The Day They Disappeared

20 Years Later

I felt my pockets to make sure I had everything. I felt my wallet, keys, and phone. I panicked and felt around again before calming myself down as soon as I felt the hard metal pocket knife in my pocket. Even after 20 years I still carried a weapon on me at all times. I had let go of many fears but one still stuck to me like a leech for so many years.

I bent down and kissed my wife, Lydia, as she stirred sugar into her cup of coffee. "I will call you on my way home."

"Lucas has a baseball game tonight. It's at Wright Middle Field. Don't forget."

"I won't. Have I ever?" I grinned and bent down to kiss my son, Lucas, on the top of his head. "Have a good day at school, buddy."

I quickly walked to the door.

"Will?"

I swung around and met my wife's concerned gaze.

"Yes?"

"You have been making yourself paranoid lately. Calm down, please. I don't want you to get hurt because you weren't paying attention to what was going on around you."

"I will be paying attention."

"To the wrong things."

I nodded and inhaled deeply. "I will be alright."

"They will get her again. She is crazy and has been on medications that have messed up her brain for years. She probably doesn't even know who you are or what she did anymore. It's just a matter of time."

I turned away. "I know. I love you. See you later."

I heard Lydia sigh as I shut the heavy front door.

~~~~

"I'm on my way home from work but I'm going to stop and see my parents I think. I will make it to Lucas' baseball game, I promise. I will only be a little bit."

I told my wife that I loved her and turned right onto a worn out, grass covered road leading to nowhere. I parked my car near the treeline and walked far into the overgrowth.

The old Pine Park stood there in the middle of all the years of growth. It was rusted out and worn down. I walked around aimlessly before sitting at the edge of what used to be the park sandbox. I ran my fingers through the mix of old sand, dirt, grass, leaves, and insects.

"I'm sorry Lucas," I spoke sadly with tears filling my eyes.

I ran my fingers through the sandbox and wondered how things could have been. Lucas and I would have graduated from high school and likely gone to the same college. We would grow up and get married and have kids and our kids could be best friends.

I sighed and wiped tears away, standing up.

"Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything to him."

I whipped around and stared at the rusted out, beat down swing set. The creak of the old chains filled my ears and the sight of a girl in a tattered white dress and unkempt blonde hair filled my vision.

"I'm paranoid. I'm going crazy."

"You know I hate that word," Her words were filled with venom and came out as a low hiss.

"No, no, this cannot be happening."

"You always did have a believing heart. A strong heart. But a stupid heart all the same."

The girl stood up from the broken swing and began to walk towards me.

"Ali?"

"I've looked better, I know. But you, Will, you have never looked better. It is so nice to see you again."