I leave the children to have an extra hour of sleep while I take a shower in the bathroom. It's a shared bathroom and usually there are others here, but I'm glad for the silence. I wrap a towel around my body, tightening it at my chest as I wave my hand across the steamy mirror. I look into my eyes, memorizing the bright blue arises. For this might be the last time I ever will. My hair, though wet, is still as black as when it's dry. I am of Spanish descent, so my skin is olive, it's been a long time since I've seen it darker. I look at my reflection and I wonder who or what I even am. The creatures look at me and see food, something that can satisfy them for a few weeks, but I have to be more than that. Don't I? Don't we all? I back away from the mirror and I leave the bathroom. I head to the bedroom quarters to get dressed. Should I pack a bag? Do the creatures care about our items or possessions once we're bought? Will the creature make me live out the last weeks of my life naked? I pack a bag anyway and I leave it under my bed.

Facing the children today is not an easy task. They test me as they tiredly refuse to get ready. Jackson just sits quietly at the end of his bed, waiting for the others to accede to my orders.

"I don't want to wear that shirt!" Angelica groans, throwing the shirt back at me. "It's ugly."

"Pick another one then," I say. "Hurry up, the others will already be at breakfast."

The children wait in a line at the door as Angelica roots through her small drawers, humming to herself. She finally picks one she likes and places it over her head.

"Remember, the visitors will want to touch you, sometimes multiple times," I say. "Don't question them and don't talk back to them, don't say anything unless they ask you something."

"Like what?" Jackson says. "What do you taste like?"

"I don't like them touching me," Sam says fearfully. "They grip my wrist really hard."

"It'll be over soon," I assure him, all of them. "Just don't show them fear."

"Why not?"

I charge towards the door and open it. "Because they like that."

I take the children to breakfast and we eat some fruit and cereal. They're quiet, just like last night. I decide instead of going to our painting class that I'll use my last few hours with them to take them for a walk around the grounds. Maybe it'll cheer them up.

The grounds are filled with the laughter of the other children. They run freely out here, chasing each other and playing tagging games. The creatures are out here also, stationed at posts for guarding. They mainly ignore us.

I watch the children play as I sit down on a bench and take a sip of water. It's a warm day, bright and cheerful. The other nannies are lounging on the grass; sunbathing. Jackson is the only one that won't join in, he walks back to me and sits beside me. I wrap my arm him and I pull him close for a hug.

"You're leaving, aren't you?" he says.

"Why would you say that?"

He shrugs, looking away sadly. He's a smart kid. He's also twelve and he turns thirteen in a few weeks. I'll be dead by the time that happens, maybe there's a chance we can be reunited somewhere, maybe our souls aren't lost or destroyed like so many humans believe. Maybe there's a place for us still.

At the thought of birthdays, I suddenly realize it's my birthday today. I am twenty. Officially no longer a teenager or a girl. I think back to the last birthday I had, when I turned twelve. When I sat at the kitchen counter and blew out my birthday candles as my beaming parents took pictures. That's a lifetime ago now.

"I will never be gone," I say. "I'll always be here, one way or another."

"I don't want you to go like Tyler," he says softly, his voice changing into a cry. "I don't want you to die."

"I wish I could stay," I whisper. "I wish there was a way that we all could. But we can't stop this."

"Then how do we live with it?"

"I don't know," I say honestly. I pull him closer against me. "By being there for each other."

The door to the mansion opens and I separate myself from Jackson as the creatures begin pouring out into the grounds. The visitors are being shown their food sources and they begin scattering around the field, picking some children out with their fingers. The children go willingly to them, but I exchange a look with the other nannies who are now standing to their feet, holding in their cries. They mainly pick out the older looking children, waiting years for their food to come of age is a test of patience that many of the creatures don't have. It depends how much they like them.

One creature, a female with auburn hair, notices us and walks over slowly. I rise to my feet immediately, practically pulling Jackson with me.

"Hello, little one," she says, crouching down to her knees. "What is your name?"

"Jackson," he replies.

"Take my hand."

I don't want to watch it but I can't look away. I have to make sure he's safe. He extends his hand to hers; she doesn't yank him closer like most of them do, she holds it gently, her eyes changing from red to a blood orange. I hate having to watch this, I hate everything about it. She doesn't look at him to see the Jackson that I see, the child that I love, she looks at him and fantasies about the way his soul will taste. She returns her hand, the hunger dominant in her gaze.

"How old are you?"

Jackson glances up at me fearfully and I answer for him. "He's ten."

The creature becomes displeased and scowls as she stands to her feet. "Shame." She scans her eyes over some of the other boys and walks towards them.

I gasp and pull Jackson close to me again. His entire body is trembling. "Thank you," he says.

"Always say you're ten," I say. "Most of them will move on because they won't wait three years."

"I will," he promises.

"And you never know, they might keep you here. Thirteen doesn't have to be the end."

I check the watch on my wrist and I sigh. It's half one. I only have a couple more hours until I have to leave. I sit back down on the bench, keeping Jackson close to me. He might be safe, but there's dozens of children being paralyzed right now and violated.

"Aurora," he says.

"Yes?"

"If I killed myself, could they still take my soul?"

My nose twitches at his question. I glare down at him angrily. "Don't talk about such things, Jackson."

"But could they?"

"No," I whisper. "The host has to be alive."

He nods to himself and looks away. The most heart-breaking thing is that I can't tell him not to do it, or think about it, because a part of me actually hopes that he will. Thinking about his death devastates me, but his soul? If that's the only way to protect it then I will accept his choice, and I know how smart he will be to pull it off. I wonder about doing it myself. Up until now I've always had to think about the children and putting their health and happiness above my own. Now I am released, there is nothing stopping me. What if it's the only way to truly be free?

The visitors take their quick leave after examining most of the merchandise. I'm surprised none of them wanted to touch me, they usually like to test the nannies. Jackson, on the other hand, was touched several times. Every time it happened, I became angrier and angrier, but I had to conceal that. It's almost four and I have to leave now. I can't say goodbye to them. I'm not strong enough.

I kiss Jackson on his forehead and we both cry as I walk away from him. I approach one of the nannies, Madeline. "Take the children to dinner for me," I say. "I have been summoned to Raven."

Madeline nods. "Of course."

I take her hand in mine and I rub it gently. "I know that we've never really gotten to know each other because of the circumstances, of it being too painful, but I wanted to thank you for being my friend."

She nods, understanding what's happening. "I'll take care of them for you. I promise."

"Goodbye," I say.

I wipe my eyes as I leave the grounds and I enter the mansion. I see Arabella first, she is walking the same way as me, but a few feet in front. I keep my distance behind her. The mansion is occupied with creatures at all times. Every room is decorated differently depending on if it's them inside of it, or us. Their rooms are plain and empty, just white walls with leather couches. Our rooms for the children are heavily colourful. Painted blue or pink, with shelves of books, tables for drawing and painting, even games rooms that they can enjoy on weekends. They care so much about the wellbeing of the children while they're here, which is one of the greatest ironies.

Arabella hears me behind her and turns halfway down the hallway. "Where are you going?"

"To the bathroom," I lie.

"You've passed three."

I bite on my lip. "I left some paperwork in the bathroom near our bedroom quarters. I am going to retrieve them."

"That was careless," she scoffs. "Enjoy this freedom while you can because when you're owned by me, you won't be walking anywhere. I've already had your cage designed, it's the smallest I've had delivered."

"Oh," I say.

"And I'm putting you right in the middle of my yard, out in the cold. So I can sunbathe while I feed." She smiles to herself in a day dream. "The others are going to be so jealous."

"Sure," I agree.

"I'll get a cage made for the boy too," she says. "Right next to you."

"The boy?"

"Raven is releasing Jackson on his birthday," Arabella says. "I'm bidding. I might be the only one too, given that not many other visitors have shown much interest."

I can't believe this. I have to act casual but my hands are shaking. This is my fault, because I warned them off by lying about his age. I thought he'd have more time; I didn't take into consideration that the guards would want to place bids too.

"I heard that the boys scream the loudest," she says, delighted by the thought. "That they cry for their nannies to help them. Well, his nanny will be right next to him." She turns and exits around the corner.

I begin backtracking, checking my watch as I run back to the door to the grounds. I open the door and I try to discreetly get Jackson's attention. He's still sitting on the bench, sadly glancing at his fingers. Finally, he looks up at me. I hold a hand to my chest as I nod, I nod slowly. He squints at me in confusion but when he sees my tears, he understands. He nods back.

I hold it in as I race through the mansion, turning corner after corner until I reach my bedroom. I scream so loud that it sends me dizzy. I fall to the floor as I cry. I can't hold these emotions in. The anger, the frustration, the absolute limit of my devastation. I've just told a twelve-year-old boy to kill himself, that's the world we live in now. I pace around the room with my hands around my head, I can't even think about my own fate when Jackson's is on the line, but I have to. The creature will come looking for me soon. Should I do it now? I look around the room, trying to find something that will work.

I pick my bag up and I calm myself enough to enter the hallway. I check both ways before scurrying left and approaching the stairwells. I take myself higher and higher until I'm on the highest left of the mansion. I push on a heavy door that leads to the roof. I walk over to one side, casting my eyes down at the innocent humans as they still enjoy their time in the garden. Then I walk over to the other side.

I keep my bag tight in my fingertips. It's the bag I had when I was twelve. It holds photographs of my parents and several journals that I kept over the years. Dying with it in my hand brings me a strong sense of comfort. I stand up on the left, keeping my gaze straight, eye-level with the beautiful sky. I step off the side of the roof, gravity yanking me down towards the concrete path that will take my life. I close my eyes, hoping the end will come quickly.

I hit something. Though it wasn't the impact I had imagined. My body still feels intact, my heart is still beating, I open them and find the piercing red staring down at me.

"Nice try," the creature says.

He is holding me in his arms, cradling me like a child. He is the creature from last night, the one that I am owned to. I hear a loud whooshing sound as his wings sprawl out from his shoulders. They are so big that they block out the sunlight. I am coated in sudden darkness, along with the paralysis from his touch. There's nothing that I can say, and nothing that I can do, as he turns me away from the view of the windows and soars us into the sky.