I am not a bad guy, they made me like this. I come across as a family looking man that is what makes it so easy, they never suspect me or see it coming. They are all too busy on their phones, sucked into another world and forgetting this one. They don’t deserve them, the innocent. Why should they be stuck with someone who doesn’t love them? I have to intervene, I have to do something. I usually wait around at the play structure, or the mall depending on the day. Sometimes it is as easy as a trip to the store. It amazes me how they could care less about something they love. I would never do that, but everyone must learn the hard way. The news always gets it wrong, I am not sick, I am not deranged. They still don’t have a face or name, that shows you they don’t pay attention. I have met some of them, they have seen my face, we even had a conversation every now and then. It’s like they want me to keep doing it.
I saw her in a red puffy jacket, blonde hair, blue eyes spinning around by herself on one of the play structure’s steel merry go rounds, I remember those as a kid, I’m surprised this structure still had them. She was laughing as though she was playing with an imaginary friend. Her mom is close physically, but far mentally talking on her phone, ignoring her. She was a bad mom, a lot of them are. I approached the child, I could see her full of life and introduced myself. I kept an eye out the side to see if her mom would protect her, like a lion and a cub, but nope she was still on that phone. I was begging her to turn and look and say something to save her from me.
“Excuse me” I smiled. “I am looking for my son, have you seen him?” She gazed at me confused.
“No I haven’t” I began to walk away slowly like a sad dog waiting for her to stop me. “What does he look like?” She asked curiously as they usually do.
“His about your age 8 or 9”
“I’m 10” She corrected me.
“I’m sorry”
“It’s okay” I moved in closer as I glanced over my shoulder to see if the mom was watching, I mean the woman doesn’t deserve the name mom.
“He has brown hair and wears glasses” I said testing my acting skills as I got teary.
“What’s his name?” I looked up at her as I paused.
“Matt” I spoke softly.
“I’ll help you find him” She said sincerely
I exclaimed softly “thank you, I think he might have gone to the parking lot looking for my car, I parked a ways from here, maybe he got lost.”
“I’ll ask my mom if she has seen him.”
“No that’s okay” my heart beating fast worried she might run off. “I’ll go by myself. I don’t want to scare anyone.” My acting skills improved as I began to step away. Just when I headed towards the parking lot, I heard
“Wait!” as she ran up beside me. I smiled looking towards her mom to see if she caught on, but instead she had taken a seat on the bench head down probably texting. Before we search we should probably leave a note for you mom. “Here” I said reaching into my breast pocket, “let’s not disturb you mom while she is on the phone, just put this on the merry go around.
“Okay” she said as she ran off. We then headed to the end of the parking lot when I stopped.
“You know what” I placed my hand under my chin thinking. “He probably is waiting for me in the car. I don’t remember where I parked.” I look even more distressed. “If you see a white van with covers on the back windows let me know.” I put my finger up matching my eyebrows. I saw her pace around searching, even though I knew where it was and how close she was. In my head I was saying “warmer….warmer…”
“Here it is!” she exclaimed. I was getting nervous, but I had to keep up the act just in case someone was paying attention. It’s easy for them to believe she is mine and we are looking for our car.
“Great!” I said as she tried to see through the curtains.
“I don’t see anyone” she peered in.
“Of course the curtains are in the way silly.” I chuckled as I walked up behind her. “Well he usually hides in the bottom to try to scare me” I grinned. “Ugh…I can’t fit back there, do you mind checking in the back?” I asked politely. She looked scared, as she should.
“I’m not allowed to get in strangers’ cars ,” she hesitated.
“You’re right I’ll try and fit and you can watch on the other side to see if he comes running out.”
“Okay!” her eyes lit up and her trust in me came back. I pretended to search before I gave up. I exhaled as I got out of the car.
“He isn’t there” I got out and exhaled with disappointment as I shut the car door. She ran around to my side of the door looking like a sad puppy. “Well thanks for helping me, I don’t have anything to give you but if you want I can get you some Mcdonalds?” I said confidently as I placed my hands on my hip. “Then we can come back and see if he is at the park.”
“I can’t” she hesitated again.
“I left a note for your mom, that you were helping me find him, remember?” I laughed. “Come on, we will be right back, I have to come back for my son, I can’t leave him” I said with reassurance. “Then I’ll introduce you two” I began to kneel to eye level with her “You might like him” I said with a crooked smile. “We can bring him back something too.” She got excited as I opened the car door and she slowly climbed in falling for my set up. I closed the door carefully so not to make it obvious she wasn’t mine to take. We drove off, doors locked as I played some music.
She didn’t know what was in store, what her faith would be, until we passed Mcdonalds. “Don’t worry I go to one that’s better, one that Michael likes” I realized I slipped, but it was too late. I saw the light from her eyes fade as she looked puzzled. I could already feel her body turn cold and pale before I did anything.
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“Okay Melinda I have to go. I’ll call you when I get back to the house.” I hung up the phone as I headed towards the’ play structure. I didn’t realize how hard it was to see with the trees in the way. I didn’t hear anything, only saw an old couple walk by. “Alice” I said as I got closer. I pierced at every piece of structure on the playground looking underneath the bridge. “Alice!” I yelled in the tunnel, no response. I then walked towards the basketball court. My heart began to skip a beat. “Calm down” I said to myself, she’s probably in the bathroom. I told her to let me know when she is leaving the structure. “Alice!” I banged on the bathroom door, no response. I start to panic as I saw the merry go round still rotating as I made my way to it, I saw a piece of paper lying down, I picked it up and as I began to read it, my hand started to shake:
“I took her because you didn’t love her, not as much as me.”