Short Stories

The Ice Cream Man

It wasn't my fault. There was nothing I could do. 

I hug my brother and sister goodbye as my mom starts giving me a list of things to remember. I nod her off and give her a hug, telling her to have a good time. It was just our little family now; my mom, my sisters, Clare and Kate, my brother, Andrew, and I, Sophia.

Andrew, Clare, and Mom were going to a sports event, I wasn't entirely sure what it was, but I honestly didn't really care. Kate, my 5-year-old sister, was sick, and because I didn't want to go to the event, I had to stay here and watch her, which was fine by me.

I wave them goodbye and watch them drive off, then I turn to my little sister and scoop her up into my arms. I carry her to bed and briskly lay her down. Tucking her in, I gently plant a kiss on her forehead and softly murmur a goodnight. Then I crack the door, go to my room, and decide to tidy up a little.

I am usually a pretty clean person, always have been and always will be, some call it OCD, but that word is a little extreme. When I finish, I open up my computer and start clicking videos that grab my attention the most, such as, "The Sounds of Space" or "What's at the Bottom of the Ocean?". In the end they were a waste of time, but still entertaining. As the night progressed, my curiosity grew deeper and deeper, and soon, videos went from "What Color is Your Soul?" to "What is Your Inner Demon?" or "What Evil Spirit is Watching You?"

Perhaps it was the content I was watching that got me on edge, because when the dogs started barking, I nearly jumped out of my skin. Were they back already? I shut my computer and leave my room to go check. I scold the dogs on the way out, telling them to be quiet.

Suddenly, I felt hollow and cold on the inside as fear and dread creeped their way throughout my veins. Time froze and I saw the front door shut in slow motion. There was only one person who could've left the house, unless there was someone else, but when I noticed the eerie music that could only come from one truck, I knew that it was no burglar who had left.

I rush outside, but my body is slow and clumsy. Why? How? When? Who? The same questions raced through my mind over and over. This wasn't just panic, this was sheer terror like that out of a cliché horror movie, and this was no movie. I see Kate running towards the truck as if in some kind of awe-ish daze.

"Kate! Stop! Don't go! C-Come back!" I shout as she goes closer and closer. She turns to look at me, but the distraction was all the ice cream man needed. He snatches her by her neck and pulls her in. My fingertips barely graze her foot before he is gone. He must've had a companion, because somehow, the moment she was inside, the truck sped off. It had all happened so quickly, so fast, so quickly and so so fast. 

I fall to my knees. It had all happened in about a minute, but I had been so slow. I miserably go back into my house and collapse onto the living room floor, curling up into a little ball. What would I tell my mother? Where did he go? Would they even believe me?

I don't remember when my dear mother came home, I don't recall she ever did. All I know now, is that time is frozen in this white room. I don't have to hold myself together anymore, they've given me a jacket that does it for me. Every so often an angel checks on me and brings me something to eat or drink. It's so sweet of them to think of me, but I will never forget the ice cream man.

It wasn't my fault, they said. There was nothing I could do.

Yet somehow, I feel it was all my fault.

(Inspiration came from the image at the top of the page, I just tweaked it a little, thanks for reading! ily <3)