[b]Valentina - Haywood - Emma, O'Connor[/b]

When the older girl approached Valentina, the younger one grew afraid of what came next, and squeezed herself further into a corner, the handcuff that chained her to the corner bedpost rattling as she did so, like the chains off a rabid dog's collar. Valentina imagined that she would be beaten for what she did - no, she knew it for a fact, and the rifle stock to her face was proof to her that it was inevitable. Valentina thought she saw an evil scowl on the older girl of about 14 years of age as she came closer, but was unsure. She had great difficulty in understanding people now that she had to deal with them outside a confrontation or in brief encounters.

"You didn't tell me your name." The older girl said as she eyed Valentina's handcuffs. The moment she spoke, Valentina cringed a little, as if expecting a blow from her. Valentina thought that the older girl was thinking of ways to hurt her, and that the way she looked at her handcuffs was proof of it.

"It- I- I-" The younger girl struggled with her words, having never used them for months. She seemed on the verge of crying again, as the looming, ominous presence of the older girl was beginning to really promise one form of punishment or another for her transgressions, "I- I for...forgot my... I don't know." Valentina tried her best, but when it came to her name, her mind would not work, and much less her mouth. Then it started returning to her, all of it.

"I... M- My name is Val... Valentina." The younger girl answered the older girl's question, hoping that she would answer correctly and be spared of at least some of the punishment. Tears were beginning to flow down her cheeks again, wetting her face, on which bruises were beginning to form, "Plea-please don't..."