"I don't want to go in there. Please, Miss Brigham-"
"I'm sorry, dear. This is for your own good. You must learn to respect the rules."
"I will respect the rules. Don't make me go in there."
"Don't worry, dear, nothing can hurt you in there. I'll return for you shortly," Miss Brigham said. She tried to gently shove Samantha into the shed, but Samantha took hold of the doorway, refusing to let go. "If you keep this up, I'll have Mr. Pryde force you inside."
The thought of Pryde and his dogs loosened Samantha's death grip on the doorway. She trudged inside and sat on a pile of logs next to the door. Once Miss Brigham closed the door, an impenetrable darkness smothered Samantha. "It's not so bad," she said, her voice quivering. "There's nothing but wood in here. The only thing that can hurt me is a splinter." She tried to laugh, but couldn't. Tears came to her eyes instead.
She jumped off the pile of logs and clawed against the door. "Let me out!" she screamed. "Please, let me out. I'm sorry. I won't do anything bad again."
She kept scratching against the door until her fingers bled. Then she balled her sore hands into fists to pound on the door. She continued pleading until her voice went hoarse. Why didn't Miss Brigham let her out?
She finally collapsed next to the door, covering her face with her apron. Nothing in here can hurt me, she told herself over and over again. This thought did little to comfort her. The smell of decay from her dreams filled her nostrils and again she heard voices mumbling. "No, don't hurt me," she pleaded.
At last the door opened. A hand touched Samantha's shoulder. She pushed it away only to hear Prudence say, "Miss Brigham said I should fetch you for lunch."
Samantha bolted out of the tool shed and hugged her friend. "What happened to your hands?" Prudence asked.
"I cut them on a log," Samantha said. As she left the shed, Samantha decided it was not a lie. She was only withholding some of the truth. As long as Miss Brigham didn't find out, what harm could it do?