After the next few days, Marie noticed that Sally wasn't acting herself. She wasn't smiling as brightly as she did. She wasn't chipper, or spoke with the same amount of happiness. Marie took ahold of the child's hand before she left to play with her friends, and took her aside. Sally looked up at her mother with a confused look."Honey, are you feeling okay?" She asked, kneeling down to be at the child's hight. Sally stared at her idly, and slowly began to weep. Her mother widened her eyes in confusion.
"Sally?"
"M-mama... I... I didn't want t-to..." The girl managed to say through hiccuping sobs.
"Didn't want to do what sweetie?"
"I-I.. I didn't want t-to play... I didn't want to play his g-game..." The child looked up at her mother and hugged her tight. "H... He touched m-me... A-and made me t-touch h-him!" Marie frowned and gently began stroking the child's hair, comforting her. Lightly shushing her to calm her down.
"Shhh, it's okay. Mama's here now." It was a nightmare, that's all. The girl had a scary nightmare. "Everything is fine now, okay? Don't worry about it anymore." She watched Sally look up at her, her breathing chopped up from her crying, and smiled.
"O-okay mama.." Her mother smiled and kissed her forehead.
"Now go wash up, don't want to play with your friends with a dirty face."
Sally let out a small giggle, and ran off to the bathroom to wash her face.
Later that day, Johnny and his brother came back home from work. Frank sighed, smiling when he saw Sally wave to him. The father waved back, and closed the car door making his way up to the house. Johnny looked up at Sally as well and smiled, waving to her. The child's smile slowly wilted, showing less happiness in it, but waved back as well. Johnny also walked inside the house, and paused when he heard the conversation between his brother and his wife.
"Sally what??" Frank asked.
"She had a nightmare. A very bad one. She said 'He' touched her."
"Well, who the hell is 'He'!?"
"I don't know, Frank... But, it was only a nightmare. I just wanted to inform you of what's been going on with her and, why she was acting different."
Johnny furrowed his brows in anger, his knuckles turning white. Then, calmed down quickly, thinking fast. He put on a smile on, and walked into the room, making it look like he just walked into their conversation and rose his brows.
"Whoops.. did I interrupt something?" He asked, watching the couple shake their heads. Johnny smiled again and thumbed back in the direction of the car. "I'm going to head to the store, you need anything Marie?" The woman smiled and looked towards the kitchen.
"Yes, actually. Can you get me some eggs, milk, bread and juice?" Johnny nodded, about to leave until he paused."Sally wanted to come along too, just wanted to inform you." Marie smiled."Thank you John." He nodded again and made his way out of the house. Keys in hand. Looking out to Sally with her friends, he cupped his hand over his mouth.
"Sally!" The child looked up at him and stared. "Come on, lets go to the store!" John made his way over to the car, gesturing for the girl to follow him. Sally sat there for a moment, then placed her dolls on the grass.
"I'll be back, please watch over Marzapan and Lilly for me." Jennie and Sarah smiled a nodded, continuing to play their game of dolls without her. Sally reluctantly made her way around the car, climbing into the passengers seat, and buckled herself in. "Did mama want you to go to the store?" She asked. Johnny nodded and put the keys in the ignition, turning it on and backed out of the driveway.
"Yep, she wants me to get some food for her. Maybe I can get you something too." He grinned looking down at the child. Sally nervously smiled back and looked ahead, watching the scenery pass by. As soon as they got to the road leading to the store, Sally noticed he wasn't slowing down to turn into the parking lot. She furrowed her brows, confused, and looked up at him.
"Uncle Johnny, the store is back that way.." She said pointing in the direction of the whole foods store. But nothing came from the man. He just continued driving, a very faint smile on his face. The child sat up and looked past the backseat, watching the store slowly grow smaller till it was out of sight. Realizing they weren't going grocery shopping, the child watched her uncle drive into the small parking lot in the community park near town. No one went to the park on Sundays. Sally felt nervous, her breathing quickend, watching the man with wide eyes. Johnny put the car into park and turned the ignition off, looking to the child. Anger obviously showing in his features.
"You told your mom what happened, didn't you?" He asked, watching the girl frantically shake her head no. "You're not playing the game right, Sally." His tone almost had a slight singing to it. The man reached over and pulled the girl to him, ignoring the struggling she was putting up and her wimpering pleas.
"You said you'd play the game with me Sally, you lied to me." Opening the car door beside him the man climbed out along with the child and shoved her to the ground, quickly pinning her down. Ignoring the cries and writhing the child was making. "You have to be punished now for breaking the rules." He said in that slight singing tone, and began to unbuckle his belt.
"This just in, a couple finds the body of eight year old Sally Williams in the community park. The week long search is now closed. More tonight at 9."
She could have sworn she closed her door before climbing into bed. Guess I forgot... Getting up from the warmth and comfort of her bed, the teen made her way across the room and shut the door. Before she could climb back into her covers, a creek outside in the hall rose up. Was her parents up? They must have checked on her to see if she was a sleep or something. As soon as she got her legs covered up, the teen froze to hear a faint sound of... crying? Though, it sounded like a child. Slowly rising up from bed once more, the girl made her way to her door, and opened it. The crying seemed to be louder outside of her room. Peering down the darkness the teen crept down the hallway, following the sounds of the whimpering. Once getting to the end of the all, the girl gasped. Sitting on the floor in front of the moonlit window, was a little girl. She was hunched over, crying. How did she get into their house? Through the window? Swallowing hard, the teen spoke up.
"Who... Who are you? How did you get in my house?" She asked.Suddenly the crying stopped. The child slowly moved her trembling hands away from her face, and looked behind her, twitching lightly. Blood replaced her tears, staining her hands. There was a deep clot of blood and hair on the side of her head, blood leaking from the wound down her face and onto her dirty night gown. Her bright green eyes seemed like they saw right through her soul.
"This is my house...." The child spoke, her voice raspy, sounding as if she was struggling to speak. The girl's body twitched and wiggled oddly as she rose up to her feet and turned to face the teen. Her feet were dirty, as if she was running through mud, scrapes covered her knees and legs, and the end of her gown was torn and tattered.
The name 'Sally' sewn into the front. Reaching out with her blood-soaked hand the girl slowly smiled, blood staining her teeth as she spoke.
