The Cray's

Gathering The Victim

"Are you ready sweety?" Mom asked. She looked really nervous. Dad thought of the idea and mapped out the plan but that didn't help. They wanted me to lure victims away so they could take them home. No one would suspect a cute little kid to be the murderers' assistant.I was dressed in a pretty purple dress that went down to my knees. The skirt was full, like a tu-tu and it had sequins all over. My long brown hair was in pig tails with ribbons tied in a perfect bow.

Dad told me the type of person to look for. He said it didn't matter how big they were or how old as long as they looked alone. I scanned the crowd looking for someone. I easily spotted a little girl standing in the ball pit. She just stood in the corner staring at the other children throwing plastic, colored balls at each other. She looked too skinny and had dark purple circles under her eyes. Suddenly she whipped her gaze towards me as if she felt my stare. My knees almost gave out. I turned to see where my parents were sitting, trying to avoid small talk with the other parents. Dad gave me an encouraging smile and made shooing motions with his hands. I turned back around to see an empty ball pit. I searched the playplace confused. I was at the top of one of the slides when I finnally saw her. She was in the bounce house. I slid down the slide and was on my way to the bounce house when I got yanked back.

"This is not play time Rhyan," my dad whispered in my ear angrily. I wriggled in his tight grasp on my arm. I could see the girl looking at me with a weird expression on her face. Was that pity?

"Dad let me go!" I dug my nails into his hand but he just laughed. He followed my line of sight and saw the girl before he let me go. I ran to the jumphouse quickly so she wouldn't get away this time. Once I got there I had to think fast.

If I just grabbed her people would stare. I had to make a distraction... A light bulb went off. I slipped to the back of the bounce house where all the cords were. I squated down to the bottom of the house and grabbed my shoe knife. I stared at the spot I was going to hit and pulled my arm back. In a quick motion I stabbed the surface make air explode from the puncture. I ran up to the front quickly and jumped in before the kids all started screaming and running to the flap. I looked around and found the girl cowering in the corner. She didn't look panicked. I bounced to her and grabbed her arm.

"I'm Rhyan. I'll help you get out," I spoke calmly. She nodded her head with the same expressionless look on her face. I took my knife out again and cut a new flap in the netting. I hopped out first landing on all fours and then turned to help the girl down. She jumped just as easily as I did and didn't need help. We walked out into a clear area and I made contact with my dad. He gave me an approving look and then walked out to the door.

"Where are your mommy and daddy," I said in a baby voice. She gave me a funny look. "Why are you talking like that?" I was surprised. Mom and Dad always told me to talk like that around people because that was normal for my age. I almost laughed and was relieved that this girl was different. She didn't answer so I just took that as a 'not here' but to be sure I scanned the room trying to look for a set of parents looking for a child. Everyone was still making a fuss about the bounce house so I grabbed her arm and ran out the door.

"So what's your name?" I asked just as my dad pulled up with the truck. She hesitated before answering. Mom came out the door behind us with the rope bundled under her arm.

"Alessa."