THE FORGOTTEN

Rebecca's Flashback

"What are you doing Mrs. Maria?"

"Get your things Rebecca, we must leave now or you will end up hurt."

"I don't want to leave Mommy and Daddy. Daddy promised that everything will be alright. He said that he will come get me when Mommy calms down." Mrs. Maria stood up and grabbed me. She squeezed my shoulders slightly and stared me deep into the eyes. Then she shook me slightly while talking. "Rebecca, you aren't safe here. This house is dangerous. Trust me you will see your mother and father soon but you have to wait until both of them are calm." She grabbed me bag and my wrist then walked towards my window. She opened the window and looked back and said, "Do you want a toy?"

I looked behind me at my bed and saw my teddy bear, Mr. Cuddles. I ran and grabbed him then ran back to Mrs. Maria. I hugged Mr. Cuddles tight then climbed out the window with Mrs. Maria. We started running down the street and I was struggling to keep up. "Mrs. Maria please slow down. I cant keep up. Please," I said while crying and trying hard not to fall.

Mrs. Maria stopped and picked me up. I held on to Mr. Cuddles tight with one hand. The other gripped Mrs. Maria's neck. "Its okay sweetheart. Don't cry okay. I got you now. I will keep you safe." I snuggled my head into the space between her shoulder and neck. The cold evening wind blew past us as we moved through back streets of the town.

"Where are we going Mrs. Maria?"

"Hush honey. We are almost there. Just keep you head down and your eyes closed and everything will be alright."

"But what about Momm......"

"Shh...," she said cutting me off.

Mrs. Maria stopped running when we got to a big empty space on the outskirts of town. Her face was red and she was breathing hard. She came to a complete stop and put me down. I looked up at the sky and it was dark with stars in the sky. I looked up at Mrs. Maria and said, "Mrs. Maria?"

"Rebecca we are going to my home. You are going to stay there until your home is safe. Is that okay?"

"Is Mommy coming?" Mrs. Maria just grabbed my hand and started to walk. I couldn't tell where we were going so I just followed her. We walked for what seemed like hours. We finally stopped in front of an old wooden house. A man came out and said, "Hurry up Maria. The news just came on. They are looking for her."

We went into the house and Mrs. Maria took me to a room and told me to lay down. "Go to sleep Rebecca. If everything is okay, then Mommy will come in the morning."

"What  about Daddy?"

"Daddy too. They will both come."

"Are they okay?"

"Hush and sleep." She tucked me in and kissed me on the head. Then she walked towards the door and turned out the lights. Then she closed the door.

I tried to close my eyes and go to sleep but I couldn't without Mommy's bedtime song and Daddy's bedtime kisses. I kept rolling around and moving. Daddy's last words played in my head, "Close your ears and run to your room. Everything will be alright. Go."

But everything wasn't alright. I was at Mrs. Maria's house and Mommy and Daddy were gone. Suddenly I started hearing screaming. "Maria you cant keep that child. The parents are looking for her. You have to take her back."

"I cant Phillip. I wont put her back into that home. Not with Anthony and his rage or Alyssa and her uncontrollable emotions. She is more safe here with us. You need to understand."

"Oh I understand completely Maria. I understand that this is kidnapping and I wont be apart of it. You are my wife and I love you but I cant stand by you if you know you're in the wrong."