The smell of freshly made pancakes draw me out of my deep sleep. I roll over and fall roughly on the floor letting out an,"Owww" before remembering I fell asleep on the couch last night. My mom notices me rolling around like a dying seal on the ground as I wait for the pain in my hip to cease.
She can't help but laugh as I limp up to the kitchen counter. I smile at her, remembering how encouraging she was after I told her everything. I know she is still hurt that I havent talked to her until now, but I was just being stubborn, trying to fix everything on my own.
"Nice move", Mom laughs flipping a pancake over. It sizzles on the pan and I act hurt and then ask, "Are the kids still asleep?"
My mom nods before pretending to be absorbed by her pancakes.
"Listen Mom," I begin, "I thought maybe we could all spend the day together. I mean I havent seen you in forever, and I bet the kids would love it." I finish making my way to the stairs.
My mom smiles and responds, "That sounds really great, Mary. What should we do?"
"Good. I'll ask the kids!" I say happily before walking upstairs and heading towards my old room. I turn left and saunter down a long hallway before climbing a few more steps to my old bedroom. I remeber when we first moved here, and I had wanted the attic to be my room, only because I could slide my window open and sit on the roof.
I smile at the memory of long nights stargazing, before placing my hand on the doorknob. "Hmmm", I think to myself, "The kids hate sleeping with the door closed."
I twist the knob and peak into the room. I don't see the kids, so I push the door open and tip toe to the edge of the bed. I grab the duvet and rip it off shouting, "Rise and shine!"
The kids are not under the duvet. Puzzled, I bend down and check under the bed. Nope not there.
"Oh so now we are playing hide and seek?" I say before throwing open my closet doors. Nothing.
A cool breeze blows through the room and I turn around. The window is open. "I don't remember opening this last night" I whisper walking over to it.
I gasp and my breath catches in my throat.
"Becca? Tyler?" I whisper before something jabs into my heel.
Broken glass is scattered across the carpet and the window pane lays broken in two on the roof.
"Help" I croak before numbly crawing out of the hole in the wall and onto the roof. I see the beginning of a ladder propped up at the end of the roof.
"Mom!" I shriek tripping down the stairs. I rip open the front door before dialling 911. "They're gone, Mom!" I sob as the phone dials.
"Hello this is 911, what is your emergency?" A manly voice says into the phone.
"The kids, my kids have been kidnapped!" I respond trying to control the sense of panic wracking my body.
"How long ago did this occ-"
I interupt the man, "Umm the last few hours because I checked on them before I went to bed around 11." I respond watching my mom search for her keys in her purse.
"Do you have any idea who would do this?" the man asks.
A chill runs through my body as flashes of Ms. Stanley's drunk fiance flash through my head.
"Um yes I am sure who did it. It is their mother's fiance!" I yelll into the reciever, "creepy drunk dude with yellow teeth! He showed up at my house, threatending me!"
"Well uh shoudnt the mother have custody-" the man begins now confused.
"No!" I shout again, "Its a very long story, but those children are not safe. They are both drunks and the mom ran away a week ago, leaving her kids with me!"
"Alright, then" the man responds, "I am sending two officers to your location. You will need to give them picture of the children and any information. We will find them."
"Thank you" I breathe, ending the call. I lean up agaisnt the wall and slide down it. Resting my head on my knees, I wait. My mom runs over to me and without words, envelopes me in a hug.
The doorbell rings not five minutes later and two burly officers step into the house. I answer every question they have as best as I can. I show them pictures of both the kids and descibe the rusted truck belonging to the kidnapper.
The police leave and after they close the door, I feel exhausted. I turn the ringer up on my phone as loud as it can go, I don't want to miss the call telling my Becca and Tyler are safe. It will come. I mean it should come......What if the call never comes!
My phone buzzes in my pocket
Tom: Hey, how are you?
Needing to tell some one else about my feelings I text Tom the news. Not five seconds later, Tom calls me. I tell him I can't talk and hang up before a wave of exhaustion overwhelms me.
A tear rolls down my cheeck and a strange hollowness adds to my already helpless emotion.
The day draws on as a blur. My mom and I parole the streets, the highways,everywhere. Nothing. No calls from police, and now the streets start to look the same. I keep waiting to wake up from this nightmare.
The sun sets and my mom and I pull into the driveway. My mom holds my hand and says, "Don't worry. We will find them. We will look in the morning. Therer is nothing else we can do."
I walk into the house and slump onto the couch.
My eyes are puffy and red.
My head pounds.
My heart is empty.
YOU ARE READING
Saving the Stanley Kids
Teen FictionMary has been babysitting little Becca and Tyler for years. Their mother, Ms. Stanley, struggles to keep up with the life of a working single mother. She spends long days and even nights away from her young children. It is up to Mary to raise Becca...
