A little girl sits alone on the playground dreaming of happy things. Memories of laughter and ice cream, her big brother’s warm smile. With a small shiver, she wraps her arms around her bare shoulders. It is cold and dark now. She wonders when they will come to take her home. They always come… eventually. She looks longingly at the swings, heart filled with the memory of flying. The wind in her hair always makes her forget. Reluctantly, she turns away, fingering the blanket around her legs. Daddy says she must always be grateful. Think of those poor dying children in Africa, he says. If she complains he might send her to join them. She forces a smile, they will come soon…
“Ellie?”
A soft whisper and she looks up with a grin “Luke!”
He kneels, drawing his sister into a warm embrace “They forgot you again, didn’t they?”
She shakes her head, a small tear running down her cheek “They will be here soon!”
“Oh Ellie!” He scoops her up into his arms “Let’s go home.”
She glances up at his face, eyes staring into the distance with a furious frown. He sees her wide eyes and melts into a smile, “It’s okay, I’m not mad at you Ellie. I just can’t believe they forgot, again!”
“They might still come…” she is on the verge of tears, imagining daddy’s yells when he finds an empty playground.
“It’s nine thirty Ellie!” he snaps. She begins to cry.
“Hey, sweetie…” he holds her close as she sobs against his chest “you must have been sitting her for hours!”
She tries to shake her head again but descends into another wave of sobs. He walks towards his car, rubbing the child’s back. He opens the passenger door and places her in the front seat, gently moving her legs under the dashboard. She is too exhausted to protest though he knows she is frightened. Cars always make her remember.
He secures her seat belt with a reassuring smile “I will drive very carefully.”
She smiles back, eyes full of trust.
As they drive away from the lonely playground she wriggles in her seat, still expecting to see them. Luke fights tears, eyes focused on the road ahead. He wishes he could take her away. She will be okay, he tells himself, but he doesn’t believe it. Giving her back to them is the last thing he wants to do. Rebellious resolution blooms into fruit as he pulls over, phone in hand.
“Vicky… honey.” He glances at his tiny sister, already succumbed to sleep “I’m bringing her home with me tonight… Yes… Thank you.”
New Prompts
1.“It’s my prerogative as your brother-in-law!”
2.We'll have to rethink the confetti…
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