The months rolled past. The mark on my wrist faded away slowly but surely. However, the connected memories remained. I didn't mind. I knew I used to be disobedient, but I knew that I had changed, too. And it was okay that Master had collected all that information about me. How else was he supposed to know me well enough? 

I didn't have to work hard for Master. He did take away my gloves, but it was okay. I had no negative emotions that could get dangerous. I also had no objection left against wearing white. I would wear whatever Master wanted me to wear. After all, he knew best. And even if he didn't, it was my task to obey, and I would. I always would.

Ashley sometimes came over. I didn't like her as much as Master, but she was nice. She helped me repairing the things I damaged back when I was rebellious. I was glad I could erase the marks of that past. I didn't want to go back there anyway. I was way happier like this.

However, all good things come to an end. This good thing came to an end on a hot Summer night. I woke up suddenly because the bed moved. It took a while for me to get awake enough to check what was causing it. The cause was a tall man with long, brown, curly hair. It was Kasper. He pushed the bed against the door. I went out of the bed and watched him curiously as he picked up the chair that belonged to the desk and placed it on the bed, right under the door knob. Then he turned to me. 

"Esther," he said. His voice was soft and shaking with emotion. 

He stepped forward and embraced me. My dear friend Kasper, I hadn't seen him for so long... I had been too busy to miss him, and I felt a bit guilty about it. However, I felt that Master was more important than Kasper, and I had done the right thing staying here. 

Kasper had started crying. His shoulders were shaking in the rhythm of his sobbing. I wrapped my arms around him tightly. My hands couldn't touch each other, despite the fact Kasper was very skinny, because he had a backpack. The warmth of his body flowed through his black hoodie onto my skin, and his warm tears fell on my shoulder. He must have missed me a lot. We stood there for minutes, just hugging each other, until Kasper pulled himself together again. 

"We should go," he whispered. "We can go through the window. My car is parked nearby."
He was already heading to the window when I said: "But Kas, I can't go."
"Why not?" he asked.
"I... I can't explain..." He would not understand, but I didn't want to hurt his feelings even more. That's why I said: "It's such a long story."
"You have to," Kasper said, "I'm not leaving without you."
"But what am I going to do out there?" I asked, gesturing to the window. Out there was the outside world, where I was lost. Literally, because I had no idea what road led where, and figuratively, because Master wasn't there. "I need Master," I summarized the main argument.
Kasper straightened his position. "If you stay," he said, "it'll hurt your master." 
I simply said: "Impossible. I'm here, I protect him." 

Kasper took his backpack off and held it in his hand. The zipper was hanging half open and the handle of some blade was sticking out. I repressed the fear and anger, knowing that Kasper would never get me out of here without Master's permission, and stepped back no millimeter. 

"Esther," Kasper said slowly, "I'll do anything for you. That includes knocking you unconscious and abducting you in a situation like this, you're obviously brainwashed. So don't resist and come with me, please."
As if I hadn't expected that. I took a deep breath in. I would use my lungs optimally, as I had learned at singing class years ago. I tensed up the muscles in my belly and opened up my throat completely. And then I screamed.

"MASTER!!!"

If that didn't wake Master, nothing would. I stayed calm as Kasper grabbed me and held my mouth shut, knowing that he would not be able to escape. And Kasper would never hurt me. Even though he was ignorant, misunderstanding and lost, he was still my best friend. 

I heard Master's voice outside the door: "What's the problem?" 

Master tried the door, but it wouldn't open, because the chair was blocking the door knob. 

Meanwhile Kasper had replaced his right arm, with which he held me, by his right leg and while struggling to keep his balance, he took something out of his backpack. His right hand gave it to his left hand, that was in front of my mouth. It was a cloth that had a very odd smell to it. Kasper put it over my mouth and nose. I felt myself slipping away, once again.