Reforming Little Anya (11 page)

Then she saw something that truly made her smile: money. Viktor had some coins and bills on his dresser, and Jessica took them. After that, she got her work clothes on (there was no way she was escaping in her stupid girlie-girl outfit) and made her way downstairs. Moving through the kitchen, she very surreptitiously poured the little concoctions she’d prepared into the milk jug. It was nothing special, just something she’d learned about in chemistry class. She’d used the same stuff at an office Christmas party to great effect; a dozen people had gotten sick, and she’d laughed all the way home. Right now, she offered to help with dinner.

“You not want to go play with other little girls?” the assistant cook said.

“Oh, no, it’s important I help out,” she replied with a smile.

They bought it, and she started snapping green beans, and waited. Finally came the cry of disgust she was waiting for.

“Ugh, the milk’s gone sour!” said the cook.

Like everyone else present, she made a big show of being surprised.

“This is strange, it’s supposed to be fresh,” the third cook said.

“What are we going to do?” the second cook said. “We can’t get to the market before dinner.”

“I’ll go,” Jessica chirped happily. “I’ll just run down and get us a fresh liter or two.”

The cook chewed her lip. “Well… I don’t know.”

“Oh, please, please let me do this for the girls! I want so much to be helpful, to make up for the trouble I’ve been,” she said, batting her eyes.

“Well… all right, I’ll give you a note, but you get back as quick as you can.”

The cook turned to the counter, wrote a quick permission slip, signed it, and handed it to Jessica. Her smile went ear to ear.

Yes, things are going precisely according to plan!

“Oh, I’ll be back before you know it,” she said happily.

Yeah, back with the bulldozers to build a huge resort in this Podunk town.

She took off out the gate and headed toward the market. Once out of sight, she slipped down a side street, and headed for the train station. While she didn’t have a watch, she could see the tower of city hall, and it had a clock in it. She had just enough time to get to the train station, buy a ticket, and get on the last train to Prague. Jessica loved it when a plan came together.

The one fly in the ointment was getting stopped by various people along the way. They recognized her clothes as being from the home, and her face as the ‘little Russian girl.’ So she had to show them her note to be able to pass. She chewed her lip as she raced along; all these hassles were really slowing her down. If she didn’t hurry, she was going to miss the train. She hadn’t allowed for so many delays. As she made the final turn to get to the station, she heard the clock chime; the train would be leaving any minute! Turning on the speed, she bolted down the road, and plowed right into someone. She didn’t give a damn who it was.

“Ack, who is…? Ah, it is Anya, yes?” the tall man said. “What you doing here?”

“I’m in a hurry, jerk, get out of my way,” she shouted, and slipped past him.

“Hey, wait,” he called out.

A moment later, she scampered up the wide stone steps of the station, raced inside, and dashed up to the ticket counter. She was out of breath, but elated. She’d made it; the train was still in the station.

She banged on the counter. “Hey, hey in there, I want a ticket to Prague! Come on, where’s the ticket—ulp!”

Her jaw dropped as she saw who was coming in. It was the guy from outside.

“Anya, what you doing here, why want ticket to Prague?”

Crap, this was
so
not good. Think fast, Jessica, think fast.

“Ahhh, Miss Palicka is going there tomorrow, and she wanted me to pick up her ticket.”

His brow wrinkled. “She did? Why not come herself?”

“Oh, she’s very busy. She’s working on some letters to try to raise money for the home.”

“Ack, ya, I know she working on that. Ya, I get ticket.”

Jessica beamed with joy. Yes, it was working. She rooted around in her pocket and pulled out her money. “Great, I’ve got the money right—”

He waved her off, as he prepared the ticket. “Oh, no charge, Anya, I glad to help.”

Jessica hung her head, sighed, and slapped her forehead. Why hadn’t she thought of that before? She could have been out of here a week ago. Oh, well, she mustn’t waste time looking back, she was moments from escaping. Besides, the money would be useful once she reached Prague; she’d need it for a taxi to the embassy. She stood there, trembling with excitement, and then jumped in shock and surprise; the train whistle sounded!

“Ah, sir, could you please hurry?” she squealed.

“What rush, Anya? Misha can go anytime,” he said, even as the ticket printed out.

She leaned forward, snatched the paper from his hand, and bolted for the platform. “Yeah, but I can’t!”

Racing through the old-fashioned turnstile, Jessica raced onto the platform. The train was already moving. It eased forward and slowly began to speed up. Jessica grabbed at the door to the nearest car. It was locked. She banged on the glass frantically.

“Open up, open the door, I want in,” she shouted.

The train sped up. Jessica hung on to the door handle, even as she tried to keep up. She was able to do that, for a while, beating furiously on the door. Then she lost her footing, tumbled to the ground, and darkness engulfed her.

Chapter Eight

Jessica slowly opened her eyes and brought her hand up to her head. It took a moment for her to get oriented, but she finally figured out where she was, and she groaned in despair. It was her room back at the ‘prison.’

Damn, I’m not going to get away today.

“Well, Anya, seems you’ve had quite a day,” Viktor said.

Jessica cringed and turned her head. Yeah, there was old Mr. Monster, sitting right next to her bed. He didn’t have a hairbrush in his hand. She wondered what new implement of torture he was planning to use on her. Slowly, she sat up. Fortunately, she had planned for this contingency, so she had a good chance of saving her ass—literally.

“Ahhh, hello, sir. Ah, I guess I have a lot of explaining to do, don’t I?”

Viktor crossed his massive arms over his equally powerful chest. “Yes, you do. Please proceed.”

“Well, it’s like this, sir,” Jessica started, pulling a map to the city’s cemetery out of her pocket. “I just wanted to go to the cemetery to pay my respects to my parents, but I got lost.”

“And ended up at the train station?”

She sat up, and saw the head cook and a couple of the girls, Iva among them, standing at the door. They looked both relieved and worried.

“Yeah, go figure.”

“And this ticket?” Viktor said, holding it up.

Crap! Think, Jessica, think, there has to be a plausible reason for you having it.

“Ah…”

Brilliant, you moron.

“And why did you try to get on the train?”

“Ahhh, I thought I saw someone on it.”

Viktor frowned. “Not your
father
again, I trust.”

“No! I thought it was one of the other girls,” she said quickly.

“Ah-huh. Again I ask: Why did you buy this ticket?”

“Well, I was hoping that someday I could travel back to Prague, and since I happened to find myself at the station, I thought I’d buy the ticket while I had the chance. After all, sir, I’m not allowed out in the village all that often.”

“Ah-huh. Come with me, Anya, we’re going outside,” he said, getting to his feet.

Jessica chewed her lip. Why did he want to go outside? She figured she should obey. After all, to refuse would only get her in more trouble. She got to her feet and followed along, hopeful that the elaborate scheme she’d set up would save her ass. As they moved down the hall, Jessica heard whispers among the girls. Several times she heard the term ‘The Box’ and wondered what it meant. She swallowed hard. Somehow, she had a feeling it was not good.

Once outside, they headed to a small shed, and Jessica noticed that the cooks were right at their heels.

Oh, this is
so
not good!

* * *

Viktor was trying to be patient with Jessica. In the short time that she’d been with them, he’d found himself developing real feelings for her. He felt like a mentor, an uncle, perhaps even a father figure for her. And he’d also seen some real progress in her. However, her acts today, they were a major setback. It was clear this young woman was still void of morals and a conscience. Stopping at the door to the shed, he pointed inside.

“Misha will deal with you, young lady,” he said.

* * *

‘Deal’ with me? Oh, yeah, so very not good.

Jessica hesitated, and the cooks swooped in to take her by the arms. In an instant, they were through the doorway, and the door slammed behind them. Jessica gasped. There was a box sitting dead center in the room, and it had restraints. Standing next to it, holding a stout cane, was Misha.

Jessica swallowed hard, struggling in their grip. “No, wait, you can’t do this! I didn’t do anything wrong. I mean, I didn’t do anything bad on purpose.”

They were unimpressed. The cooks were easily able to bend her over the box and strap her down. Jessica heaved and bucked, and then shuddered as Misha moved into position. She felt the tap, tap, tap of the cane to her jeans-clad bottom, and her teeth chattered in anticipation of pain.

“Anya, I want you to know, I take no pleasure whatsoever in doing this, but it must be done. This punishment is reserved for only the most severe of crimes, and we’ve not had to do it to one of our little girls in… well, four months. But not only have you lied and deceived, but you’ve also committed theft, and that is a crime we simply cannot forgive. Stealing is wrong, little girl, and it’s high time you learn that.”

“It’s not true, it’s not true, I didn’t steal anything. I paid for the ticket,” she complained.

“With what money?”

“The money I earned! You remember, you got me the jobs in town, and I did them perfectly. I didn’t get one single complaint from anyone, did I? So, I did not steal!”

Crack!
Misha brought the cane down with a firm swing. Jessica gasped.

Good God, that pain is worse than anything I’ve ever known.
It took a second for her mind to process it, and then she howled.

“That was another lie, Anya. So, you’ve earned yourself another punishment,” Misha said.

Jessica strained to look, and saw the cook move to a small laundry sink in the corner. She started to soap up a washcloth, and Jessica groaned, knowing what was coming. Opening her mouth to protest, Jessica froze, and a thought came to her.

“How… how do you know I’m lying?”

Misha moved close to her head, and bent down. In her outstretched hand, Jessica saw something. It took her a moment to focus on it and figure out what it was: a U.S. dime. Where had that come from?

“This coin, it’s very special to Viktor, it has his year of birth on it, and a cross on the back,” she said, and flipped it over. “So, he recognized it.”

“It was among his other coins, wasn’t it?” Jessica said softly.

Misha nodded. “Yes, which are all gone, and which means you stole all of them. You have committed the worst crime any little girl in our care can, Anya; you have destroyed our trust in you.”

She moved once more into position, and Jessica heaved a sigh, and then gagged as the soapy cloth was shoved in her mouth.

Ack, what a horrid taste.

Before she could even try to think of something to say, the cane fell again. She bit down on the cloth, water and soap spewed forth, and then the next stroke landed. Stars danced before her eyes, as she felt as if a rod of hot steel had been struck across her. Struggling was pointless, and yet she did it. She figured, later, when she could actually think, that it was due to pure instinct. Her mind and body were desperate to escape the punishment she so richly deserved. Yet, it was all pointless; she stayed right there until Misha had given her a full two dozen strokes. The first was for the theft, the second for the lie.

Finally, as the tears flowed freely down her cheeks, she was released and allowed to stand before Misha. At this point, rubbing was out of the question. Besides, it was also forbidden, as was removing the cloth, and there was no way she was going to dare defy Madam Ogre now.

“I have never been so severe with anyone, Anya, and I truly hope I never have to do this to you again. However, know this, if we catch you in another lie, you will get a mouth-washing and a spanking every night for a week! Is that understood?”

Jessica positively shook with dread at her words, and immediately nodded. Only then was she allowed to remove the gag and rinse her mouth. After that, Misha helped Jessica back to her room and let her lie down.

Lying there, barely able to touch her stinging seat, she took stock of her situation and her life. She had hurt these people, and after all they’d done to try to help her. Jessica’s conscience was growing stronger. However, it was still inferior to the monster that squatted at the pinnacle of her soul. For one thing, she had yet another reason to despise these people. While Misha had been caning her, Viktor was in his room doing up a new ‘Wanted’ poster. This one, Jessica later learned, now informed the townsfolk that Anya was to be brought home if she was caught walking the streets unaccompanied. No note would save her from being detained and returned from now on.

Rising up on her elbows, she ground her teeth.
No, they’re not helping me, they’re unfeeling ogres, through and through. Revenge is what I want, and I shall have it!

A gentle rap at her door broke her out of her pity party, and Jessica turned slightly. It was Misha, and she was carrying a bowl of soup.

“You missed dinner, Anya, and I thought you might be feeling hungry.”

“Oh. Ahhh, yes, thank you,” she mumbled, and started to rise.