"Sophie. Soophie, hey there princess." I stumble out of the window sill and step into the little girls room. She sits up and rubs her eyes, "mhmm, who are you?" I smile crookedly and respond, " oh sweetie I'm your friend, you don't remember me? I was outside your window last week. Oh but that doesn't matter now. But hey I heard it's someone's birthday tomorrow. How old are you going to be? Hmmm twelve?" I pick up the girl and twirl he in the air, like she's flying, she chuckles softly and said "no! I'm not twelve yet!" I make a confused face and smile, " are you.... Ten? Or eleven?" She starts to laugh and quietly speaks," no! I'm six! You should know that! Your my friend!" I chuckle and hug the girl, " yeah! Where best friends for ever! And I got a gift for your birthday! I hear you like princesses, and I know your one right?" She smiles, " yeah but don't tell anyone! I don't want them to know yet! I'm gonna wait until I'm and adult! So I can rule a castle! So don't tell!" I pretend to zip my lips and throw away the key, " I won't tell but here," I put the girl down and tell her to close her eyes, I place a tiny tiara on her head and turn her to her mirror. "Look Sophie, your a real princess!" She started to jump up and down excitedly, after a few moments of pretending I was her royal butler, I turn to her and say, "hey I just remembered something! I have a cake at my house, want to come over? I promise I won't tell your parents you were up past your bed time, I don't want you to get in trouble!" She agreed, a picked her up and jumped out the window. Eleven problems? My my I think I have lost count.
Yesterday was Sophie's birthday, and just a moment I heard a knock on the door. It was Marcie and Paul, her mother and father. Her mother was in tears, "please, please have you seen Sophie? She's gone! Oh please!"
"Sophie? Oh my heaven what happened! Little baby Sophie that rides her trike out in the front? Oh my... I haven't oh my," as I finish my sentence Paul grabs my shirt and starts screaming, "you did this you know where she is! What did you do? Who took her! Answer me damn it!" He is still a good foot shorter than me but I act concerned, to help sell the mood.
" Paul! Let him go, Paul!" She starts to tug at her husbands shirt and he finally lets go. Filth trying to scare me, like he owns me. "Oh my, I'm so sorry! We have been so frantic! Please don't be insulted!" Marcie cries. "Oh no heavens no it's fine, uh please come in, the parlor is to the right I'm going to see what I can do," as I invite them in prize comes down the stairs and walks over to me. " is he another kid you took for your filthy pleasure? You have my Sophie don't you, monster!" Marcie gasps and I turn with a sad expression, " I'm not a monster..." I whisper. Filth. instinctively my love grabs my hand, he knows I'm going to snap, and he speaks, firm and angry, " he's not a monster, he's mine, he didn't take me, he's mine. Your the real monster! All he's doing is trying to help and you attack him, why don't you just leave? Really just leave!" To my surprise he's actually crying, he tightened his grip on my hand and started to cry on my arm, I pick him up and try to soothe him, 'it's ok love' I whisper. "I'm so sorry, um...." Marcie pauses. I continue "it's quite alright... I'm ... Tec, this is... Pre, well prize. I'm sorry that I can't do much, but can I make flyers? Or help fund the search? I can make you dinner." Marcie tears up, " no sweetie, we have done enough harm, we couldn't ask of anything," they both start to leave, and she kicks her husband out the door.
I rub the back of my little boys head, and rock him back and forth, he starts crying, " you-your not a-a monsterrrr!" " it's ok my prize, I'm ok, stop crying, this is a dry clean shirt, can't get this so wet, jeez babe. Ruining my shirt again!" He starts to laugh. Everything will better now.
