Regressed Chris.
Slight cussing.
Chris knew the dangers of going outside while regressed without one of his caregivers Matt or Nick with him, but he still went. He gave it some thought and agreed with himself that nothing could happen. Besides, Nick and Matt always went out by themselves, why couldn't he?
He sneaked down the hallway to Nick's room and peeked in at the two sitting on the bed. It was the perfect timing, he thought. He held his breath and opened the side door, sneaking out was easy for him. He was barfoot, in shorts, and a baggy T-shirt. The wind felt refreshing on his skin as he made his way off the porch.
His hair flailed as he ran, he made his way under the porch to his small hiding spot. He layed in the leaves silently giggling, proud at how he managed to get away with going outside. As he ran his fingers in the leaves, looking at all the different colors he heard a…..a meow?
He spun around desperately trying to find where the meowing was coming from, but couldn't see any cat? He toddled his way to the gates and tugged on the easily detachable lock. He walked past the gates and into the streets. He heard it again, and again, and again so he followed down the sidewalk all the way to a stop sign. He continued to look around, but couldn't find the cat.
"Kitty?" Chris called as he tried looking for a cat. He ran across the crosswalk and onto the other distant sidewalk."Meow" Chris meowed trying to speak to the cat to encourage it to come out from hiding.
But nothing. There wasn't even any more meowing nearby. He sighed and rubbed his eyes, tired and disappointed. He went to turn back around to go home, but he quickly found himself lost.
He gasped as he trailed further down the sidewalk, further from home, "No, no, no, no, no…. Daddy? Daddy?" Chris called out, tears already bubbling up.
He was scared and alone. Cars passed by speeding, making him jump back, only scaring himself more. Everything was too loud. The wind, the cars, the distant sound of basketballs on concrete. He held his head as he ran mindlessly into a hidden path.
If he remembered anything at this time it was what Nick and Matt had always repeated to him to do if he ever got lost.
"Stay put." He told himself.
Meanwhile,
Nick and Matt were relaxing, scrolling through their phones as the day slipped by. Nick jumped up swearing he heard some intruder enter the house, but Matthew lazily smacked him on the knee and disregarded it, claiming Nick was always too paranoid.
"Chris has been awfully quiet…." Nick glanced up at Matthew. "Yea…" he slid the blanket off of himself and immediately they both went into action running to his room.
"CHRIS? ARE YOU OKAY?" They barged in. They scanned the room and couldn't find him. "Chris?" They shouted as they looked around the house, trying their hardest to find him, thinking this was some hardcore game of hide and seek.
"Matt…." Nick whispered as he walked to the side door and pointed. "Remember the noise I heard?" He asked. Matthew gulped as he and Nick forgot about their shoes and ran out the door.
Seeing the gate open was the first red flag, they freaked out, starting to run down the sidewalks checking corners and spotting for their regressed brother, but they saw no sign of him anywhere.
"Should we call the police?" Nick asked as he frantically pulled his phone out. "NO, HE HAS TO BE HERE SOMEWHERE!" Matthew yelled, not giving up his search. Matthew ran down the road, "Where are you going?" Nick yelled as he watched Matthew take off.
Matthew kept running, he knew Chris couldn't be far. There was no way something happened to him. There was no way he could have been that stupid and let his brother down.
Nick paced around the yard thinking of what to do. Should he follow Matt, should he stay and see if Chris comes home, or should he call the police? Maybe thoughts were juggled around and he didn't know what to do.
As Matthew found himself at a dead end he almost turned around, but he noticed a hidden drive that was more of a dirt pathway. He decided to check it out figuring he'd rather check all possible places. He slowly made his way up the hill and that's when he saw him.
There Chris was cuddled up to himself. Chris glanced up and immediately noticed Matthew there. He opened his arms and ran into Matthews' side, crying out, "DADDY! I want to go home!" He sobbed as his tears poured onto Matthews shirt. Matthew rubbed his back slowly, "I know baby, I know! Fuck. You scared the living shit out of us. Please never do that again. I love you." Matthew cried as he lifted Chris into his arms, kissing the younger on his forehead.
"I love you too, I wanna go home." Chris continued to sob.
Never again would he allow himself to lose Chris.