The locked door puzzled and fascinated her. Earlier she vowed to herself never to move from her corner. But you know, there is nothing quite as tempting as a locked door. She gently stepped out from the shadows and crossed her legs as she sat in front of it, her head held up by her knuckles. The door was an odd shape, made up of dozens of interconnecting circles. She reached her hand out, curiosity getting the best of her.
The door shocked her before she even had the chance to come in contact with it, she immediately recoiled into the corner. But with curiosity still in control, she resumed her position sitting in front of the door. She just had to figure it out. Her attention shifted slightly when something brushed up against her knee. It was an object of some sort. She swiftly picked it up and held it in the palm of her hand. She pondered for a while over what this curious circular thing may be, if it even was anything.
“But wait! It wasn’t her fault!” She could still hear the echoes of voices, crying out in her dreams. Forever crying out. That was all she could remember, the voices. Not a meaningful word had escaped her lips since then, no one else was deserving enough of her thoughts. Not that there was anyone to talk to anyway.
She held the strange new item up to the door, searching for any similarities. When she noticed how similar the shape was to that of the door, she dropped it. Why hadn’t it shocked her? She used the toe of her boot to shove it towards the door to see if there was any reaction. There wasn’t.
There had to be some sort of code, a type of puzzle she had to figure out. Maybe it was a key. A series of footfalls cut off her thoughts and ended the everlasting silence of the cell. She silently slipped the circular key into the waistband of her pants. The footsteps ended. A stranger was at her door.
The door creaked. The circles began moving, working together in a pattern to release her from her cage. She would’ve moved back if it hadn’t been so enticing to watch the mystery of the door finally be resolved after long hours of studying it. At last, the door let open with a deafening screech. A man walked in, dressed in a uniform that had thick stark white streaks running down both arms in contrast to the rest of the all-black material. No, she was not being released, she was being taken away. Again.
The door shut with a loud clang behind him. He had rudely jerked her to a standing position and dragged her out of the cell. The other guards that had been waiting just outside the door grabbed her by the arms, and despite her lashing out, effortlessly raised her off the ground and carried her through the dimly lit corridor.
Through the small windows they passed, the night was dark and stormy. Fit the mood perfectly. On and on they walked, and late into the night the rain continuously fell. They approached a door, the first one she’d seen thus far. A square of light appeared in the center and a lady’s face filled the window.
“The infamous Ashlyn Shae.” Well at least she had a name now. “It’s so nice to finally meet you.” The lady smirked, then slammed the window shut. The sound of metal on metal echoed through the halls, and the door opened. She was carried inside and dropped in the center of the stone cold floor. All the light that came in through the window was now gone, and a lone bulb dangled flickering above her head like a scene from a horror film.
“So?” The strange lady brought her out of her trance. “Where is it?” She tried to keep the look of confusion from showing on her face. It? Where was what? Was she talking about the key? She knew this lady wasn’t here to play games, and figured she shouldn’t show that she had no clue what the lady was talking about.
“Who are you?” Her voice came out cracked and sore from lack of use.
“My name is Evelyn Reynolds, that’s Mrs. Reynolds to you.”
“How do you know my name?” She questioned. She decided it would be best to stall for time in order to make it look like she had some sort of control over the situation.
“How? Don’t be ridiculous sweetheart, have you been living under a rock these past few days?” Ms. Reynolds chuckled and just sat there with a stony expression. She sighed, “Darling, you’ve been all over the news, anyone who’s anyone knows your name. Ashlyn Shae, charged with theft of government property. It’s a shame, you were such a good child. Too good for this world even . . . almost.”
“I’m not a child.” She felt the overwhelming urge to imitate her, “And that’s Ash to you.” She didn’t know if this was actually what she called herself, but she figured it sounded legitimate.
“Just give me the key and we can send you off on your merry way. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” So it was the key the lady wanted. She reached for the key that she hastily shoved in her back pocket when the guards came to collect her. She held it up for the lady to see.
“Is this what you want?” The lady waved to the guard behind her, he snatched it out of her hand before she even had the chance to turn around. He brought it to the lady and she turned to leave.
“How do you activate it?” She asked.
Ash c***ed her head. “I, umm, I don’t know.” She looked around to see if they were serious. Their non-moving faces confirmed it.
“Lies!” She barked in her face. Ash retreated to the back wall. “Fine. Maybe you need some sleep to jog your memory.” Memory, she could use some of that right about now. She had to find a way to get it back, but she had no idea how. 
The following morning came before she knew it. She woke up to Mrs. Reynolds saying, “I hope you’ve had a good night’s sleep.” She looked very unsympathetic. Ash chose to respond by glaring at the woman. “Are you going to be a good girl and cooperate this time?”
“I swear I’ve never seen that thing before.” They clearly didn’t believe her. “Please, you have to believe me!”
“Hold out your hand.” She demanded. Ash’s breaths became shallow and weak.
She held out her hand slowing. “Why?” She asked, scared of what they were capable of.
Mrs. Reynolds rolled her eyes. “Relax sweetheart, we only want to see of it responds to you.” Ash winced when she placed the key in her hand. Nothing.
“Well, I think we’ve done all we can.” Mrs. Reynolds took the circular device back. “Dispose of her.” She walked out the door without another word.
Desperate, Ash shouted, “Wait!” She didn’t turn around. Ash had to come up with something fast. “I think I just remembered how it activates!” That got her attention. When Mrs. Reynolds and her guards were stationed back in her room, Ash took the key and set it in the opposite corner of the cell.
“Umm . . . I remember when I first came to,” she started, “the first thing I noticed, besides the door, was something brushing up against me.” She focused intensely on the key, willing it to move and hoping her theory was right. It started to slide, ever so slightly, in her direction. “I just assumed it was me that brushed up against it.” The key started moving faster. “But now I realize it was the other way around” The key zoomed towards her and up into her hand. Mrs. Reynolds said nothing, she looked deep in thought.
“I guess you do have some sort of connection with the key.” She snatched it out of Ash’s palm. “Keep her alive.” She said to the guards. “This better,” She warned, “not be a mistake.” And with her head held high, she swept out of the room.