In The Long Run

In The Long Run

A NOVEL

　

Raylene Rios

　

Dedicated to the number one guy in my life:

My Dad

　

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Prologue:

　

Six year old Bailee Mayer was sitting in the back of her mom's black Corbett, with her bubblegum-pink balloon in one small hand, and her Hello Kitty purse in the other.

"Honey, Kat wanted to be here with you, but, well it's Kace's birthday, too...and you know how much he means to her." Hendra, Bailey's mother, said trying to cheer her up. She had spent the whole day trying to do just that; taking a trip to the small ice cream parlor and to the beautiful city park where they chased the birds. They were on their way to pick up a gift at the new Toy Store across the street.

She was glad Bail was only six and nothing older than that, so she wouldn't understand the pain of rejection. Especially, by her own sister.

She looked through the rearview mirror, taking a glance at her. Bailey just stared out the window and nodded her head. Then, she snapped her head up to her mother and spoke.

"Plus, there'll be lots and lots of birthdays! Right mommy?" She said, expectantly. Hendra laughed lightly and replied.

"That's right, sweety. Kat is only missing one of those." Bailey turned her attention back to the window, and it's secrets that they held. The dragon she saw a second ago was now waving at her. She waved back and smiled.

It suddenly began to rain, lightly at first, then a heavy fall. She unbuckled her seatbelt, to get a better view and pressed her nose against the window. The dragon laughed and made a funny face, as she pulled away and made one, too. He laughed even harder and flew away, his giant blue tail following right after.

"Bye, dragon..." She muttered, waving a small goodbye. She hated it when her friends left her like that. She began tracing the little raindrops on the now freezing window.

It was a race. Whichever raindrop made it to the bottom first, won. The winner will win a special coin, that will open the gates to a beautiful far away kingdom and will then, be crowned King of Raindrops.

She smiled and began the judging. "One, two, three!" She squealed in excitement and delight. They raced down so fast, it was too difficult to choose who the winner was.

Well, she thought to herself, you can all be winners! You will all be kings and queens!"

A smile spread across her delicate face as she positioned her small hands in her lap, never letting go of her pink birthday balloon.

Hendra took one last glance at the rearview mirror and noticed something wrong.

"Bailey, your seatbelt!" She came to a stop at a red light and reached over to buckle it. She was midway fixing it, when Bailey's small blue eyes went wide.

"MOMMY LOOK OUT!!! She turned her head to find a red truck swiveling towards their way.

It was way too close. There was no way she could drive away fast enough.

She reached over and threw her arms tightly around her daughter. Then, the only thing that she could hear and see, was the screaming of her birthday girl and then total darkness.