"Why?" Prudence lets go of Miss Brigham.
"I'm afraid you'd have to ask him. He only said something terrible happened between you two and this was for your own good. Now he's sent me here to bring you back home at last."
Prudence doesn't know what to say. She doesn't want to see Reverend Crane, but she doesn't want to stay in this cell for another six years. "I'll go with you," she says.
"Excellent. You've made a very wise choice, dear." Miss Brigham reaches into a pocket of her dress to produce a bag. "I've brought you a little treat. You must be terribly hungry for some decent food after so long."
The bag contains three muffins, still warm and fresh. Prudence devours one in a single bite. The muffin tastes sweeter than anything she can remember. By the time she finishes the third one, she notices how loose her dress feels and how much taller Miss Brigham seems. She holds up a hand to her face, watching it shrink before her eyes.
"What happen?" she asks in a child's whimper.
"I'm sorry, dear. I didn't want to trick you this way, but Reverend Crane thought it best. You don't have to worry, I'm going to raise you like my own sweet little daughter. Before long, this will all seem like a bad dream."
Prudence tries to run away, but she gets only a few steps before her legs turn wobbly and she collapses to the ground. When she tries to get up, she finds her legs have become too small and weak to support her. Her scream comes out as a gurgle, her tiny mouth unable to form words anymore.
Miss Brigham kneels down beside her, taking out a white gown from her dress. She pulls the gown over Prudence and then smiles down at her. "You're such an adorable little baby." She touches Prudence's nose with one finger.
Prudence wants to escape, wants to fight back, but she can't. She's helpless, as she always has been.