The girl was twelve years old. One of her arms dangled limply by her side. The arm she held close to her chest could not be hidden as she stood on the stage of the theater, her eyes held life and sorrows. She would be perfect, the perfect broken doll that he would fix for his daughter.

“Three million pounds.” The man spoke low in his voice.

Mummers and hushed voice spread throughout the theater as the gavel was slammed in finality. “Sold to number forty-seven. please collect your merchandise after this.”

A relaxed smile played on the man’s lips as he strolled twirling his cane to the back of the hall. Following the bedazzled signs to the keep where all the sold items were held. A stout blond, red-haired woman looked him over as he smiled handing her a briefcase of the money for the girl. Holding her arm, she walked to him with her eyes low to the ground. Her feet were covered in slug, dirty, and crusted blood. as she watched her reflection in the polished marble floor.

“Follow me, girl,” he said walking in the shadows until they exited the theater, her shackles clattering behind her. As she struggled to keep up with him. She thought she just run away, but she knew it would be pointless. Where would she go? She had no one and nowhere to go.

Down the cold cobblestone steps to a simple brown carriage she followed him, he opened the door ushering her in with a rough push onto her shoulders. Fumbling in the seat with her tatter shirt and pants looking everywhere but at the man in front of her. His presence frightened her, his gaze was cold and frightening. His hands holding a polished black cane, with black gloves. He took a deep breath smiling, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

“Do you have a name?” he asked sighing to himself as he looked away from her to his shoes then his watch. was he waiting for her to tell him her name? what was his name? he cleared his throat annoyed as he fixed his tie that was pressed with a crystal centered in the black tie “well, it doesn’t really matter if you have one I shall rename you.”

She paused tilting her head at him watching him think and think to stare at her carefully. She saw when the idea twinkled in his eyes. his smile then reached his eyes like an evil cat. she tried to smile back but then his smile dropped at her awkward smile.

“I will call you Dise short for merchandise. how do you like that?” he said sounding happy. “ I have an important job, but first your arm is wrong.”

“It is lame sir, hasn’t worked since I was born.” She said in a clear voice looking at him as if he was an idiot. Brave girl. Her arm is disfigured, discolored, and disproportionate to the rest of her small frame.

“Stuff of nonsense,” he rolled his eyes, “your arm is not lame you foolish girl it is sealed. Shall we unseal it?”

“Sealed?” she looked at him questionably. She frowned unsure what this meant. Although it sounded familiar, she couldn’t place where she heard it. She could flex it but only the tips of her fingers twitched slightly. the arm was nothing but an omen on her life and all who came into contact with her.

“Haven't you wondered about your life, why you age slowly, why everyone dies around you? Why you have awful luck with anything and everything?” he smirked “or are you that daffed?”

“I'm just a girl. A normal girl,” she said as he grabbed her arm, she didn’t feel the strength of his grip but she saw the strain in his body as he lifted her arm as if it was heavy. she began to speak

The man silenced her with a look of daggers and death. His voice hissed then whirled in purple smoke. “Unbind that which I command, Dise belongs to us now.”

The skin on her arm went cold as chills ran up her spine. Like glass, her arm shattered into a thousand crystalize pieces turning into the sand in her lap. She looked at her arm now with a strange marking on it.

“You are a homunculus, I am something close to a vampire I suppose. Your new purpose is to protect my daughter. You are like her new doll or shadow if you will. We’ll have to clean you up before Poppy sees you, she’ll cry if she saw your clothes, my daughter is rather compassionate and foolish.” he spoke endearingly “I will treat you as my own, meaning you will get schooling, clothing, and be trained to protect Poppy. You may have a life of your own, but your main duty is to protect Poppy. She will need someone to battle the upcoming forces when I'm gone. I believe that you would make an excellent companion to her. You may call me Professor.”

“You bought me to be your daughter’s friend?” Dise blushed, she wanted friends all her friends died in terrible accidents. “That’s a bit odd.”

“you will be her best friend and her guard. Or I can kill you here?” he said leaning on his cane. The professor wasn’t an old man at all he was young looking in fact. But, i saw in his raised eyebrow that I shouldn’t hesitate in answering him.“Do hurry with a decision.”

“Alright, I’ll be her friend.” Dise said then finishing “and guard. Professor when are you due to die?”

He looked at his clock then said making an unsure face “Oh, let me see. Possibly in seven years, four months, three weeks, ten days, four hours, and twenty-seven seconds.”

“Then we best get to Ms. Poppy,” Dise said crossing her hands in her lap smiling up at the professor. dusting the sand from her old life away from her tattered shirt.

“Very good, Dise, Very good,” Professor said taking his pipe from his jacket.