The Angel And The Devil

10

We run inside the dark building. Everyone switches on flashlights. It smells of stagnant
"Look in there. Quietly. Quietly." He whispers. We do so. Adrenaline kicks in and I desperately search for the dying children.
"Hey Dad. Look."
empty sweet wrappers scattered on the floor around a candle on a plate. Dad comes over and shines his beam onto the plate and touches the wick of the candle.
"This was alight moments ago."
"They're still here." He calls.
" Sweet wrappers. What's he been feeding you?"
He picks up one of the wrappers and looks at it more closely.
"Hansel and Gretel."
     Dad holds the wrapper closer to the beam of his flashlight and sniffs the paper before touching the tip of his Bob tongue to it and grimacing. He looks at the wrapper in startled realisation of what he has just tasted.
'Mercury." Oh dear Lord.
" mercury can lead to disruption of the nervous system.Damage to brain functions.DNA damage and chromosomal damage. Allergic reactions, resulting in skin rashes, tiredness and headaches.Negative reproductive effects, such as sperm damage, birth defects and miscarriages
Damaged brain functions can cause degradation of learning abilities, personality changes, tremors, vision changes, deafness, muscle incoordination and memory loss." I say.
" What?" Lestrade asks.
"The papers: they're painted with mercury.  Lethal. The more of the stuff they ate ..."
"It was killing them." Uncle John whispers.
"But it's not enough to kill them on its own. Taken in large enough quantities, eventually it would kill them. He didn't need to be there for the execution. Murder by remote control. He could be a thousand miles away. The hungrier they got, the more they ate ... the faster they died. Neat.
"Over here!" Donovan calls.
Everyone runs in the direction of her voice. She and the other officers reach down to the children.
" I've got you. Don't worry." She whispers.

The entire way to Scotland Yard I'm scared.  I don't want them to die. They shouldn't. Why them?
"Uncle."
"Yes Claudette."
"Will they die." Uncle John swallows.
"I don't know."

We get to Scotland Yard. Quickly we are taken to an office. Dad starts pacing outside an office while Uncle  John sits nearby. The door to the office opens and Donovan and Lestrade come out.
" Right, then. The professionals have finished. If the amateurs wanna go in and have their turn" Sally Spits Spitefully.
"Now, remember, she's in shock and she's just seven years old, so anything you can do to ..."
"not be myself."
"Yeah. Might be helpful."  Dad is let inside.
Literally less than 10 seconds after Dad is hauled out with screaming in the background. what did he do? Show her his smile.
"Claudette."
"Mmm. " I say.
"Can you try. Your a girl. " really? Never knew.
"Sure ill try."

I'm let into the office. Claudette dos is sitting next to a woman who is stroking her hand. The girl looks up at me, as does the woman .
"Hello." I say and awkwardly sit on the edge of the booth. "Mine names Claudette too!" She nods a little. "I heard something bad happened to you today. Do you know what?" She shakes her head. "Do you know who?" She shakes her head. "Do you know why it happened. " She shakes her head.
"A tall man came and took me and my brother.  He took us."
"what did he look like?"
"The man before. Big. Scary." Scary.
"Anything else?"
"Do you know where my brother is?"
"He's er being looked after by nice people.  They are going to make him better."
"Promise."
"Pinky promise." She nods a little and I leave the room. At least she didn't scream this time.

Dad's starring at the window. I sit in another office chair, swinging my legs and spinning.
" Makes no sense." Uncle John says.  Lestrade nods.
"The kid's traumatised. Something about Sherlock reminds her of the kidnapper. Hasn't uttered another syllable. Her brothers  unconscious; still in intensive care." I sit up.
"She said to me um something about um Dad looking like the kidnapper. She's um worried about her  brother.  She said that Dad looked like the kidnapper big and scary." Lestrade jots this down.

Dad's still silent. Surly he can't feel that bad.
"Well, don't let it get to you. I always feel like screaming when you walk into a room! In fact, so do most people. Come on." Lestrade gestures to Uncle John who follows him out the room.
Donovan  stays behind. Dad turns away from the window and walks towards the door.
" Brilliant work you did, finding those kids from just a footprint. It's really amazing."
" Thank you?"
" Unbelievable."

Dad exits and leaves me and Donovan alone.
"I'm gonna go." I say. Donovan hesitates.
"You know Claudette, don't trust him. It's a mistake."
"What's that supposed to mean?" I whisper.
"I mean don't trust him. He kidnapped those kids. Don't you see!"
I shake my head and swallow.
"Yes I do. Of course I see. I see the truth."
"Good." She sighs.
"Your just so blinded you see the lie."
With that I push away the chair. In my corner vision I see
I O U
Flash up on the building opposite.  I stop and look. Then it's gone.