“Bye Suzy! Bye Tommy! Seeya in da manana!” chirped Christian as he stepped past the gate of the back field of his grammar school, Mariemont Elementary. He started walking down the black gravel street, the smell of new tar hitting old road flaring in his nostrils. Looking ahead, he could see that there was a construction crew working on the old suburb’s streets. He managed a shy wave as he walked by them while clutching the house key that was tied around his neck with a red shoelace. Christian had battled with his mother for hours the night before to convince her that he was old enough to make it home the few blocks by himself. In fact, she was right now preparing one of his favorite snacks, pineapple upside cake, which was usually reserved for birthdays and Christmas.
Christian was a little apprehensive about walkinghome by himself, but as his house came in to view he could begin to taste the wonderful fruity cake on his taste buds and his pace began to quicken. He just barely caught the car in his peripheral vision as it rolled up next to him.
The door swung open and a man who seemingly moved faster than thought drew Christian in to his arms and got back in the car as quickly as he had gotten out of it. There were no screams heard. There was no one watching.
As Christian’s mother, Amy, peered out of the kitchen windows she spotted a limousine driving by and wondered what important celebrity or businessman was inside.
How could she imagine that from behind the tinted windows, her only son was staring back at her?
Christian was a little apprehensive about walkinghome by himself, but as his house came in to view he could begin to taste the wonderful fruity cake on his taste buds and his pace began to quicken. He just barely caught the car in his peripheral vision as it rolled up next to him.
The door swung open and a man who seemingly moved faster than thought drew Christian in to his arms and got back in the car as quickly as he had gotten out of it. There were no screams heard. There was no one watching.
As Christian’s mother, Amy, peered out of the kitchen windows she spotted a limousine driving by and wondered what important celebrity or businessman was inside.
How could she imagine that from behind the tinted windows, her only son was staring back at her?