"Finding Mara" by Laura S.

“NOOOO!”

Struggling with her bags, I watch the woman nudge the girl forward, pleading with her to get in.  “Please Mara.  Go on, I’m right behind you.” I see Mara, no more than three, shake her head and begin to cry.  Clearly distressed, the woman puts her bags down before placing Mara inside the subway car herself.  Turning away from her now wailing daughter, she bends to grab her bags, dropping a stuffed animal in the process. 

“Darn!”  I hear her mutter to herself, before bending to pick up the bear.  As she does, I notice a tall, lean man, walking toward her with such force I think he looks like a bull charging a red flag.  Startled, I scream to the woman, “Look Out”, but I find I have no voice.  She hears nothing. 

Suddenly, I’m beside her and notice her eyes wide.  I follow her gaze and find a gun pressed to her stomach.  My gaze travels up slowly, as if it was pointed at me, past a hand, a shoulder, up a neck, until I find myself staring into green eyes, flaming with anger.  As I stare, I realize the woman has found her voice.  “M-Mark.  What are you doing here?”

I see Mark, tilt his head and laugh, whether at my companion’s terrified expression or her question, I can’t tell.  “What am I doing here? Cara really, did you think you’d just leave and I wouldn’t find you?” 

I hear Cara almost whisper, “Please just let us go, please.”  Another laugh comes from Mark before he says, “Don’t beg, Cara, it’s not becoming.  You knew you wouldn’t get far, now grab Mara and-“ As if she’d been slapped, I see Cara tense and then, through gritted teeth respond, “We will never come back!  You are-“

“I am your husband, you are my wife and that is my daughter.  You are coming home now!”  I notice Cara looking around, then back at Mara, who is oblivious to everything, and apparently so does Mark. 

At that moment, I hear him yell, “Don’t you-“ and suddenly Cara turns toward the subway and slams into the glass.  She is too late. 

Instantly, I am back to where I was, farther away from Cara and Mark and hear the subway begin to move.  I look back to see Cara lying on the platform, and Mark gone.  She turns to me then, and although she whispers, I hear her clearly, “Find her, Rayne, please.”

I try to speak but- BEEP-BEEP-BEEP.

I turn over and smack my alarm clock, sending it flying into the wall.  My head is pounding but I know I’ll be late if I don’t get up.  I stumble to the kitchen, turn on the T.V. and watch as the newscaster reports a shooting last night that left Cara Nichols dead and her daughter, Mara, lost in the city.  The victim’s husband Mark is missing. 

I stare a moment longer and realize, “I have to find Mara.”