangerous as even a pocket knife, in actuality. Nevertheless, they could make a decent scratch. Half a second passed, with Natalie taking a deep, calm breath as the breeze rustled her hood and robe.

Suddenly, springing into action she leaped forward in a well practiced lunge, striking violently at the security guard with her left hand, before latching onto onto the top of the doorway, mid flight, with her right. Swinging herself inside, she wedged her body between the ceiling and the top of the door frame, holding herself there with almost animal-like strength, hoping to avoid the inevitable retaliation.

It took Murdoc a few seconds to gather his thoughts about what had just happened. Even though he was almost scared shitless by the passive girl suddenly becoming aggressive and attacking the guard, he hid his true emotions and kept his face in an expression that suggested that he was amused.
Murdoc looked at Othello and shrugged. He figured that she would never mess with Natalie again, whilst he would let her figth her own battles.
Not that he cared, or at least showed that he cared.
Murdoc chuckled and, against his better judgement, walked into the house after Natalie had clawed her way in. It felt cold to him here, or maybe that was just because of what he heard about this woman.

As Natalie perched above the doorway, anticipating the gunfire of the security guard, Miss Love, to her surprise, stepped in the doorway between the two of them. Feeling less threatened, Natalie dropped down to the floor, still baring her teeth and letting out a bit of a snarl.


"Did you feel threatened by Othello?" Miss Love said.

Natalie turned, realizing that she had just attracted the direct attention of Miss Love.

"She is a meanie isn't she? You need to watch out for her. Her fuse is short and she wouldn't hesitate to shoot."

Crouching, Natalie began to back away cautiously before realizing that she was back against a wall.

"You will do fine here if you follow the basic rules."


Natalie stood up, hissing at this new threat, and began looking for an escape from this woman. Noticing an open doorway into another room in the house, Natalie was about to make a quick sprint when she was caught in a hug by Miss Love.

"Everything is fine now."

That seemed like quite a lie. For one, she was being hugged by the very woman she was trying to avoid. Struggling, Natalie quickly broke loose of the woman's grip and darted frantically through the door into the next room as miss love began rambling to the group something about rules and such.

Seeing the wild girl run in Lyne walked over, "Hey its ok." She said softly her voice never rising, she had been walking outside because from her perch by a window she had seen the guard pull a gun. "Carmen." she said looking at her brother through her thick bangs, he knew that tone and stood protectivly at the wild girls side, "Little one, we will keep you safe. I know our kindness is new but dont be frightned." his voice was low and at his angle looking down at her Natalie would be able to see truth in her viberant and emotional eyes. Lyne had started humming agian, her and Carmen had hidden in the next room so Miss. Love wouldnt bother them, they didnt feel safe and Lyne was already planning an escape but unlike previous trys here hers would work, her plans always worked but looking at the beautiful tattooed face of the wild girl she decided to stay until she could communicate better then she would include her on the escape and she told Carmen that she rapidly spoken ASL. He nodded but stayed close to the frieghtened girl but neither twin tried to touch her, and both just hummed, they had said what needed to be siad and now they waited for what ever would happen next.

Clambering into the room, still in panic mode, Natalie was surprised to run into Lyne and Carmen. Seeing that no-one had followed her, Natalie leaped onto a nearby couch, sitting, trembling, her legs pulled against her chest. The couch felt nice, its cushions helping to relax her tensed muscles and its soft fabric gentle on her cold, bare feet. Lyne's presence made her feel safe for some reason. Nevertheless, as Lyne approached, Natalie let out an involuntary hiss in her direction.

"Hey its ok." Lyne said softly.

Natalie immediately regretted hissing at Lyne and looked down at her knees. They stuck out slightly from beneath the bottom of the robe the police had given her to wear. The robe was thick and black, scratchy and cumbersome. Natalie had so much wanted to take it off, but the police forced her to put it on, apparently not wanting to escort a naked girl around. Natalie preferred not wearing clothes, or more so had become accustomed to it over the years. The gang members who controlled her never let her wear anything, and by this point clothes just felt like a hassle to her as well. Still, she decided to leave the robe on for the time being as she was unsure of how the twins might react to her taking it off. She had never been around anyone other than street thugs her entire life and was still trying to adjust to how to interact with other members of society. She looked up noticing Carmen walking over.

"Little one, we will keep you safe. I know our kindness is new but don't be frightened." he said.

She began to relax and realized she had stopped trembling as she listened to the twins hum a pleasant melody. She wanted to talk, to tell Lyne and Carmen that she appreciated their friendship and wanted to be their friend, but she had no idea how to speak. She had never spoken a word in her life and was not entirely sure she was even capable of it. Unsure of how to communicate, she slowly reached out her hand and gently touched Lyne's arm.

Othello was about to shout at the boy who stepped into the line of fire, but then she was surprised by the animal child's attack. She was more annoyed than anything, but then again, this hasn't been the first time she's been attacked. She was inches away from pulling the trigger before Miss Love intervened.

"Are you threatened by Othello? She's a meanie, isn't she?"

Not as mean as you are when you're mad, boss. Othello smirked and holstered her weapon. If that animal girl stayed as violent as she was, she would see that Miss Love wasn't as lovely as she seemed. She'd already hedged her bets on who would die first.

Othello followed her boss into the house and leaned against the corner. One thing, however, bothered her. The boy that intervened. He reminded her of her brother. Not physically, of course. This skinny fire starter had nothing on her brother. But his sense of justice even when justice was absent- THAT was very much like Iago. She found herself staring at the boy. Murdoc, she thought his name was? The attack was completely out of her mind as she pondered this boy.

Surprised by the touch Lyne wanted to pull away, she wasnt one to be touched without being asked or saying so but she relaxed her body and smiled, Nodding she sat down next to her and continued humming. Carmen sat down on the floor infront of the girls, "Hey, so you probably want to know why we like you right?" Carmen asked Natalie saoftly, his voice barley reaching a whisper there was a look on his face that hinted at pain, "Lyne will tell you, she was consious more often then I was..." He finised she gave a quick glance at Wild girl.

"Me and Car, we lived in an run down house with our great grandma that often beat Car if he talked in an 'Loud and annoying voice' which by now even you can tell id just his normal voice. Its loud, commanding. Anyways she refused to feed us except when she caught neighbors cats or dogs then she would release them in our room, by that point both me and Car would be weeks without food with barley any water... When we were twelve I made a plan to escape, it worked and lets just say she wont be coming back. We joined a gang, they taught us how to fight, to use guns, to kill better. Then we wanted out so we let our selfs get caught, according to my plan and sense we looked like lost teens stuck in gang life they sent us here like I had planed...We are good people trying to live good lifes and trust me, the gang was better then my grandma and this is better then the gang. The next place will be better then this... You can come with us...We can teach you to talk if you want Carmen had to teach me, I was born partially deaf and mute which is why my voice doesnt raise and why if you see somone trying to talk to me I might appear to be ignoring them... So your probably wanting to know why we told you this but I want to be your friend" Carmen nodded in agreement, "So you needed to know about us and I hope somday you will be able to tell us about you...If you want to..." She added quickly before smiling a sad smile.

"...and I hope someday you will be able to tell us about you...If you want to..."

Natalie shuddered at the thought. She didn't even like to think about a lot of the stuff that had happened to her, let alone talk about it. She had begun to calm down, but thoughts of her past brought a bit of trembling back into her body. However, hearing the twin's story made Natalie feel more comfortable. She felt a closeness to these two that she hadn't felt towards anyone...anyone...since...

Natalie's attention turned back to the other room. Miss Love and Othello were still in there and Natalie really didn't want to chance a second encounter with either of those two. Leaping to her feet, Natalie scurried off on all fours deeper into the house to locate a better hiding place to set up for the night. Natalie did not like sleeping where people knew where she was. It felt too dangerous, and she would much prefer to find a secretive niche to spend the night over one of the bedrooms she would undoubtedly be assigned.

After a few minutes of exploring a few sections of the house, she stumbled upon a quaint looking closet in the back of a bathroom. Inside was a few typical things; plunger, cleaning supplies, a few towels, and some rubber gloves. In the back was a sizable, empty cardboard box, a bit corroded from possible years of sitting in the back of a damp, bathroom closet, and just large enough for Natalie to slip inside. The box was small but comfortable, or at least it felt like something Natalie was used to. Stripping off her robe, she flattened it on along the bottom of the box, making a somewhat comfortable, makeshift bed. It felt nice to finally be free of that robe at last, now wearing only her intricately tattooed skin.

Sitting in the quiet, inky blackness, Natalie began to reflect on the conversation she had had with the twins. Had they really had a similar upbringing as her? Were they really planning an escape? Could she even really trust them? Natalie began to wonder and kind of wished she hadn't ran out on the twins quite so soon. Calming down from the emotional trauma of the day, a restfulness came over her and, despite the fact that it wasn't even close to nighttime, she drifted off into a sort of pleasant nap.

Murdoc crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against a wall. He was on the far end of the first room that they walked into. Miss Love and Othello were on the other side, trying to make Natalie feel comfortable.
If he got a hug right now, he wouldn’t be comfortable at all.
Murdoc actually wished he could be alone and in silence for a moment. He blocked out the part where Miss Love announced the rules, but his mind snapped back to consciousness as Natalie’s bare feet thudded past him and into the next room. He was thinking of going there himself, the twins had been hiding there, but obviously he wouldn’t reveal anyone’s hiding places.

If you grant people their privacy, they might grant you your own.

Murdoc looked up and straight into the stare of Othello. For a moment he felt extremely uncomfortable and shifted around.
Murdoc clenched his teeth and hoped that Othello’s stare didn’t mean that he would be her next victim. His gaze shifted to the room and his surroundings. He hoped he would be assigned to a room soon.
Murdoc pushed himself away from the wall to inspect the room further. If he was going to be here for as long as it seemed, he needed to familiarize himself with his cold surroundings.
When he turned again, Othello was still eyeing him. In response to that, Murdoc eyed her from head to toe and back again with a ‘what are you looking at?’ expression in his eyes.
He didn’t want his expression to seem rude, not at all – just curious. He wasn’t really fond of having a gun in his face.

Othello noticed that Murdoc's expression had changed. It looked slightly disturbed and quizzical. She immediately broke the stare at that point, not realizing how long she'd been staring. Still, she chuckled slightly, relishing the thought of having scared him a bit. It was crazy, he couldn't be a thing like her brother.

Othello finally took notice that Natalie was gone again. Damn animal child. She didn't look forward to busting her humps to find her, only to get attacked again. She decided to take this problem to her boss.

"Miss Love, the animal girl is hiding again. What do you suggest we do? We don't want her escaping."