The Happy Happy Village

Night is Falling... (Part-4)

-The Unexpected-

"Lucile?!" I whispered in surprise. She hopped off the bench, approaching me slowly like the timid little animal she was. The child was too frightened to even speak to me, but she did recognize who I was. Of all places she could've been, she was right here in Happy Happy Village. I didn't understand how exactly she wound up here, but I had a good feeling that this was who I had to get out of the village. Had I not found this place, I doubt even the most skilled detective could've located Lucile's whereabouts.

I quickly whipped out the nail file after realizing the exact reason I was given the device, I knew what to do. I began to saw off the tops and bottoms of the bars that confined Lucile within that cell. The tool certainly did the trick, sawing through the metal like paper. I could see Lucile begin to cry a few tears... tears of joy as if she were being rescued by her hero. Once I had created a hole big enough, the child ran right into my arms. She sobbed into my jacket.

I quietly stroked her long blonde hair with my fingers, calming her down, "Hey, hey," I whispered, "it's all right Lucile. Calm down, calm down. I'm here." The girl said nothing, she only cried. "It's ok," I whispered with assurance, "it's ok. You're going to be fine."

I pulled her off of my jacket and looked into her damp face. "I'm going to bring you home, back to your parents." I'm sure they would be glad to see her after being gone for so long. I picked her up into my arms and she embraced my chest, "try not to make any sounds, alright?" She nodded against my shoulder as I moved past the heart filled shelves and towards the exit of this terrifying sight. We crept up the stairs, and as we sneaked out of the home of Ms. Mercedes, the backup plan I never had suddenly came to full fruition. My plan was to get Lucile back to Elwood, I could care less for my job.

We ran out into the darkness behind the houses as fast as we could. A much safer route than running the main gravel street and being spotted by a passing villager who enjoys night strolls. Better safe than sorry. We climbed the top the of the hill and sprinted down into the forest with the village now behind our backs. I held Lucile tight in my arms, I could feel her shaking in fear. It was almost pitch black in the forest, but I could feel out the path's clearing quite fluidly as it was engulfed in the shadows. The light of the moon then shone down into the clearing we were headed for, the guest house "We're almost there." I whispered to the child. It was the safest place for us to stop so I could get to the bottom of the reason why Lucile was in the village.

~

I rushed Lucile into the house, now only dimly lit by the lamps that once shone bright. I closed the door behind us as I caught my breath. I lowered Lucile down, only to watch her hug my pant leg as she sensed terror in the air around us. She no longer cried but quivered, and her face was no longer damp with wet tears. "We're safe," I told her, "there is nothing to be afraid of." She continued to shake as if she were still not convinced. I kneeled down to her, "Now, Lucile, what happened? Your parents and I have been worried sick? I'm only asking, how did you end up in that village?"

She took a moment to remember, only to look up to me and whisper, "I-I was just playing in the woods near our house," she nervously muttered, "I didn't even see her coming, she had a sack and it went over my head and-"

"Who did?" I whispered back. "Can you tell me who did it?"

"That woman, she locked me in that cell," Tears began to return to her little eyes, "Everything was dark, but she giggled a lot John. She wore a black tie-"

"Black tie," Only one person in the whole village could fit the bill, "Mercedes?!" Of all the sweet people I've ever met, after being so nice and lovey dove-y to me. This was low, even for a Happy Happy Villager like her.