"THE CHILD" BY M. ORTEGA

Chapter 1

It was a cold winter day. There was frost covering the window where the boy was sitting, which  blurred everything  that was outside. The fireplace was lit, but all that seemed to light the room was the blaze from the window. The child's breaths were slow, almost unnoticeable as if he wasn't alive. Although the fire was burning his breath was visible enough that a blind person could see it. Everything was silent other than the crackling of the firewood that his parents left for the boy before their disappearance. The boy looked at the couch and observed it with a keen eye. He looked at the stitches of the couch. The fabric looked rough but felt silky. The boy from lack of interest placed his arms in front of him and rest his head.

"Why am I alone? Where did my parents go? I'm only six years old, I don't think I should be by myself. What do you think, Teddy?"

The boy sat there as if he listened to his teddy bear speak to him.

"I know, Teddy. They haven't been home for a few days. What do you think we should do?" He sat silently then replies, "You know Teddy, I think we should go and search for them, maybe I can find them."

The boy gets up and packs a luggage of clothes and doubles up on jackets before he leaves with his teddy bear. The boy walks up to the door and places his hand on the knob.

He stops.

He was unsure, but then looks at his teddy bear and opens the door, leaving it open, and marches outside with his head held high.

An hour has passed since the child started his search for his parents. There was a heavy fog, wind picked up and thick snow-flakes go airborne covering everything from view. The child stood there and looked around. A tear started to come down his cheek. He couldn't see anything around him and in terror he starts yelling, "Teddy, do you know where we are?" There was silence, "Where should we go, Teddy?" The child begins to sob in fear.

"Where should we go, Teddy?' His voice was shaky and filled with worry. He looks around trembling, standing there as a booger starts to hang from his nose. He wipes his face only to smear his boogers all over his face. "Teddy, where should we go?" More tears rolled down his face. He misses home. He walks and fumbles, falling face first. Awkwardly, he gets back up almost as if he wasn't sure to go on or to stay. He continues to walk and yells hysterically, "Where should we go?... Teddy, where should we go?... Teddy..." The child's voice fades as he goes further into the white. The wind picks up making more snow to rise causing everything to be less visible. As the conditions worsen the child couldn't be seen or heard. 

Chapter 2

Sirens are heard outside around the neighborhood. It was a clear day with snow on every lawn. The air was cold and smelt like fresh rainfall. Outside, the sun's rays pass through the trees into the window of the house letting a warm dim light in. Children can be heard playing, their parents warning them to be careful. Inside a woman was reading. She was enjoying her day by resting on her couch, then heavy knocks interrupted her peace. She sets her copy of Hatchet on her coffee table and walks towards the door. She places her hand on the knob- it felt as cold as an ice cube- and opens it to see two officers. One was short with fair hair and the other was hunky with acne.

"Hello, am I speaking to Anne Burkley?" asked the short officer.

"Why, yes. What is the matter, officer?" She was confused why the police were at her house.

"May we come in? as this is a serious matter to talk about," Anne moves to the side letting them pass in. She closes the door and leads them to her living room where she was prior to their arrival. The warm light seemed to have darkened to a gray shade; the delightful room felt heavy.

"So what's wrong, officers?" She hesitated to ask.

"Well... do you remember your sister Marie?" Anne nods her head, "Well... this isn't easy for us to share, but... two days ago we found your sister's son, Jim, out in the woods..." says the hunky cop.

Anne gasped, placing her hands over her mouth. "Is he doing okay?" Her eyes began to tear up.

The cops looked at each other with grief on their faces. She knew then something happened and her feelings began to fluster as her vision begins to blur from tears. Slowly, the shorter cop straightened up. Though he still felt remorseful and hesitant to speak, he explained. "We're sorry, but..."

Anne started to burst into tears. The cop hesitated to continue, but painfully spoke the rest, "We couldn’t do anything to save him. When we found him we believed him to have died after two hours of leaving his home." Anne started to sob hysterically. "I'm also sorry to say that we haven't receive any contact from your sister or her husband, James."

"WHY! Why... why..." Anne burst out loudly swinging her hands in the air, every word spoken softer than the last. "Oh... why..." Anne was too overwhelmed; she became hysteric. She let her hands and head fall down, then placed her hands in her hair. Silence. Her face was covered in tears and her hands teased her hair. The cops without any saying left mournfully for Anne to have time.