Kaitlin snaps awake with the urgent need to pee. She jumps out of bed and blindly rushes down the hall. Thankfully, she manages to stumble across the bathroom in her mad dash and makes it to the toilet just in time. It’s only when she pulls down her training pants that she remembers everything that happened the day before.
After having some sleep to clear her head, she now realizes that she isn’t comfortable with the situation she and Laura are in. It would be one thing if Anna was treating them like their proper ages. But she isn’t. Kaitlin worries a bit about what that might mean. Maybe Anna has some ominous plans in store for her and Laura.
Once she’s done in the bathroom, Kaitlin goes back to the room she and Laura were put in. Laura is fast asleep, drooling visibly. Kaitlin walks over to the crib and gently pokes her friend.
“Laura, wake up,” she whispers. Laura groans slightly, but opens her eyes. She frowns at Kaitlin.
“Not dream. Still little,” she says quietly. Kaitlin nods. “What time?”
“I don’t know. But I don’t think we thould thay here.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t truth Anna,” Kaitlin hisses. Laura thinks for a second, then nods. “You agree?”
“Yes.” Laura sits up. “What now?”
“Hmm…” Kaitlin frowns thoughtfully. “We leave. Now.” Laura’s eyes widen. “But firth, I’ll get thome thuff for uth.” Laura watches from the crib as Kaitlin bustles around the room, grabbing clothes, diapers, and training pants. She stuffs the items into a bright pink backpack. “Okay. Now we can leave.”
With some difficulty, Kaitlin removes Laura from the crib. Knowing Laura’s reduced mobility, she decides to carry Laura out of the house. Every creak makes the two girls cringe, worried that this is the moment Anna will wake up and put them back in bed. But somehow, they make it outside. Kaitlin sets Laura down. Laura grimaces.
“I wet,” she whispers. Kaitlin groans softly.
“Great. I’ll need to change you.” She looks around. “But not out here in the open.” Laura nods in agreement. “Huh. Do you recognithe thith neighborhood?” Laura nods. “Really?”
“Yes! I know house here!”
“There’th a houthe here that you know where we could thay, at leath for the night?” Kaitlin asks. Laura nods again. “Perfect!”
“Yes!” Laura gets to her feet. She points at a house a few doors down. “Is empty now. I know key.”
“Yeth! Good work, Laura!” Kaitlin scoops Laura up again. They go down to the house. Laura points out where the spare key is hidden. Kaitlin unlocks the door and the two girls go inside. “Whothe houthe ith thith?” Kaitlin asks curiously.