When dinner was done, Trisha put the babies in the playpen while she cleaned up the kitchen. She showed no intentions of changing dirty baby Brandi. Lana looked worse. Mommy burped her but she still had gurgling in her tummy.

Brandi asked her, “Are you OK?”

“I'm afraid I'm going to be like you,” Lana said, “I need the pressure to move.”

When Trisha took Zoey for her bath, Brandi confided, “I have my legs back. While she is gone with Zoey, we can make a break for it.”

Lana shook her head, “No, my legs are still limp noodles. I can't go. If you think you can get away, run for it. Send help when you reach someone.”

Brandi hugged Lana and promised to send help. She jumped over the rail of the playpen. She wasn't pleased to have to escape in such a babyish outfit and a locked dirty diaper in addition but the opportunity was now or never.

Brandi slipped to the front door and unlocked it. Slowly, she opened the door and saw the long driveway back to the main road. She left the house and silently closed the door behind her. Running down the sidewalk, she kept going down the lane. It is very hard to run in a thick, messy diaper but she did her best.

She hadn't gotten halfway down the lane when a cramp hit her and she nearly doubled over. Brandi paused for a moment and she deposited another mess in her diaper. She mumbled under her breath and started running again.

When she reached the main road, she tried to flag down a car. It slowed and pulled up to her. What luck! It was a patrol car from the sheriff's office. The officer stopped the car and rolled down the window to see what was going on.

“Can I help y'all?” said the officer with a puzzled look as he stared at the bald being.

Out of breath, she said, “Please, help me. I escaped! There is a crazy lady down this lane that has a friend of mine kidnapped. She is treating us like babies.”

The deputy had a stern look on his face, “Well, that sounds serious. Who are you then?”

“I'm from the refugee camp. My name is Brent but she's trying to make me a girl,” said Brandi.

The deputy opened the door and said, “OK. Get in here. I'm going down there to check it out. You stay in the car and let me do the talking.”

Brandi climbed in and the officer did a double take. Sitting in the messy diaper caused a grimace to wash over his face. The officer rolled down all the windows to air out the patrol vehicle. Then, he slowly turned down the lane and drove up to the house.

When he parked the car, he grabbed his hat and flashlight. He exited the car and walked up to the front door. When the door opened, it was Trisha with Lana resting on her hip. There was a conversation and Brent could see Lana's look of surprise. The officer came back to the car.

“OK, I need you to come with me,” said the deputy, “Was that your friend with the lady?”

“Yes, she was kidnapped,” said Brandi, “She abducted both of us from the refugee camp.”

The officer knocked on the door again, his other hand on Brandi's shoulder. Trisha opened the door, this time without Lana.

The officer started, “Dang it, Trisha, this one got all the way to the main road. You're lucky I found it first.”

“I'm sorry, Jimmy. It won't happen again,” she said, “Will it, Brandi? You've been a naughty girl and Mommy is going to have to correct you.”

It surprised Brandi that the officer was aware of Trisha's activities and had returned her to her captor. What kind of sick, corrupted system was this. Brandi tried to break free but the deputy was bigger and stronger.

Trisha picked up Brandi and said, “We are going to have to do something about you. Thanks, officer.”

The deputy tipped his hat and left. Brandi wasted the best opportunity for escape only to wind up back here and in more trouble. She put Brandi in her crib and locked her in. Instead of putting her in pajamas or anything else, she simply shut down all of her muscles. She could breathe and feel everything but nothing moved below her neck.

Trisha didn't give Brandi a bath or change her diaper that night. She was miserable all night and the next morning. With very little sleep and an overloaded diaper, there was nothing to do but ponder what she would do for this latest transgression.