Lost & Found

Slight Faith in Humanity

"Wait Tes," He paused the Christmas movie and began to push himself from the couch. "I swear to God if this is Lucas-"

A scream suddenly erupted throughout the house and the man broke out into a full-blown run towards the front door.

"Dad!"

Peering over her shoulder, he spotted the small body that was laid out across his porch.

"Oh my God! Is she dead?!"

Cade set a protective arm in front of his daughter. "Get back honey." Carefully, he leaned forward and looked left and right to ensure there wasn't a serial killer or crazy person standing near the door before directing his attention back to the unconscious girl.

He could tell the girl was quite young. She looked...teenag-ish but her bony structure and short height made him assume otherwise.

She was unnaturally pale and her skin was cold as ice. One would've assumed she was dead if they hadn't noticed the slow rise of her chest and the small puffs of air in the crisp wind.

"You're bringing her inside!" Tessa exclaimed incredulously as she watched her father slip his arms under the girl's body and haul her inside.

"What else do you want me to do? Leave her outside to freeze to death?"

"She's probably already dead!" She slammed the door shut and followed her father to the living room to watch him lay the girl on couch. "We need to call the police!"

"Honey, calm down. She's fine." Cade tried to reassure her as he felt around the girl's neck for a pulse.

There it is.

"Her pulse is still there. And she's breathing still so I would say she's not dead."

"Who even brought her here? What if some crazy psychopath is lurking around our house?"

Cade quickly gathered blankets from the storage closet and began draping them across the girl. "I'm sure the crazy psychopath wouldn't consider bringing her all the way out into the country to just leave here on our porch. I'd say she was just running from 'em and collapsed in front of our door."

"Dad, this isn't funny!"

"Wasn't trying to be honey."

The teen girl ran a hand through her blonde locks. "I'm literally freaking out. There's so random unconscious girl in our house and she-wait." The brown-haired man aimed a confused look at his daughter.

"What?"

"T-The girl! The girl on TV dad! Y'know the giant robots in Chicago? She went missing too! She was with them!"

"Hm," He turned his attention back to the girl and made the comparison. "You might be right, but I don't remember her hair being blonde and red. Wasn't it just black in the picture?"

"I don't know! Maybe she dyed it or something. Either it's a strong coincidence or this could be her. If this is her then one of those giant robot things could be outside!"

"Tess," The brown-haired walked over and pulled his hyperventilating daughter into a brief hug. "Calm down baby. Take a few breaths for me."