Curled up in the only private corner of her own mind, Rebecca could not stop thinking about Jason’s visit. She knew he meant well, but death had not improved his grasp on reality. Maybe that was unfair; how could anyone truly understand what was happening to her? Nonetheless, his failure to appreciate her circumstances still upset her.

Each day brought new violations. All she could do is watch as her body obeyed the commands of another. Her only option was to escape, to retreat further into herself. Yet every time she did so, it felt as though she might never come back.

Maybe that would be for the best. If she was gone, she could no longer be violated. After all, there was nothing left for her here. Her sense of responsibility – to Marie and others – stopped her from disappearing for good. But for how much longer? It was not as though she could do anyone any good in this condition.

They were laying in bed, the Elder having fallen asleep. A draft kept brushing up against her neck, so she shifted so that the covers would block it. It took a moment before she realized what had just happened. Without someone to fight her, she had control over her body.

Slowly, she sat up. The Elder remained unconscious. How had she not known about this earlier? Too much time spent withdrawing, perhaps. She began to test how much freedom she had. Every move she made, she checked to make sure her possessor remained unaware. She got out of bed and walked around the room. Every motion cause her excitement to grow, along with the worry that she would be discovered. She returned to the sheets and waited for the Elder to wake back up.

As soon as he did, he reasserted control without even noticing her. Another day of violation began. Still, she had discovered a small measure of freedom, the tiniest of openings. Now she needed to decide what to do with this opportunity. For now, though, she retreated once more.