Nightmare Stew

Missing Persons

"Laura Collins, my sweet baby girl, has brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen on the corner of Maple and Blackwood St. Please be on the lookout as she is only 4 years old" read the missing persons flier.

I picked up the discarded flier, which was understandably tossed away, as it must have been at least 8 years old. I believe it was torn from the sheer strength of the wind today. Not delightful weather might I add. It's unbearably frigid, yet this poster brings back a forgotten memory.

I shudder as the people walk through me, as if I'm not even there; I'll be honest, I don't know why I'm here. I'm not supposed to associate with my past jobs, but Laura, she really stuck out to me. I don't remember her at all, but I should. Sure I've been doing this for Satan knows how long, but I should still remember.

Then it hits me. I know why I don't remember Laura Collins.

*flashback begins if you couldn't already tell*

Becca and John were infomercial ready parents, with everything in line. They loved their daughter so dearly, or that is what I gathered from watching. Each morning, Becca ,John, and Laura would go for a walk which started in their backyard and looped through the picturesque forest down-back. The walk was drop-dead gorgeous, with tall aspen trees surrounding a narrow dirt path. This was a ritual for the three, only disturbed on the day I followed them.

Let it be known that my jobs aren't often false alarms, so following the family could only lead to one thing. That "one-thing" was the most hellish sight I had ever laid my eyes on.

Motive or reason was unbeknownst to me. As the family rounded a particularly rounded corner, I froze, watching John grab a sizable river stone and bring it over his daughter's head. One. Two. Three. Four. Five times. Five times he brought his rage upon his own. Becca stood emotionless as blood spattered onto her face.

There she lay, young Laura, bludgeoned to death by her own father as her mother stood by to watch. I left immediately, not being able to recall whether or not Laura came with me.

*end of flashback*

As I stand with the flier in hand, I can't help but catch a glimpse of Becca in John in their utopian bubble of a household, staring at a continuously ringing phone. Out of sheer curiosity, I listen in.

Becca picked up the phone and moments later, the only distinguishable thing that I heard was her saying to her husband, "I thought you checked for a pulse."

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I am sporadically given free time and sleep so these will come out when they can :D

<3 ideas and critiques are welcome below :D