I've heard him call me by the name 'Ashley'. But that's only when he yells at me for making a ruckus or when he's re-stitching me. Any other time he just calls me by; it, that thing, my biggest mistake, etc. I call him creator or professor, but in secret I've led myself to believe, it'd be perfectly fine to call him father. After all I was made in the image of his late daughter.

"Mommy! I wanna ride that!" I could hear the people that would walk by. Going about business and having fun with their families, because who were they to do otherwise. "Get away from the window." I felt the pang of the whip hitting the still tender flesh on the back of my thigh. Obeying his command I slouched tot he floor. "Who do you think you are?" He asked, slapping the whip on the concrete next to my foot.

"You know not to be seen." He had a way of sounding so nice while being so mean. "I wasn't master, I promise." I graveled for him to spare me another beating or pulling of limbs. "My biggest mistake," He patted my head like you would a dog or a little child who clung to his mother. "I'll bring you back food. If you behave and don't leave this room. Got it?" He hooked some hair into his hand.

I just nodded. Out of curiousity or some hidden desire to get closer to the man; I hugged his legs tight in my arms. A hard tug of the hair and a slap later he finally spoke again. "Don't confuse this for love or emotion!" He pushed my head so it hit the concrete floor. "Oh lookie. I broke you again." I held the piece of flash that came unstitched by my mouth. "Fix it yourself."

And with that he was gone out the door. I heard the many locks click together that left me in solitude once more. The crawl over to the surgeon's table wasn't a long one because I've made the trip millions of times. I dragged myself to sit in the chair in front of the mirror on the wall above the table. Around the mirror were pictures of who I took to be his daughter.

I hels the needle over a dying candle. Hot metal goes through flesh easier than a cold one, plus it numbs the pain. Oh pain. Something the professor seems to think I don't feel. But he's wrong in every aspect of the meaning. The black string went through the hole easily and without strain. I bit my lips to stop from screaming when the needle poked through.

Whe all was said and done I sat the now cool needle in the small cup of alcohol. The pictures once more caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. I looked between the mirror and the biggest picture. My eyes weren't similar at all neither was my nose. I didn't have such pink lips and such deep eyes.

I didn't have brown hair, I had black. "I see why he hates me." Tears rolled down my cheeks and the salty substance ran into my fresh stitch work. I ignored it and curled onto the floor under the table. There was something father didn't ever see. On the underside of the table I taped a map. I've marked off all the places we've already been.

One particular region of Paradise seemed to call to me. A castle was the biggest landmark to go by. How nice it must be for those people that live there. Eating at solid wood tables lavished with anything and everything their tastebuds desire. clean their silver lined spoons and fine china. Showering in huge tubs with soap that smells like flowers.

Sleeping in beds of cotton wearing robes of silk. Dreaming about cute things like animals and their wealth. Maybe spending the day at the circus that I'm forced to call home. I was going to get out of here either alive or torn apart literally at the seams. I will make a life for myself. 

Meanwhile.... (Woohyun's POV)

"Hyung want some?" Sungjong hung onto Sunggyu waving around cotton candy. "No. Now get off me me." Sungjogn stumbled backwards wehn Sunggyu pushed him away. The younger jsut shrugged and went to annoy his next victim, Myungsoo.

Music played through hidden speakers. Sure it was a carnival and sure it was getting dark, but I couldn't help but get teh creeps. Not from the clowns walking by or the weird lady that was staring at me. But the tune weaving its way into my head was not your run of the mill carnival music. It was much slower and much darker. Setting the mood that something bad was about to happen.

I jumped at a scream and nearly got trampled by Dongwoo and Sungyeol running off together. I got stuck with Sunggyu and his crabiness. As we passed a small house I could make out yelling. A guy talking about a mistake and how the person couldn't leave and something about food. "I feel bad for whoever is getting their head chewed off." I chuckled.

"Probably just another freak. Let's go!" He dragged me from the scene but not before I swear I caught a glimpse of black hair through the barred window.