Disclaimer: The Forbidden Game belongs to LJ Smith, this is just a fanfic. I do not claim anything but the writing.

Story: That day when she opened the closet door, her grandpa wasn't there to take her place. This is the story of what might have happened if the Shadow Men had taken Jenny. She was five when she was taken and had already met all of her friends with the exception of Audrey.

Preface

"I want her," the youngest one argued heatedly. Jenny was clutching herself to a small boulder while the ugly men argued. The youngest one wasn't ugly, though, as well as another boy beside him. Jenny didn't know what was happening. All she knew was that she had opened the closet door—she knew she shouldn't have but curiosity got the best of her. Besides, she had never been in the basement alone before and everything was so new now that she hadn't had grandpa pulling her away from the shelves.

They scared Jenny, even the two boys. Most of them were so ugly that Jenny couldn't stand to look at them. The only two that weren't ugly were too scarily intense to watch. So she watched her hands, clutching the rock, and occasionally peeked through her eyelashes to see who was speaking. Everyone was taking a part in the discussion except the boy with the one that 'wanted her.'

Jenny didn't know what that meant.

"And we're hungry," someone snapped. It was one of the ugly ones, Jenny confirmed with a quick glance up. "We've been trapped here for a long time by him, and she is in relation with him!"

"He'll come looking for her, or someone else will. Take him then."

"Or," the other boy spoke quietly and for the first time, "we can just leave. The closet door is open now, isn't it? We aren't trapped anymore." His words were followed by a stunned silence, as if none of the others had realized that.

"See, problem solved," the first boy spoke smoothly. "I can take her and you go do whatever it is you want to do."

"You're not going to have her all to herself, are you? She's small, but she's young. I bet she is tasty. You can't keep her from us if you're just going to enjoy her yourself."

The boy huffed indignantly. "I don't want her for my hunger, I want her to keep." The ugly ones snorted disapprovingly.

"Take her, but you better hope that we are able to get someone better to satiate us."

"I think not," the boy said lowly with a laugh. Jenny looked at him to see his eyes trained on her. Those eyes…a shock of blue—a blue that she could never create with a crayon or anything else. Then, to Jenny's shock, the boy came over to her, followed closely by the other one.

"Come on," he commanded, holding out his hand. "Jenny, isn't it?" Jenny shook her head frantically at the question but kept her mouth shut.

"Then what is your name?" he asked, trying again. Jenny shook her head mutely once more. "So be it, noname," he sighed and raked his fingers through his name. "Will you at least talk to me?"

"You're strange," Jenny blurted suddenly, without meaning.

"What?" The boy looked confused.

"Mommy says not to talk to strangers." Jenny then closed her mouth again, clamping her lips together in a thin line. She was scared, scared enough that the tendrils of her wispy pale hair could have been shaking along with the rest of her.

"How can I make myself less strange?" Silence. "Well, my name is Julian." More silence. "I'm here to take care of you; I can give you anything you want."

Jenny bit her bottom lip and looked down at the tips of her muddy shoes. They used to be white. "I want Tommy…and Zach…and Michael…and…Summer," she whispered with a sniffle. "And I want Dee. Deedeedee…" Jenny trailed off again but then looked up at Julian with huge eyes. "Dee is my best friend—we're BFF's. I want her." Jenny whimpered at the familiarity of the three words. She had heard it said repeatedly from the mouth of the boy in front of her, Julian.

"Listen I…I can't give you your friends but I can give you anything else you want. What will it be? Pearls? A beautiful dress?"

Jenny hesitated and then shrugged. "I'm kinda sleepy," she said with a shy look up at Julian. "Can't I go home to my bed and sleep? Zach will be missing me because aunty always reads us a story before bed when I'm sleeping at my aunt and uncles."

"No, you can't go home to your bed but you can go to sleep in your new bed, bigger than any bed you had before. And I'll read you a book. How's that sound?"

"Well…" Jenny stifled a yawn and then nodded slowly. "Little Red Riding Hood?"

Julian looked confused for a moment but nodded. "Whatever you'd like."

"Fine. But I'm going home tomorrow or else mommy will be frantic." Jenny blinked sleepily.

"Come on, princess, off to bed then," Julian laughed softly, almost to himself, and stooped to pick up little Jenny. Exhaustion overtaking wariness, Jenny cuddled against Julian's chest and rested her head on his neck. She was asleep before he set her on the bed.

If you have any questions, please feel free and ask them. I'll answer them probably via message but if it is something that will help everyone else I'll post it at the beginning of the next chapter. Please review—friendly critics welcome!