Call of Duty - short Story's

The lost son - John Price Pt.1

It was so hot this day.
The mall was packed with people.

I stood in the line of a food stand.
I was lost in my thoughts as I felt something bump into me.

I stumbled slightly and looked down.
Right in front of me was a little boy.
Maybe 5 or 6 years old.
With fluffy brown hair and glassy brown eyes.

He was ugly crying and looking around.
My heart ached at that sight.
I leaned down and smiled warm at him.

„Hey Buddy what's wrong?"

He looked up to me and seemed to relax a little bit seeing me smile.

„I....i got lost."

„Oh no. Are you here with your parents?"

„With my dad"

He sniffled and wiped away his tears with his little hands.
I nodded and held out my hand.

„Okay. I'm Lizzy. And you are?"

He took my hand and sniffled.

„I'm Aidan"

„Alright Aidan.
I'm gonna help you find your dad ok?"

He nodded shyly but kept holding my hand.
His hand was hot and sweaty.
I looked at him closely.
He seemed really hot and devastated.

„Hey Aidan let's get some ice cream to calm down and then you can maybe describe your dad to me"

At the word ice cream his little head shot up.
He nodded eager.

I grabbed his hand firmly and went with him over to the ice cream stand.

„Okay Aidan what do you want?"

He suddenly looked sad.

„I'm sorry Miss Lizzy but I don't have money for ice cream"

My heart almost melted at that.
I smiled warm and squeezed his hand.

„No need to this ones on me"

He smiled immediately.

„Can I get vanilla?"

„Vanilla it is"

I winked at him and ordered us some ice cream.
We walked to the side where a little less people were and I let him eat his ice cream.

He was silent the whole time.
But I could see how he calmed down and relaxed a little.
After he had finished his ice cream I leaned down to him again.

„Alright Aidan.
So how does your dad look like?"

„Uhhhmmmmm so he's really really tall, he has a big beard, he's very very strong oh and he's in the military"

He was thinking heavily.
I knew descriptions from kids could be wild.
But that really wasn't the most of information.
I looked into the crowd.
I wasn't the tallest person myself.
I thought for a moment.

„Aidan I got an idea but I need your help alright?"

I smiled warm.
He nodded.

„So you're short and I'm short.
What about I put you on my back this way we're tall and can search your dad!"

„Oh yes! I wanna be tall!"

He said excitedly.
I smiled and nodded.

„Alright get up soldier.
Mission finding dad is starting"

I joked as he climbed onto my back.

I immediately navigated us through the crowd.
His small legs were tightly wrapped around my waist. His hands holding onto my shoulders.

I pointed out random people to make sure he would look into every direction.

„What about this one?"

„Nooooooo my dad is way taller"

I smiled.
This way I got a bit more information.

I suddenly saw a man that fitted Aidan's description perfectly standing on the side.
He was looking around panicking and his face was pale.

„Hey Aidan! What about him!"

I squeezed his leg a little.
Aidan followed my look and squealed.

„That's my dad! DAD!!!!"

The man looked over to us and I could see the visible sigh he let out.
I let Aidan slip down from my back and watched him run to his dad.
I followed slowly.

„Oh my god I've been searching you everywhere"

The man said pressing Aidan against him.
As he let go Aidan turned to me and smiled.

„Mission accomplished"

I winked and gave him a high five.

„Thank you Miss Lizzy!"

He suddenly hugged me and I smiled bright.
I looked up to his dad who still looked hella stressed.

„I found him over at the food stands.
He was really devastated.
Uhm I bought him ice cream because he was really sweaty and hot I hope that was ok"

The man stared at me like he was still contemplating if I were a hallucination.
Then he snapped out of it.

„Yes yes oh sorry yes. Thank you so much. God I was so scared."

I laughed slightly.
He really didn't looked like a guy who was scared a lot.

„He's a smart kid.
I think he would have found you anyways"

I said sweet.
The man nodded and held out his hand.

„John Price. Please tell me what I can do to thank you"

I shook his hand.

„Melissa Saker. And it was nothing. I'm glad I could help."

He raised his eyebrows at my name.
He looked between me and Aidan.
Then i realised.

„Oh Lizzy is my nickname. Barely anyone calls me Melissa"

I laughed.

„Oh yeah that makes sense.
Even tho it's odd.
The most common nickname for Melissa is Missy"

„In America yes. But I'm originally from Germany."

„Ahhh that makes even more sense"

He laughed slightly.
He seemed to relax even more.

„And you're sure I can't do anything to thank you?"

„Absolutely sure.
I'm happy you two are back together. That's it"

I smiled sweet.

„Well thank you Lizzy"

He smiled warm.
I nodded and looked at Aidan who was still leaning onto me.

„Better have an eye on your dad before he gets lost again"

I said playfully and Aidan laughed loud.

„I will Miss Lizzy"

I winked at him.

„Have a nice day you two"

I smiled and waved as I walked off.

I could feel his eyes in my back.
The way he had looked at me wouldn't leave my head.
But I tried to ignore it.
He had a son and therefore probably a wife.
So I pushed the situation aside.