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Tessa was a rebellious child. She often disobeyed direct orders from her parents, choosing to spend time with her multiple salvaged worker drones. J, N, V.... Cyn. These actions often landed her shackled in her room on her father's orders. But things hadn't always been so harsh. Once upon a long time ago, Tessa didn't fear her parents. They adored her, and she adored them.
One of Tessa's favorite memories was when she was a toddler. James had just put her down for a nap when the lightning struck. She hated that sound. It was too loud. She screamed for her mom, and Louisa came rushing in to her baby's rescue.
"It's alright dear..." She hushed the crying child as she held her in her arms. "The storm can't reach you in here."
She then sung to her. Tessa loved hearing her sing. It comforted her.
"Close your eyes, Tessa, my darling, While I sing your lullaby; Fear thou no danger, Tessa, Move not, dear Tessa, my darling; For your brodder watches nigh you, Tessa dear. Angels guide thee, Tessa dear, my darling, Nothing evil can come near; Brightest flowers bloom for thee, Darling Tessa, dear to me."
"Go to sleep, go to sleep, my baby, My baby, my baby. Go to sleep, my baby, baby, oh! by, Go to sleep, Tessa, sleep."
"Bright be the morning, my darling, When you ope your eyes, Sunbeams grow all around you, Tessa, Peace be with thee, love, my darling; Blue and cloudless be the sky for Tessa dear, Birds sing their bright songs for thee, my darling, Full of sweetest melody; Angels ever hover near, Darling Tessa, dear to me."
Louisa smiled as the small child fell asleep in her arms. She laid her back in her crib, kissing the top of her head goodnight. She let the music box do the rest of the work as she left the room, shutting out the light and quietly closing the door.
"Rest well, little one."
"You didn't have to see this." That was the last thing Tessa heard before the screams broke out. J was corrupted. She slammed the door, and the slaughter began. Everyone screamed in some way.
"HELP!"
"WHY'S THIS HAPPENING?!"
"WHAT'S GOING ON?!"
"I'M TOO IMPORTANT TO DIE!"
"WHAT IS THAT?!"
She couldn't think. There had to be something she could do.... The corpse of her father landing before her said otherwise. She screamed, running under a table for cover. She found another body there too. There were bodies everywhere, piling up every second.
"MOMMA!" She cried. It was pathetic. Her mom couldn't and probably wouldn't save her. She hugged her knees, trembling as the chaos continued. It was the only way she could keep herself from trying to run for the door like an idiot. Why did she have to be a hero? She should've never started repurposing old drones. Then that THING wouldn't have gotten inside in the first place. She should've just stayed in her room. She didn't want to die...
"Tessa?!"
Tessa shot up. Her mom was under the table with her now. She was covered in blood, equally terrified.
"Mum..?!" She asked through teary eyes, as if her mother was an illusion like Cyn. When she determined she wasn't, she dove into her mother's arms. "Mum...! I'm scared...!"
"I know..... It'll be okay Tessa.... I've got you..." Louisa hopelessly assured her. They both knew they were going to die. Both of them also knew just how much Tessa didn't deserve what happened to her throughout her life. She was only a little girl. She didn't deserve to be here. She didn't deserve the harsh treatment they'd given her.
"I'm so sorry...." Her mother sobbed. "I'm so, so sorry....."
They clung to each other tightly. The screams slowly became more like garbled noises of pain from those who'd already been attacked. The table they were hiding under was flipped over by multiple monster drones, exposing them both. Everything was covered in everything. Blood, bone, entrails.... Louisa hugged her daughter tighter.
Go to sleep, go to sleep, my baby, My baby, my baby. Go to sleep, my baby, baby, oh! by, Go to sleep, Tessa, sleep.