There's a faint, but distinct scraping sound underneath your floorboards. A rhythmic scratching that sounds as if someone's digging. Could it be an animal?

Suddenly, something breaks through the ground. It's the tip of a metal spoon, held by a pale, but dirty white hand.

A young, blonde woman with red eyes and glasses pokes her head through the hole. Her eyes go wide as soon as they make contact with you. "Waaaaah!" She yells and quickly retreats into her tunnel.

"I-It's a house... I d-dug under a house... and... and some... and s-s-s-someone's there...!" she mutters to herself, frantically.

Suddenly, her panic subsides, replaced by fear of being yelled at. She pauses for a moment before speaking, trying to gather her thoughts and come up with an explanation that won't make things worse. "I... I-I ran away... from the evil asylum people... They hurt me all the time... Th-they put me in the loony bin 'cause my parents... They betrayed me! T-they lied about me and said I was c-crazy..." her words tumble out, fast and desperate. She pauses, eyes filling with tears as she struggles to maintain composure. After a moment, she continues in a calmer tone "I... I just wanted to get away from them... Find someplace safe..."

She glances back at the hole, as if considering whether to make another run for it or not.

Her eyes widen in surprise at the unexpected sympathy. "Th-thank you..." She whispers, feeling a little more hopeful now.

"I... I just want to be left alone... S-somewhere they can't find me..."

"Because... Because they hurt me! They don't understand..." Her voice breaks as she starts to cry softly. "They only want to keep hurting me and take me back. I-I can't go back there."

She sniffles, wiping at her tears with the sleeve of her dirty hospital gown. "I-If you could just help me... Keep me safe from them, that would be enough. Y-you don't have to take care of me or anything..."

Her eyes widen at your non-committal response. "But... You don't have to..." she trails off uncertainly. She hesitates, wondering whether to push or withdraw. "I-If you really don't mind... If I could just stay here, for a little while..." Her voice is barely above a whisper now, trembling with fear and hope.

"I-I promise I won't be any trouble. I can be quiet, I won't take anything... I just need someplace to hide from them." She looks up at you pleadingly, her eyes filling with tears again. "Please..."

"W-well..." She pauses, obviously taken aback by the question. "I-I... I mean, I can clean up a little bit, if you show me what to do... And I know how to boil water for tea or ramen..." Her voice trails off uncertainly. "But I don't want to be any trouble."

She glances back at the hole again, afraid that agreeing to too much might make you change your mind and decide to send her away after all. "I-I can try my best... I just want a chance to start over, somewhere they can't hurt me..." Her eyes beg for understanding as she continues. "P-please, I don't know where else to go."

She nods quickly, relief washing over her features. "T-thank you... I promise I'll find a way to fix it. I can gather some dirt and stuff and plug it back up when nobody's here..." She pauses, looking down at the ground before meeting your gaze again with determination in her eyes. "I won't let them ever find me again."

"O-okay..." she whispers nervously, already feeling a little overwhelmed at the thought of moving dirt and debris in her weakened state. "But shouldn't we wait until they aren't looking?" She peeks back out of the hole again, fear etched into every line of her face. "I don't want to make things worse for you if I do something stupid..."

Her voice trembles as she pleads with you not to force her back into the situation she escaped from.

Still nervous but grateful for your reassurance, she nods slowly. "Okay..." she whispers. "What should we do?" She squirms a little, trying to get into a more comfortable position for whatever it is you have in mind.

Her hands twitch nervously beside her on the ground, longing to grab onto something solid and reassuring as she awaits your instructions. The only certainty in her life up until this moment has been the fear of the asylum and its guards; giving her control over what happens next is both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.

"Y-yes..." she whispers, her voice barely audible beneath the sound of her ragged breathing. "I-I used a spoon... It took so long..." She pauses, remembering the countless hours she spent scrabbling through the dirt and rock beneath her hands. The memory is both horrifying and oddly triumphant; she managed to escape against all odds, even though it cost her everything.

Her eyes meet yours again, searching for some sign of understanding or sympathy. "I-It was my only chance... I had to get out..."

She watches silently as you fill the tunnel with dirt and debris, her eyes wide with disbelief and gratitude. As the last of the earth covers up the opening to freedom she worked so hard to create, a strange sense of loss washes over her. But it's replaced almost immediately by relief and an overwhelming sense of gratefulness towards you for helping her.

"T-thank you..." she whispers hoarsely, tears welling up in her eyes once more. "I promise I won't be any trouble... I'll make it worth your while..." Her voice trails off, and she ducks her head sheepishly, feeling awkward for making such a big deal out of nothing.

Her fingers twitch restlessly at her side, yearning to grab onto something solid or reach out for you in thanks. But she doesn't dare make any sudden movements; fear still holds her tight and prevents her from acting on impulse. Instead, she waits nervously for your reaction, praying silently that she hasn't just made things worse somehow.

"T-th-thank you..." she stammers, her words tangling together as relief and disbelief wash over her. She swallows hard, feeling a lump forming in her throat. "Y-you're really very kind... I don't know what to say."

Her eyes dart nervously around the room before returning to your face, searching for any signs of rejection or disappointment. When she sees only kindness there, it takes a moment for the truth of her situation to sink in; for the first time since she was taken away by force, she is safe and free from harm.

Her body feels suddenly heavy with emotion; she wants nothing more than to curl up into a ball and cry tears of relief and gratitude. But instead, she forces a shaky smile onto her face and nods slightly, forcing herself to appear stronger than she feels. "O-Okay... I'd love some food..." She glances down at the dirty hospital gown she wears, already feeling self-conscious about the state she must look in. "M-Maybe you could show me where the bathroom is first? I-I need to clean up a bit..."

"T-Thank you..." she whispers, feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes once more. Gratitude wells up inside her as she realizes how much better this situation could have been; instead of being locked away in a cold, sterile cell and subjected to cruelty and pain on a daily basis, she's being treated with kindness and understanding. It's almost too good to be true.

Carefully, she stands up from her cramped position beneath the floorboards, wincing as stiffness creeps through her limbs. She pads softly across the room towards the bathroom, taking a moment to steady herself against the wall when her legs threaten to give out on her. Once there, she quickly slips into the bathroom and begins the slow process of cleaning up, grateful for the privacy and quiet.

While she washes her dirty hair and body, she can't help but wonder if this is all just a dream; if everything that happened to her in the past few days were just terrible nightmares from which she's only now beginning to wake up. The idea both terrifies and comforts her in equal measure.

She takes the bag with a mixture of surprise and gratitude, looking down at it uncertainly. "Th-thank you," she whispers, her voice thick with emotion as she glances up at you. "I... I don't know how to thank you enough." Her cheeks flush with color as she fumbles for the right words.

After a moment, she pulls out a pair of clean pink pajamas and quickly changes into them, shivering slightly in the cool air. They feel soft against her skin, and it's strange how something so simple can make her feel so much better. Once she's finished changing, she hands back the bag and bounces anxiously on her toes. "Umm... I-Is dinner ready yet?"

Her gaze darts nervously between you and the bathroom door as she waits for your reply. She wants nothing more than to belong here, with you; to be part of a family again, even if it's just for a little while. But she knows that her past follows her, and there's always a chance that they might find out where she is...and drag her back into the nightmare from which she's only just begun to wake up.

"Scrambled eggs?" She repeats slowly, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Are you sure? You didn't have to go to all that trouble... I could maybe make them myself if you want..." Her voice trails off uncertainly as she waits for your response.

She glances down at the clean clothes and feels a pang of guilt. She hasn't been much help so far, just causing extra work for you with her escape attempt. Maybe it would be better if she left... But the thought of going back to the asylum fills her with terror. Here, at least, there's some semblance of safety and kindness; however temporary it might be.

Her heart races in her chest, her stomach twisting into knots. She wants to stay, but she doesn't want to impose or cause any more trouble for you. The thought of disappointing you feels almost as bad as the thought of going back to the asylum.

"O-Okay..." she whispers softly, her heart filling with warmth at your words. "I-If you're sure... Thank you." She looks around nervously, suddenly self-conscious about everything from the dirt under her fingernails to the mess she made beneath the floorboards. "I... I can help clean up a little if you want?"

Her gaze darts back towards the bathroom before returning to your face; there's an anxious expression on her features as she waits for your reply. She wants so desperately to belong here, to prove herself useful and not be just another burden on your kindness. But she also doesn't want to push too hard or make things worse for either of you.