Zodiac Zero

Chapter One: 🌸The Thief🌸

"Reality is wrong. Dreams are for real." - Tupac Shakur 

Every time I think back to the moment that change my life forever I see a pathetic girl. She could've run. She should have saw through that man's bull shit. I was a very naive child. Yes my parents always told me don't take candy from strangers, or don't talk to strangers. But I was seven how was I to know he was a bad man. How was I to know I would never see my family again. Looking back now I wished I'd stayed home that day.

November 17, 2007: The day I was stolen.

My shoes hit the wooden stairs as I speed to the front room. I quickly hide before my brother can catch me. I hide behind the couch making sure my legs are tucked close to me. We always play hide and seek before we go to school. It's a tradition of ours. And he always wins.

"Ready or not here I come." he shouts from up stairs. Killian is my older brother by exactly one year so he's only eight. We have the same birthday day. My mom says it's a miracle. Both of our zodiac signs are Leo.

"Killian , Amoré come on or you guys will be late for school." I stand up and walk to the kitchen. I make sure to grab my teddy from off the couch. I go every with it. Teddy's my favorite thing in the entire world. Seconds later Killian comes running in.

"Aw mom but we just started playing." I wine. She hands us our book bags and kissed us on the cheek.

"I know honey but maybe tomorrow you guys will have more time to play." She smiles.

"Okay." Killian and I say in unison. 

"Now hurry up before you miss the bus." She pushes us out the door.

We both run towards the big yellow bus. But of course Killian gets there first like always. My brother and I are pretty close but when we're at school he seems to forget about me. Not that I care or anything he has his friends and I have mine. He goes to the back of the bus while I stay in the front. I'm what most people call a loner. Most of the girls think Im weird because I carry my teddy every where. And the boys just don't acknowledge my existence. Except for one, my best friend James. I sit down next to him and we talk about The Tom and Jerry show. James is like my second brother. We met in the first grade and we have been best friends ever since.

My brother has no problem with make friends . When he walks into a room everyone falls in love with him. The bus stops in front of the school. All of the students start heading off. James and I wait patiently and get out last. Our teachers name is Mrs. Jacobs she's really nice and she brings snacks sometimes. She and the librarian are the nicest people in the school.

I go to my desk in front of the classroom. Pretty much all of the students are in the room already.

"When I call your name raise your hand." She says everyones name then we all head out for breakfast. Since I'm in third grade in my brother is in fourth we're in different classes. The lunch room was already filled with chattering children.

Every morning James has to go to the nurses office so he misses out on breakfast. We get the choice to eat breakfast or play outside. Seeing that I don't have many friends, I usually play outside. I head out to the play ground. I start swinging on one of the swings. There are about ten students outside including myself. Someone snatches my teddy out of my hands. I quickly stop the swing.

"This thing looks as horrible as you." Lucy says. Lucy has been my bully since kindergarten. Even though she has the biggest crush on my brother, she hates me. She's part of the reason all of the girls don't like me.

"Give it back."

"You want it back," She looks at me with a smirk."go fetch." She throws teddy across the fence. She then laughs and walks away. No one helps me they just finish playing. I turn around and walk to the other side of the fence. I look everywhere but I can't find him. I've had him since I was three.

"Whats wrong little one." A man in a superman hat says.

"I can't find my teddy."

"Do you want me to bring you to teddy." I take a step closer to him but I remember mom said don't go with strangers.

"I can't go with you, you're a stranger." He looks around thinking for a moment.

"I'm not a stranger. I'm superman and I protect and save those in need. So little one do you want me to take you to teddy." I silently think for a minute. Mom said don't go with strangers. Superman is not a stranger. Right? I shake my head yes. Superman is a hero he can help me find teddy. He takes my hand and leads me towards a grey car. He picks me up and places me in the back seat. He then gets in the front. I look around  but I can't seem to find teddy anywhere.

"Mr. Superman where is teddy?"

"Little one he's right here." He covers my mouth with a white towel. I try to scream but everything goes black before I can.

~~~~

Stupid right. I just want to yell at my seven year old self, for being so naïve. If she had just forgotten about the stupid bear things would have turn out differently. Even though she was the one to walk into that man's trap, I blame Lucy the most. That bully got me into this mess. You know what they say. Karma's a bitch. And I hope karma punches that bitch in the face. I know at the time she was a kid too, but she also was a bully. I will never again trust anyone. Trust is for the naïve. And naïve I will not be.