My life had a completely different routine now. My uber-rich father was gone every day for most of the day. Most mornings we wound up eating together. Like me he woke up before the sun turned on the lights. When I was Wendy Evans that trait first showed up and used to irate me to no end. I was so used to this that I wasn't even fazed by it.

I studied him every morning and found almost no deviation from his routine. He worked out at the private gym we had in our condo. By the time he cleaned off the sweat I'd drag myself from bed.

My breakfast varied depending on my mood, but he never strayed. As he read the newspaper, he ate a handful of pills with his morning water jug. Strangely, in a world of digital and technological advancement, he preferred the firm press of a dying industry.

He'd leave when he was done, seemingly determined to break his fast later.

I watched him day in and day out. It was strange having a father around. The home was where he didn't allow his company worker bees, so it was always us.

The household worker bees did come in like the maids and cooks, but they did their duties and left except for two every day without fail.

After he left, I spent the day doing whatever I wanted. The homework I had to complete was far too easy, and so was my daily tuning of my premonitions. When I was done breezing through that, I went to the pool and lounged in the water until I became a raisin. Then, I cleaned off and returned to my room for a nap. I used part of that nap time to slip into my locket world to care for things. Mordecai had yet to lift the fifteen-minute limit this past week. After the nap, I ate lunch and spent the rest of the day reading until dinner.

My father came home promptly at five every night to eat. He asked about my progress and other basic things. He left after to go do adult things.

I was just starting to relax when everything changed.

I had stayed up reading late the night before. My youthful body felt the consequences of that. Worst of all, I couldn't enjoy a cup of coffee to spice up the morning. I'm still single digits!

By the time I dragged myself to the dining room, it was almost afternoon. This was my first genuine mistake that morning. I clutched Mr. Brutus to my chest and didn't bother changing out of my clothing as I shuffled out into the hall.

It was nice not having to worry about cleaning or what to cook. As a proper kid, I had everything taken care of this time. To show my gratitude, I wrote cards to the maids that seemed genuinely nice and not overly brisk in their work. These cards were more than just niceties. Due to my advanced premonitions, I could root around the newspaper when my father was done and pick apart a business opportunity that my favorite maid's son or the cook's wife could work at.

I expected, nay knew, my father wouldn't be around. So, I leisurely greeted workers as I took my time. I finally saw my favorite maid who always treated me well. "Good morning, Mrs. Mina!" I chirped to the maid.

She smiled and said, "Good morning Miss Dolyn." Her eyebrows did a little wiggle, but alas, I missed that hint.

"I have something for you!" I said with a bright smile. I held out Mr. Brutus, who was holding her card.

"Young miss, I can't accept that." She said as she held her hands up to protest, but her eyes darted towards the dining room.

"It's not from me, it's from Mr. Brutus! It's a card thanking you for fixing his carrier." I said as I all but shoved the card into her hand. I ignored her protests far easier than the grumbling in my tummy. It reminded me that I needed to eat.

I skipped with Mr. Brutus and entered the dining room, but my cheerful steps slid to a halt when I saw who was in the dining room.

Oh. Maybe there wasn't something in her eye but someone in the dining room.

More than someone. My father was having a full-blown meeting around a fully serviced brunch.

A projector was broadcasting a video call with several people I didn't know in official attire.

I could feel the heat of about a dozen stranger's eyes on me, plus my father's gaze.

Mrs. Mina how could you not warn me! I thought you were one of the good ones! My lip quivered as my face heated up.

I squeezed Mr. Brutus as tight as possible as I gathered my internal strength. I was more than just a random child walking into whatever this meeting was. I was David Savage's daughter, and I was hungry!

I attempted to walk confidently to where my father sat at the head of the table. He was in the middle of typing something.

"Dad, I'm hungry," I said as I lifted myself impetuously into his lap.

There was an audible gasp around the room. My father said nothing as he continued to type. I managed to slither my way around his arms and grab his plate of food.

"Don't eat too fast, Dolyn." He said, but he wasn't looking at me. His attention was solely focused on whatever project was on his laptop. How did he see how fast I was scarfing the grub!

I made an acquiescence noise but made no attempt to slow down.

"I'll increase the budget so the deadline can be met." My father's voice rumbled behind me.

Like magic, his words took everyone's eyes away from me and back to their work. For the next hour I went around stealing everyone's food. They left it untouched as they talked business with my dad. Like a small animal I ran into my dad's lap to eat my earnings after each heist. No one had the balls to stop me or say anything. They should have thanked me for not letting their food grow cold!

I stopped only when it felt like my small stomach would burst at the seams. I leaned back against my father's back and tuned out the meeting. He didn't speak much, but when he did everyone else stopped to listen. It was soothing and I could feel myself drift off.

"Dolyn." My father's voice snapped me out of my sleepy thoughts, and I blinked and looked up to meet his eyes.

"Dolyn." His voice repeated my name more firmly this time. "Is this how you've been spending your days?"

I blinked and looked around the room to see if anyone could see my shame. It had somehow cleared out while I was dozing off.

"No," I said with an unconvincing tone. "I get my work done, and I've been working on my other gifts."

I didn't know how far away his work minions had gone, so I kept it vague.

"Your new nanny will be coming tomorrow, and you'll have control over your schedule but within reason. She is supposed to guide you." He said.

I made a face. I was living the perfect life. All I had to do was nap, sleep, eat, and read all day. Having to listen to an adult was going to cramp my style.

"She was an elementary teacher, so your homework will be harder." He said.

My face made another face at this. "Easy wasn't too bad." I tried to bat my eyes up at him.

"Complacency leads to obsoletion." He said. My father's strict words struck a chord in my heart.

"You're right," I said as I looked away, lost in thought. I should have known better than to be so lazy. I was in a world that was going to be smacked with zombies! People developed abilities due to the weird virus, which would make this world even more dangerous.

I had spent far too much time cursing my lack of ambition as Wendy to stop now. Wealth and luxury were very good at corrupting! It didn't even take a week for me to become a sponge.

"Good." My father said. His lips curved into a smile, and I hiccuped in surprise. He's not plain at all! He's so handsome; whoever said that before should have their eyes cleaned! Why does he never smile?

His arms wrapped around me, and he lifted me as he stood. "Time for a harder assessment."

I take that back. He's an ogre! I still need to have my afternoon snack!

"Miss Dolyn, I'm sorry!" Mrs. Mina said as he tucked me into bed. This was the first night that my father didn't have dinner with me. He didn't always tuck me in, but he usually read a few verses from my grandfather's journals of wisdom.

Mrs. Mina was given the honor tonight, probably due to her betrayal, and she was milking every second of it.

My cheeks puffed out as I turned my face away from her.

"Your father forbade me from telling you he was staying over today."

That was because the orge wanted to catch me being lazy! And the one day I was a complete sud he saw me.

"I forgive you because I know he pays you, but next time, make it more obvious," I said, patting her kowtowing head. I felt bad because she really looked like she felt terrible.

Mrs. Mina smiled, and I reminded her to ensure her son took that job. That company would take off soon and be a massive money-maker for her family. Then my future bribes would mean something in the future, and my father's threats would mean less.

I slept soundly that night, ready to take on the nanny who would teach me.

I wasn't prepared because no matter how many times my brain ran through the scenarios; I didn't expect my competent intelligent father to pick a gold-digging hussy.

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Her drooling appetite ruined my desire to eat breakfast the next day. My father invited her to join us for breakfast for some unfathomable reason.

"My name is Miss Tate." She said with the fakest smile plastered on her face.

I eyed the tall, thin bronze woman with disdain. She wasn't even looking at me. She was ogling my father and ignoring me.

To my father's credit, he was looking at me and ignoring the hussy's reaching gaze for him. "Dolyn, Miss Tate has devised a daily routine for the two of you. I want you to look it over."

I stabbed a piece of egg fiercely as I looked at the hussy. She was still ignoring me and ogling my father.

"Have you gone blind, father?" I said between narrow slits as I looked back at him.

Something flickered in his eyes, but his face remained an impassive mask. "I have a meeting, so let me know your thoughts tonight." He stood up and kissed my head before disappearing out the door.

As if a director had yelled cut Miss Tate changed face quicker than I could blink.

She didn't say anything to me and immediately took out her cell phone to start snapping pictures of herself.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed the schedule she created. This gold-digging hussy was going to murder me with work! Every hour of the day was slotted for a subject or project she wanted to do. And she took away my afternoon nap and daily swimming.

I scoffed and ripped the paper. Then I tossed the pieces to the ground.

"I worked hard on that!" She said. Miss Tate's shrill voice gave me satisfaction as I met her eyes.

"'I'm not doing that. I'll make my own schedule."

Her fake smile cracked as she fought to control her temper. "I'm your new nanny, Dolyn, and this is for your betterment. You want to go to a private school and be ready to compete with all the other kids, right?" She said.

I didn't bother responding and walked over to where Mrs. Mina was standing. "Tell my father I don't want breakfast with my nanny or dinner," I said. I saw her careful plotting when she put that in. The less contact she got with my father, the better.

"Dolyn!" Miss Tate's voice was a shrill yap, but I ignored it. I left Mr. Brutus upstairs and needed him to guide me.

Of course, I couldn't keep ignoring the nanny. Tate was determined to not go away. The more she talked and the longer I looked at her, the more I wondered about her background. Something wasn't adding up, but it didn't matter. I want her fired.

All the work she gave me was flawed and far too easy. Didn't my father say that it was going to be more challenging? Was this because I was mentally older than just six?

I ignored her after breakfast and tore up the work she gave me. The maids on standby were shocked, but no one said anything.

"Dolyn, you don't want to become a spoiled brat. Do you? You have to work hard to make your father proud." Tate said through gritted teeth as she fought to keep her face cheerful.

I beamed at her, "I already make my father proud." I said with complete confidence. My powers were helpful to him, and that alone made me special.

She grabbed my arm as I tried to leave with those words. I could hear her voice saying something, but everything faded to white as a vision took over my sight.

—----------------------

I was in a courtroom packed with blurry faces. Only a handful of faces were visible; one was Miss Tate in the defendant's chair. The judge was a bit blurry, but my father's face was crystal clear.

"The court finds you guilty in the murder of Dolyn Savage." A voice said, but I paid it no mind as I ran towards my father. He looked tired but pleased with the verdict.

On the other hand Tate looked a mess in orange. Tate started screeching as she tried to plead her case, "I just wanted to marry him! I wasn't trying to harm that little shit! I mean that little angel." She said.

Loud voices rang out around the court, but I ignored them. I was too busy staring at my father. "This is your fault," I said with pursed lips. I knew she wanted to marry him, but to the extent of getting rid of me? How dumb could she be? With my father's wealth and resources she'd get caught.

My father's head turned, and for a heart-stopping moment, I thought he was looking at me.

"If you can hear me smile," I said to his face, getting closer, but he did no such thing. He stood up and started to walk away. I took off after him, but the further he went from the scene, the slower my legs became. I was soon struck by some invisible wall as if I had reached the end of the scene. I lifted my fingers to touch it, but I was ripped out of the vision by a sharp pain in my head.

I could hear several voices calling my name, and I blinked, dazed, as I dropped back into reality. I was in the living room, lying on the floor. All the work I had torn up was beneath me, and when I sat up, I scattered it.

Mrs. Mina was holding me, and I turned my head to look at her. "I'll call your father."

Miss Tate was standing quietly, but at the mention of my father, she started showing concern. I looked at her. This woman was going to kill me.

"Don't call him," I said as I struggled to sit up. "I'll call him. Can you hand me the phone, Mrs. Mina?"

Mrs. Mina hesitated momentarily, and I saw her glance at Tate. She glanced at me for a moment before she helped me to the couch and ran out of the room.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Tate said. She tried to flutter around me, and I swatted her hands mercilessly away. The vision had to be wrong, but it couldn't be ignored. Mordecai wasn't going to let me die before the zombie invasion. But what else could that be but a vision of a possible future? This woman would do what she could to get me out of her way to score my father. I needed to get rid of her first.

Mrs Mina came back with flushed cheeks. "Thank you," I said, standing up to test my legs. They were more steady this time, and I exited the room, heading to my bedroom.

Tate tried to follow, but my quick hands slammed the door. She knocked on the door, calling my name, but I ignored it.

I dialed the number I had memorized but had yet to use.

My father picked up on the second ring. "Savage speaking."

"Daddy," I said with my most pitiful expression, twisting my voice to match.

"Dolyn?" My father's formal voice switched to one of concern. "Is everything alright?"

"Miss Tate is going to kill me to marry you," I said, wasting no breath on snitching. "I had a vision that she was convicted of my death. You have to fire her!"

There was silence and then not the reassuring words I wanted from him. "Has she attempted to hurt you already?"

That was a strange question, but I suppose it was justified. I looked at the arm she grabbed and noticed a bruise was beginning to form. "She grabbed me really hard, and my arm was bruised."

"I'll take care of it. Tomorrow, you'll have a new nanny." He said. "Stay in your room until Mrs. Mina gets you."

He hung up the phone, and I blinked. Wait a minute. How did he know I was in my room? I looked at the ceiling to spot hidden cameras but found nothing of the sort.

How suspicious. Did my father know everything before I called him? If so, could this have been a test? Did that mean that prior, I failed it and died because I didn't get rid of Miss Tate before she could end me?

I never heard from Tate after that. She was gone. In her place the next day was Cody, the new nanny. He was a bit on the chubbier side but a jolly man who seemed genuinely happy to be there.

I let down my guard which was a mistake. When he gave me a head pat, I was sucked into a vision almost the same as the one previously.

Only this time, it turns out Cody wanted to hurt me to hurt my father.

I went through four more nannies before telling my father I wanted to attend private school.

We were eating dinner, and for the first time in this life, I found it impossible to find food enjoyable.

"Are you sure about this?" My father said casually as he drank water from his glass.

"This was all a lesson, wasn't it," I said as I glared at him. I moved my food around on the plate. "A reminder that because of who I am, I'm a target."

"Yes." My heartless father said. "There are always those that wish to knock us down and take what we have. You must be ready to strike first and be wary of anyone that knows who you are."

I knew he was right. Damn did it suck. I miss Mary.

"Who is Mary?" My father asked, and too tired to care, I ignored him. It had been a while since I muttered my thoughts out loud, which gave me pause. But not for long. I honestly did miss Mary. She was the only womanly figure I had that gave me unconditional love. I knew her affection had no strings; it was pure love, and I'd likely never experience that again.

"You'll need etiquette classes, and you can pick your own music or other extracurricular activities. You can start Monday."

"You already knew this would happen?" I said.

"You lasted longer than I expected, and the information pamphlet on the girls' school has come through." He said.

"I don't want to be Dolyn Savage," I said cruelly. I didn't want to be at the top of the podium with someone waiting to knock me over. "Can't I just have a bunch of tutors instead of nannies?" What if the private school was worse than this?

My father blinked as if he hadn't expected this turn of events. I was lucky he was willing to talk to me, a young child, about these things.

"That could be arranged. Are you sure about this? You'll miss out on being around children like you."

"Father, there aren't any children like me," I said with a sour expression.

He couldn't refute that, so I watched him mull it over briefly. "I'll set it up for you." He said finally.

This went far more peacefully. My work was divided during the week by different tutors who came to teach me. Math, science, reading, writing, history, and more.

Unlike the nannies, my father made me wear the face alternating mask. The tutors were paid well, but the nannies were tests.

I asked him about this, and his response was rather funny.

"Dolyn, the world doesn't know what you look like, and we're going to keep it that way until it remains impossible to do so."

I didn't need to ask him why now. After the half dozen greedy, horrible people who wanted to use me to get to my father, I understood his precautions.

"But then why didn't it matter when I walked in on your meeting?" I said. I was still curious about that.

"Those people are my most trusted and, like me, have children they want to protect." He said, then he changed the conversation at dinner to find out how my math test had gone.

It made sense, but it didn't make sense. The only real conclusion to draw at the end of the day was that my father screened everyone, and those who would betray him didn't matter in the long run. Those with something to lose could be trusted…

I spent four years in this manner of training. It went by like a blur. My already smart brain grew smarter. Despite Mordecai's time restriction, I developed the world in my locket. I steadily increased my storage of food and supplies.

Everything was going great, but my father didn't think so.

"Dolyn." He said over breakfast. I knew it was serious because he was looking at me with concern.

"Yes, father?" I said, not looking up from my play-feeding of Mr. Brutus.

"What are you doing?" He said.

I looked at him; it was obvious what I was doing. "I'm feeding Mr. Brutus," I said.

He said nothing, and I thought he had dropped it. But when he came home for dinner, he had an announcement.

"I've scheduled a party, and you'll attend."

"What happened to keeping me a secret?" I said, around a mouthful of food.

"You need to be around kids your own age." He said firmly.

Wait, was this about how I play with Mr. Brutus?

Unfortunately, I couldn't stop him. At a rapid speed my father arranged a yacht party. I say yacht, but only the adults were on the boat. The half a dozen kids were stranded on the island the adults chose to dock at.

I looked at the alcoholic parents entirely leaving their kids to the nannies, maids, and bodyguards. What lushes. Was my father going to get snagged by another hussy?

It was worth a trip outside. This was the first time I'd been out around wildlife. All of the plants at home were plastic and nonliving. I breathed in the salty air and exhaled peacefully. This wasn't too bad as long as I avoided the other kids.

I grabbed a washed-up stick, and my fingers trembled as I wrapped them around it. There was life in this stick. I could feel it flickering, and with a mere thought, I shoved energy into it and watched, fascinated, as buds grew. My connection to plants wasn't this firm in the locket world, but outside of it, I felt like…Wendy.

"You're Dolyn, right?" A girl's voice drew my attention to her, and I turned to see an adorable girl. She had strawberry blond hair tied into two pigtails with a bow. Her yellow rose dress matched the bow.

"I am," I said, looking away from her bright gray eyes. My father wasn't allowing me to carry Mr. Brutus with me. He thought I had left him at the house, but I ignored my father and snuck it into my space. This was the first social interaction I had had as Dolyn with a kid my age. Worse, this was the first interaction I had without the comforting fur of Mr. Brutus in my arms. This was hard to handle. I turned to stick my budded staff into the sand to dig around. Could I plant this into a tree? Why not try. It was better than talking to this chick.

"My father and your father are close friends." She said with pride. "Your father needs mine to make his company run."

My lips twitched into a smile. Her words sounded like a puppet's. I wonder how often she'd heard her father brag about this. I ignored her and continued to dig in the sand.

"That makes me the boss of you like my father is to your father!" The little lady said. "You can live so well because of my family." Her nose almost scooped up air because it grew so big and high.

I snorted, thoroughly enjoying her vanity. With the backing of a wealthy father it made sense to throw your weight around. I thoroughly enjoyed it within reason, but lording it over someone like this was plain childish.

"Thank you," I said before standing to beam at her.

She seemed taken aback for a moment but recovered smugly. "You're welcome."

"Yes, I have you, a random nobody whose name I don't know to thank for what I'm about to do next."

She blinked, and I watched as her smile froze in a brief moment of uncertainty. Before she could run I wiped my sandy nasty hands all over her bright expensive dress.