Alignments

Chapter 3

"Mama!" The little boy shouted. "Mama!"

"What is it, honey?"

"Come and look." The woman wiped her hands on the towel and left out of the kitchen.

"What is it?" The little boy looked out of the front window. "Sweetie, what's wrong?"

"Why is the little girl there by herself?"

"What?"

"The little girl? She's over there." The woman sighed and put her hands on her hips.

"Baby, I have told you that there's no one over there. That family moved two weeks ago."

"No, mommy she's over there. Look." The woman looked through the window at the house across the street and saw an empty, dark house.

"I told you, there's no one over there." The woman stood back up and looked at her son. His face twisted up in uncertainty.

"Can we go check?"

"Why are you so convinced that there's someone over there?"

"Because I saw her mommy." The woman sighed as her son looked up at her. "Can we check, please?" The little boy's eyes spoke to her.

"Fine, but you stay here. I'll go check." She put the dishcloth down and opened the front door. "Stay here. I mean it."

"Yes, ma'am." The woman walked down her front steps and headed across the street. It was dark out, so she made sure to check all her surroundings as she approached the house. She went up the stairs and approached the door. When she did, she immediately felt uneasy after seeing that the door wasn't fully closed. She knocked lightly and pushed the door open.

"Hello." She stepped in. "Is anyone in here?" Going further inside, she was hit with a foul smell. "Hello." As she continued on, she stepped on something. She bent down to pick it up and realized it was a doll. "Oh my god." She whispered to herself. Instantly something clicked in her and she went running through the house. "Hello!" She looked through every room downstairs. She opened the closets and still didn't find anyone, but she now felt it in her gut that someone was here.

The anxiety rose in her as she continued to go around the house. She was now worried about what the foul smell was. When she started searching upstairs, she looked in the bathroom, and realized that's where the smell was coming from. The toilet was full and there was also newspaper on the floor next to a pile of clothes and tissue. Closing the door, she continued her search. She looked around the upstairs rooms and saw they were empty. All the anxiety she felt was overwhelming her, as approached the last room.

Opening the door, her heart fell. This room was fully furnished for a child; a little girl. There was a small twin bed, a dresser, a little vanity and toys. A little girl definitely lived there, but she didn't see anyone. Looking over at the closet, she approached it slowly. She opened it and heard soft whimpers. Pushing over a pile of clothes, she saw a dirty, little girl curled up in a ball. "Oh my god." The little girl was shaking. She couldn't have been any more than seven. "Sweetie, come here." The girl didn't move. "It's okay. I won't hurt you." The woman immediately thought of something. "Are you hungry?" The girl moved. "Do you want something to eat? We have a lot of food." She moved closer. "You can come with me and...." She held the doll up. "...you can bring your doll. We can get both of you cleaned up and do your hair. How does that sound?" The girl moved a little. "I promise I won't hurt you." The little girl jumped into the woman's arms. "I got you."

The woman ran down the stairs and out of the house. "Walter!" She ran back to her house. "Walter!" A man came from a different room.

"What is it?"