Surgeon

Chapter Three (Dan)

     It is 2023 now. I am 23. Funny how that worked out, hm? I have a ten year old niece named Gabriella. I adopted her when she was only four. Her father left before she was born, and her mother, my sister, was unstable.
     I was just sitting on the couch, reading. I had been feeling a deep state of melancholy for the past few days and I felt bad for it, since I had not spent a lot of time with Gabriella. I planned to take her for ice cream that day. Eventually, by the time it was the end of the school day, I drove to her school, feeling sort of blank. I did not realize it, but it was the ninth anniversary of my parents' brutal death, which is probably why I had been so depressed lately without there seeming to be any reason.
     I arrived at the school, and noticed a tall woman with long blond hair taking two children out of the school. She seemed to be holding onto the boy's hand tightly, but not the girl's. I didn't know any better, I just thought he may just be a badly behaved kid or something. The look in the mother's eyes, though... it was something different. I didn't pay much attention, though, because Gabriella was coming out of the school. I got out and held the door for her, then got back in the car.

     "Hey, Gaby! How was school?" I asked, trying to sound excited. I did not want my bad mood to ruin a good day.

     "It was okay, but my friend Carson went home with this girl named Lily and her mom." She says, sounding a bit confused. "He seemed like he didn't know anything about it. The mom was in a rush for something, too."

     "Oh really?" I questioned her as I started the car. Could this be the mom I saw earlier? "What did the mom look like?"

     She thought for a moment. "She had long blond hair, and a red dress. She was dressing strangely formal. I think here eyes were, like, almost yellow. Like a very light orange."

     As she described the mother to me I grew suspicious. This description fit the woman I saw earlier but I decided not to make a big deal. I started driving the two of us off to get ice cream.
     We ended up seeing their car, as they drove past the ice cream shop we were in. The son, he was looking out the window with an almost scared face. This face, though, could always just be mistaken for anger... possibly anger that he was denied a trip to the ice cream shop, or something like that.
     Gabriella ordered a strawberry ice cream with extra sprinkles, as she does every time we get ice cream, and I ordered vanilla bean with caramel. We sat on a picnic bench and started eating.

Gabriella looked up. "Wasn't it weird that the woman was holding onto Carson so tightly? I mean, he didn't do anything bad and that woman isn't even his mom..." She looked a bit worried. I mean, I would be too if this was happening.

     I was starting to get suspicious of that woman. She was definitely not just taking this kid to a playdate. I didn't know if I should call the police. I mean, I didn't really see the license plate, but I could possibly describe the car or something...
     I decided 911 was the best option. I pulled out my phone and dialed, getting more worried by the second.
     As I talked to the operator I grew more worried. I realized how obvious it is that this situation was worse than I had thought. I continued talking to the operator until an officer arrived, and asked me some questions. I hung up and started to answer, glancing at Gabriella, seeing how worried she was. She looked just as worried at fourteen year old me...