Hide and seek

"-10- Ok mommy! Here I come!!" 5 year old Aiden ran through the house looking in every corner, cupboard and closet. He loved playing hide-n-seek, especially with his mom. His favourite time to play was when his older sisters were at school and daddy was at work so it was just him and mom. He navigated through the hallways and found his way to the bathroom. "Mommy I know where you are!" Aiden giggled turning the corner a little to fast. His feet slipped out from under him and sent him crashing to the floor face first. He let out a wail and soon his mom came quickly to his side.

"Oh dear, oh dear oh dear." His mother said inspecting the crying boy. She pushed the dark curly hair out of his eyes and picked him up. " I think I'll have to call the doctor!"

"Nooooooooo" Aiden screamed.

"Maybe he'll have to chop your head off and give you a new one!" She said starting to laugh. Aiden started giggling too.

"Ok you wanna keep playing?" She asked poking Aiden in belly.

"Yes!" Aiden cheered "you go hide again!" Suddenly there was a loud crash in the kitchen. Aiden clung to his mother. "What was that?"

"Um... it was nothing dear, you go hide in your room. Lock the door, and don't come out until I say ok?" Aiden nodded his head. "Ok Aiden listen to me, I love you. Remember mommy always love you" she pulled him into a hug and kissed his nose.

"I love you to mommy!" Aiden yelled

"Shhh be quiet, run along and go hide now, be very quiet"

"Ok mommy" Aiden whispered. He tiptoed to his room and locked the door. He crawled into his closet and buried himself in the clothes at the bottom. He listened for his mother. Instead he heard yelling and a loud bang followed by screaming "mommy!" Aiden gasped.

"Come out Come out wherever you are" a rough voice called throughout the house. "Come on little fella, were not gonna hurt you!" Doors started slamming open down the hallway. "Where are you, you little runt?!" The man sounded angry. The door to Aiden's room started shaking.

"Boss!" A different voice yelled "this ones locked" heavy footsteps grew louder as they walked down the hallway. The whole door started to shake. Aiden buried himself further and further into the closet.

"Stand back, I'm gonna shoot it" the first voice declared. There was a loud bang then the door flew open "alright little man, you like playing hide and seek? Well here I come" Aiden choked back a scream. He didn't know what to do, he laid still in the closet while the men dug around his room. "If I was a little boy, where would I hide?" The man asked himself.

"Boss, shhhh." The second voice said. "Let me try something. This always works with Cindy at home." Aiden listened carefully. "Hmmmm let's see where could Aiden be?" The mans voice sounded playful, like a dad trying to play. "Is he under the blanket?!" Aiden could hear the blanket being ripped off his bed. "Nope not under there, maybe... in the toy box!" Aiden started to giggle "nope, hmmm he sure is good at this game! Wait! I know where he could be! Under the bed!" The man hit the floor "No! Where in the world is Aiden?!" Aiden started laughing "Hold on!" The man went silent "Do you hear that? I think I know where Aiden is!" Aiden stopped laughing and began to panic. Foot steps came closer to the closet, Aiden felt the tears again, he pulled his shirt up over his face. The closet door was flung open. A man started to dig through the clothes Aiden was hiding in.

"Hurry up!" The first man shouted "The rest will be home soon! We gotta go!"

"I can't find him!" The second man said.

"Forget about him! Grab the stuff and let's go!" The mans hand was just inches from Aidens foot, Aiden held his breath and didn't move a muscle.

"Fine." The man said before pulling his arm out of the closet. He shut the door and left the room. Aiden listened carefully. A few minutes passed then the front door slammed shut. Aiden didn't dare move. He laid in the bottom of his closet and cried himself to sleep.

"Aiden!!" Aidens eyes snapped open. Someone was calling his name. He started to move but then remembered the men who had been in his house. He froze and listened again. "Aiden!! Where are you?! Say something!" Aiden recognized the voice. It belonged to his father. Aiden began to yell for his dad and dig himself out of the closet. "Aiden?! Is that you? Where are you buddy?!" Aidens father yelled frantically "Are you ok?!" Aiden ran out of his room and into the kitchen, his father bent down and Aiden ran into his arms. "I've got him girls" Aidens dad yelled to his sisters. They came racing down the stairs. Aidens dad carried him into the living room and sat him down on the couch. "Are you hurt?" Aiden shook his head. "What happened?"

"Where's mommy?" Aiden asked, his voice was shaky. His dad pulled him back into a hug.

"I-I'm sorry Aiden." He took a deep breath "mommys in Heaven now." Aiden started to cry, he hugged his dad tighter. "It's o-ok buddy, can you tell me what happened?"

"W-we-we were p-p-playing hide-n-seek." Aiden sobbed out. "Th-there was a loud sound. Mommy-" Aiden broke down again and had to stop talking.

"It's ok buddy let it out" his dad said rubbing his back. "When your ready" Aiden cried for a few minutes before he could talk again.

"She sent me to my room. I locked the door. There was another loud sound. Then they were looking for me. They almost found me daddy!" Aiden started to cry again and cuddled into his fathers lap.

"Who almost found you?" His father asked, fighting his grip around Aiden.

"The bad guys." Aiden choked out. "There was two of them. They almost got me." Aiden couldn't talk anymore. His dad didn't ask anymore questions and his sisters silently left the room.