Riley’s peaceful silence did not last long, perhaps twenty minutes, before forceful knocking came back to the door. Riley could not figure how the man had returned so very quickly. She looked to the small boy and said, “Go hide, I’ll tell you when it is safe.”'
The boy stood taking is book and ran quickly down the long hall. The ringing of the doorbell echoed thru the large manor reminding her, whoever it was, was waiting. Riley briefly wondered if she just ignored the doorbell, if the person would go away. Then again, it could be the police or someone to help her. Against her want to go and hide, Riley went to the front door. She peered thru the peephole to only see black. Whoever it was outside her door, they were obviously covering the peephole in attempt not to be seen. This thought was very unsettling. With this unsettling thought, fear began to rise inside Riley’s chest like a tidal wave. Riley trying to keep a level head went to the kitchen and took the biggest knife she could find in her hand.
She creaked opened the door, peeking thru the small opening. With a brief glimpse she recognized the face in front of her. His face was from her dreams and not her daydreams of the perfect man. This was the face of the man with the cage. He was tall and not exactly skinny, lean was the right word she supposed. His dark brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail that she thought was longer then her own hair. His complexion was tan but she could tell at one time he had been fair. Riley realized a bit too late that she had been studying him for too long. Without a word, she attempted to slam the door. The man was too quick and had placed his body within the door, blocking it from closing.
The two were facing each other, and Riley grasped the knife in her hand. She realized quite quickly that she had no idea how to stab anyone with effect. He was nearly a foot taller than her and his muddy brown eyes were completely calm. All she could think of doing was to run towards him with the knife trusted out.
“Wait” he yelled his voice not nearly as booming as Riley expected. It was a bit too late as she could not stop in the middle of her run. He grabbed her arm before the knife had a chance to slash his skin. Riley froze not quite sure what to do. She had never fought anyone before.
“Look” he said strongly. “I’ll let go of your arm if you promise not to stab me” he stated simply. Riley looked doubtful. She was not sure if he could be trusted. She really had no other option.
“Promise not to hurt me” Riley replied rather pitifully. A small smile crept across his lips and nodded his head. He let go of her arm and took a step back. Riley dropped the knife letting the metal clang upon the metal floor. As soon as the clanging stopped, they looked at each other. A million questions were buzzing thru Riley’s head but it seemed that none would come to her voice. She gulped trying to get the words to come up. Then in the distance, she heard footsteps that were growing quicker and closer every second.
“Buddy stop” she yelled her voice finally returning. The boy did not heed her and instead ran straight towards the man who swung him up into his arms, giving the boy a great bear of a hug before returning him to the ground.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Counting
It had been exactly 76 hours and 43 minutes since the mystery boy had shown up on the doorstep of May Manor. Within that 76 hours or 3 days, not one call had come from the police station. Riley had taken to calling the police station every twelve hours but nothing had been accomplished from that besides annoying the operator. So thus, Riley was stuck with that she assumed was seven year old boy that was peculiarity thin and longer than usual black curly hair. The boy had yet to speak but whenever Riley had had looked into the sapphire eyes of this boy, he had seemed to have answers. She had concocted a tale about him being a gypsy run away but Riley knew that was just her over active imagination.
Despite the obvious barrier in lack of language, the pair had fallen into a routine. Riley would wake every morning usually to her odd dreams, dress and prepare breakfast for the dogs and the boy. The pair would then take the spoiled poodles on their walk and return to wait for a phone call. While they waited for a phone call that never came, the pair would go about a normal day, the boy, that Riley had begun to call Buddy , usually would spend it watching the television or in the library.
Today, however, the routine was disrupted by a knocking on the large oak door around mid-afternoon. Riley looked to boy who did not lift his head from the C.S. Lewis book he was currently reading. She rose placing down the magazine she had been reading and went to the door. She peeped through the peephole and spied a very familiar face. It was not a face she had met before but rather one that had been in her dreams. Her heart began to bang against her chest; the face belonged to the toady looking man that appeared so often at night. She knew she was being ridiculous but the panic had arisen so quickly. She took a deep breath and willed her heart to be still before opening the door.
“May I help you sir?” she asked politely putting on her best smile. She let her eyes wander over the toady man standing before. He was dressed normally in a pair of slacks and polo that were ill fitted to his rather robust frame. His wispy brown hair combed over his balding head. He did not look intimidating in the least bit except for the menacing look that was displayed in his beady brown eyes. Riley just did not trust him.
“I’m looking for a young boy” he began but before he could continue Riley quickly cut him off, her mind working quickly.
“Have you checked with the police?” she asked. Buddy had looked so skinny and terrified when he had shown up on the doorstep, she was afraid to hand him over to anybody without the police checking them out first. Besides, she did not trust this man and was not about to reveal any information to him.
“No” he said opening his mouth again to continue but Riley took his slight pause to interrupt again.
“It is about twenty minutes to town by car but I am sure if you went to the police station they will have a list of found children and if not you can report him missing” she said not
taking a pause. The man looked a bit stun before turning from the door and leaving the house. Riley closed the door and stationed herself at the front window making sure the man left the property. There was something very unsettling about the beady eyed man. She could only hope he would not return.
Despite the obvious barrier in lack of language, the pair had fallen into a routine. Riley would wake every morning usually to her odd dreams, dress and prepare breakfast for the dogs and the boy. The pair would then take the spoiled poodles on their walk and return to wait for a phone call. While they waited for a phone call that never came, the pair would go about a normal day, the boy, that Riley had begun to call Buddy , usually would spend it watching the television or in the library.
Today, however, the routine was disrupted by a knocking on the large oak door around mid-afternoon. Riley looked to boy who did not lift his head from the C.S. Lewis book he was currently reading. She rose placing down the magazine she had been reading and went to the door. She peeped through the peephole and spied a very familiar face. It was not a face she had met before but rather one that had been in her dreams. Her heart began to bang against her chest; the face belonged to the toady looking man that appeared so often at night. She knew she was being ridiculous but the panic had arisen so quickly. She took a deep breath and willed her heart to be still before opening the door.
“May I help you sir?” she asked politely putting on her best smile. She let her eyes wander over the toady man standing before. He was dressed normally in a pair of slacks and polo that were ill fitted to his rather robust frame. His wispy brown hair combed over his balding head. He did not look intimidating in the least bit except for the menacing look that was displayed in his beady brown eyes. Riley just did not trust him.
“I’m looking for a young boy” he began but before he could continue Riley quickly cut him off, her mind working quickly.
“Have you checked with the police?” she asked. Buddy had looked so skinny and terrified when he had shown up on the doorstep, she was afraid to hand him over to anybody without the police checking them out first. Besides, she did not trust this man and was not about to reveal any information to him.
“No” he said opening his mouth again to continue but Riley took his slight pause to interrupt again.
“It is about twenty minutes to town by car but I am sure if you went to the police station they will have a list of found children and if not you can report him missing” she said not
taking a pause. The man looked a bit stun before turning from the door and leaving the house. Riley closed the door and stationed herself at the front window making sure the man left the property. There was something very unsettling about the beady eyed man. She could only hope he would not return.
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