• Drip, drip. Water fell rhythymicly outside the open window. A storm had just passed, and the world outside was now dark and placid.
    "Close that window Allayna! The air from out there isn't safe for you to breathe!" yelled Allayna's father, Steven.
    "Don't be so cautious daddy... I'm just fine." The wind blew through her long, silky black hair, bringing out the snowy complexion of her skin. Street lights glistened off her winter-green eyes.
    "Close the window now!" Steven busted as he slammed the window shut.
    "Cool it! Look, I'm fine, do I look sick?" Allayna looks out the window longingly... "Dad," she directs, "Why can't I go outside... Is it really toxic out there? Is it as dangerous as you say it is?"
    "Allayna, the world is a terrible place. And the air out there can make you even more ill than you --"
    Allayna inturrupted, "But I'm not--"
    "You are!" Steven shouted, "You have my very own blood disease and without proper administration you could die. It was the world out there that caused us to have ts disease. Now go to sleep. We have work to do tomorrow."
    "I can't see, I can't breathe, when there is a world out thereb for me! I'm sick and tired of you holding me captive here, daddy please, set me free!" She screamed, but Steven just left the room, and payed no attention to the fuss, then locked the door behind him.
    Allayna's holocom begin's to beep. She goes over to it and presses the "recieve" button. Her mother projected upon her wall.
    "Are you alone Allayna?" asked her mom.
    "Mama!? Where have you been? Why have you gone? I'm trapped here, set me free, please." Allayna pleaed.
    "Darling I will get you out of there; I will set you free, but only if you do one simple task for me."
    "Yes mother, anything. Anything to get me out of here."
    "Then Allayna, I want you to free yourself. Kill your father and I'll be waiting for you outside. I will be there shortly... I hope to see you." The holocom disableed and her mother's image was gone.
    "Mama!? Come back! Please don't go," she cried as she fell to the floor, "I can't do this..."
    Allayna just layed on the floor for several minutes... crying and suffering... Could she kill her own father to be free; to be reunited with her beloved mother?
    Allayna picked the lock on her door and creeped quietly down the staircase. No sign of Steven. She rusheed to the parlour and grabed Steven's shotgun. She stared at it for a moment... until she was startled.
    "Allayna, what are you doing!? Put that away and go back to your room!" Steven demanded.
    "No daddy..."
    "What!? Did you just say no?"
    Allayna turns slowly, "I'm not going back to my room. I'm not going to be stuck here with you!" she points the gun at her father, "I'm going to be free!" she demanded.
    "A-Allayna..."
    "I-" Allayna droped the gun, "I can't do it..." she cried.
    "Allayna, go up to your room and think about what you almost did! Now!"
    His demands angered her. Even after having been at gunpoint, he still demands her, tells her what to do. She picked the gun back up and wiped away her tears, "I can't believe you. Even when I point a gun at you, you still tell me what to do. I'm done listening to you, and you just reminded me why I even chose to hold this gun in the first place."
    "You can't shoot me. You dont-" he stopped with the sound of the gun going off. Within moments his face met the floor.
    "I'm free, daddy. You trapped me here and treated me like a sience rat. Even in death you wear that evil scowl. I hate you daddy. I always have."
    Headlights beamed through the windows. The sillouette of Allayna's mother approached from the vehicle, then knocked upon the door. "Just a second," Allayna called out. She rushes over to open the door. "Mama, you came. I'm so happy to see you."
    "Quiet girl, I'm not here for you. I came for your father's fortune. Now stand aside." Her mother demanded.
    "M-mama... You said you'd set me free... You were going to help me."
    "And you're free, aren't you? Now, run along. Go see the world that you so long for."
    Allayna just froze. Her mother wasn't going to help her or take her in. She felt lost and more isolated and alone than ever before. With her fists clenched, she raises the shotgun once more.
    Her mother laughs, "What are you going to do, shoot me too? Then what? You'll have no family left. You will truely be alone."
    "Mama, I thought you would show me the world. No, I knew you would show me whe world. It's just like daddy always said it was. You showed me that. It's cruel, dangerous, and unfir for someone like me." Allayna closes her eyes and smiles breadly, ready to pull the trigger. "I wanted to go out and see the world, but you brought the world to me. I've seen enough."
    "Allayna, no!"
    The gun sounded. Upon the walls two shadows once stood. One now, on the ground, motionless.
    "Rest easy now. Where you now dwell is a better place. No one there will tell you what to do. No one will hurt you, Allayna..."