Gone (1st Place)

Frantic eyes searched the crowd. Melissa ran to the last spot she’d seen him. She scanned the throng of people. Where is he? Where did he go?

“Bobby!” She called trying not to seem too frazzled. A few people glanced at her, but kept moving.

“Bobby!” Her voice just below a shout. Her furrowed brow and darting eyes showed the stress of a mother close to panic. What was he wearing? Oh, God. Think. Think! His shoes were… uhmm… tennis shoes. The Velcro kind. White I think. Yes. White with Spiderman on them. Yes, he wears those all the time. Pants were…

A man bumped into her. She shifted out of his way. “Sorry.” He uttered in passing.

… his pants were… Come on, Melissa think! They were his brown ones and they matched his rodeo shirt! The one with the big red bull on it!

She jogged down the carnival midway looking for anything brown and red out of the corner of her searching eyes.

“Bobby!” She shouted in full panic. “Bobby!”

A security guard approached. “Have you lost a child?”

“Yes. Please help me. His name is Bobby and he’s four years old. He’s got a brown shirt with a red bull on it and brown pants. He’s wearing Spiderman shoes.”

The guard picked up a mic from his belt, and radioed in the description.

“Do you have a license ma’am?”

“Yes. My name is Melissa Ellerd.” She pulled the license from her purse and handed it to him.

He continued to radio in information and ask Melissa questions. His voice droned on and on…


Melissa awoke in a cold sweat. Her heart raced. She arose and crossed the hallway to Bobby’s empty room. She wept over his bed. The year long nightmare was real once again.


300 Words
Flash Story Must contain: License, Eyes, Corner