"Becky, you can't do this-"
Becky slapped her across the face. Samantha tried biting down on her lip in a vain attempt to keep from crying. Her face turned hot and then sobs broke through, wailing sobs. A baby's sobs. Becky smiled down at her. "That's right, go ahead and cry. Cry like a teeny-weeny little baby. A helpless little child. The days when you could tell anyone what to do are over. From now on you're the baby and I'm the parent. And you'll do what I say. Now, lie down and go to sleep."
Her face still burning with pain, Samantha lay down on the mattress, clutching the doll to her chest. Becky dropped the blanket over Samantha, pulling it up under her chin. "That's a good girl. You're a good little girl."
This is a nightmare, Samantha told herself. It's a dream and any moment I'll wake up. She closed her eyes, waiting to emerge from this terrible dream fully-grown and in her bed.
She woke up later to find her thumb in her mouth. The walls of the crib loomed over her still. She sat up, waiting for Becky to lean down and slap her again. This time Molly's face appeared above her. "You're awake! I thought maybe you would end up sleeping all day," Molly said. "My little sleepyhead, don't you look so precious."
"Mowwy-"
"Come on, sweetie, I'm sure you're starving." Molly scooped Samantha up, grunting as she lifted her out of the crib. Samantha recognized the cottage on Eternity, though now everything seemed so much larger.
Molly carried her over to a highchair and set her down. She brushed hair out of Samantha's face before tying a bib around her neck. "Becky is really sorry she hit you, but you're going to have to learn things are different now."
"Mowwy, you have to hewp me. Get me out of here, pwease."
"I can't do that. Becky would be furious. Now, let's get you some breakfast before we go." Molly set a bowl of oatmeal down in front of Samantha, whose stomach rumbled in response. "Here comes the birdie. Open wide," Molly said as she brought the spoon towards Samantha's mouth. The oatmeal tasted like dirt mixed with paste. She spat it out, some splattering onto the bib and the rest on Molly's face.
"Samantha, that wasn't very nice. You don't want to get a spanking, do you?"
"It's yucky," Samantha said.
"Now, sweetie, you have to eat." Molly brought the spoon up again. Samantha shook her head from side to side, finally reaching out to knock the spoon to the floor. "Please, sweetie, try just one bite for Aunt Molly."