Story #2- The Mystery (Part 1)

I was sitting on the edge of my seat. 

And it was dark. 

Where was I, you might ask? Well, I was in the court. It had snowed a lot lately, so the windows were broken. Everyone was too shocked (and cold) to lift a finger. I watched as my daughter, Sam, sat in her small seat, sweating, and breathing heavily. “Well, I’ll be…” said one of the judges. “It looks like we’ve found our culprit.” Most of the crowd gasped. I shot Sam a dirty look. What had she been thinking, walking around at midnight like that? She is a good girl, just a little misguided. Sam looked at me. She whispered something, and she meant, “Please, mother, please, help me.” And she whispered it repeatedly and again. Why would I help her? Fine, yes, she is my daughter, but she deserved it. The grand judge narrowed his eyes. “Arrest her.” 

My name is Toni. And me and my daughter lived in a small cabin. Okay, never mind. That was a long time ago. Now we live, err, lived (before Sam was arrested) in an apartment. I have a horrible job. And it is putting already cut trees into a truck. I know. That is not fun. And then, suddenly, one day, she ran away at night. I woke up because I had heard something smash. I glanced around and saw that a red vase had fallen on the floor. I rushed to Sam’s room, and searched the place. But there was no sign of her at all. I ran out the door and looked down our window (we lived on the sixth floor) and saw a little figure with red hair running in the streets. That is Sam, I thought. “SAM!” I called. “What are you…?” Whelp. She did not hear me, I guess. So, I put on my coat and went downstairs. 

It was cold. And pouring. I ran after my daughter like she was money blowing in the air. But Sam is priceless. Anyway, she went around the corner of a building and that is when I gave up. I knelt, gasping for breath, when I heard another crash. But this was much louder than the one I heard before. And everything else…was a blur. I saw a police car coming, Sam holding something small and black in her hands, and a few people rushing to the scene. When I looked at Sam’s little face, I gasped. “My Sam,” I said. “Look what you have done. You are in big trouble, young lady.” She stared into my eyes and slowly got into the police car.  

I got into my own car and chased the police. But they were driving too fast and I did not want to risk getting a fine. I eventually stopped because my hands got tired. I had no idea how far the police station was. So, instead of chasing them, I searched it up on my GPS. Dang it!! The GPS will not work. And the police cars were not in sight anymore. Well, now what?? I really had no choice but to head home. I got in my car, thinking that nothing worse could happen, but my car would not start. So, I waved my arms like crazy until some lady finally came near me. She helped me with the engine and now I could go home. That is, if, she had really fixed my engine. Yes! I drove home, thinking about Sam. I called her. When I heard her voice, I gasped. 

“B-but why did you run away, Sam?” I said. “M-my…… vase…. black and I…. so the police…….they put me…” she murmured. I could barely make a single sentence out of what she was saying. Their internet was bad on purpose so that nobody could help the prisoners escape by planning with them. Tomorrow would be her trial, and the whole town would see her. 

And all of that is just a flashback. Now I am here, sitting in the court, staring at my daughter. It is crazy. The police are marching into the court. And this next thing just made the cracks in my heart deeper. The police said she would be in jail for 36 years. I will not be alive by then. As I drove home my phone rang. It was Leah, my friend. I picked it up and she screamed, “MY GOODNESS, TONI, YOUR DAUGHTER IS A CRIMINAL? SUCH A BAD MOTHER YOU ARE, I’M ASHAMED!” I apologized. And then I got eight more calls from various friends, each saying they heard about Sam going to jail. Great! Now I lost all my friends who heard about the trial, but I am sure news of her will spread around soon.  

Today I woke up with brief memories from what happened last night. I quickly dressed up and went to visit Sam. When I saw her in her little cell, I just felt sorry for her. “Hi, mother, how are you?” she greeted. “Sam, what were you thinking? Look at you now. Anyway, what did you do?” I asked. “You see,” she replied, “I snuck out at night and broke into a store. Then I stole a phone. That’s all.” I squinted. ‘That’s all??’ Really? Just stealing a phone is a LOT. I was not impressed. “Oh really?” I said, squinting. “Whelp. Okay, I guess, but next time you run away……” My voice trailed off. There was a red-haired woman standing behind me. She was wearing a blue hat and black boots. I assumed she was a police officer, but she was not. Police officers do not wear fancy red dresses at work! “Ahem,” she cleared her throat. “What, ma’am, are you doing?” Why would she ask me that? That is none of her business! “Please speak to me for a moment, if you can,” she continued. 

I walked over to a corner. I was very shocked when I saw her grab my purse and pull it away from me. “YOU! GIVE…IT..BACK!” I demanded. But she just pulled it further away from my reach. “Ma’am, I’m sorry to take your purse away, but what are you trying to do here? Just asking, because I am suspicious, and she is your daughter.” I was furious. “First of all, this is NONE of your business, and, second, that is a horrible reason to take my purse. Third, why are you suspicious?” I asked. “I’m suspicious because a mother might want to help her child escape….” she said. “Oh, please, I wouldn’t do that,” I replied. And then, Sam shrieked from behind. I turned around and saw a dark figure holding onto the window. He (or she) cackled. And then, in just one swipe of the creature’s hands, Sam disappeared into thin air. 

                                    TO BE CONTINUED LATER…