how I couldn’t think of anything else all day except how we could possibly be connected to the him, and about how the dark walker was sitting in the real world outside our house just moments ago. He sighs heavily into the phone and swears under his breath.
“Emma, go in our house, take Zoë with you and stay there,” he orders. “I’ll be leaving work in twenty minutes. We will talk when I get home. Do not under any circumstances follow that man or let him into the house!”
Zoë’s brow furrows and a look of concern spreads across her face.
“I won’t. We won’t.”
“And do not say or do anything to worry your mother, please.”
“I won’t. I promise.”
Zoë heard everything he had said so there was no need to repeat. “So this is really happening?” she asks. “Your dad sounded really, seriously concerned.”
I just look at her, unable to formulate any words.
We head inside my house, lock and bolt the door behind us, and run straight up to my bedroom. I open all of the curtains as wide as possible before positioning myself nervously in front of my windows, looking out each one carefully, inspecting the street for unusual activity.
Zoë takes a seat on my bed and flips on the television with the remote, both as a distraction and to make everything seem normal to my mom. She surfs absentmindedly through the channels until my mom knocks on the door. Startled, Zoë drops the remote on my bed.
Without waiting for an invitation, my mom walks into the room and starts with the usual chitchat. Her mundane questions seem to be endless. I don’t answer a single question. I am so distracted, that I cannot even listen to her. Instead, I perch myself at my desk so I can see out every one of my bedroom windows simultaneously. “Emma, what are you looking for out there?” my mom snaps at me, annoyed that I am paying even less attention than usual to her.
Zoë shoots a concerned look at me. I have to think quickly. “Zoë’s new crush, Dylan” I stammer out. “He sometimes rides his bike by here after school.”
She perks up. “Dylan Parker? I know his mother. I can put in a good word for you, maybe even set you two up!”
“Mom!” I shout at her.
“Oh, no, Mrs. Owens, that’s really okay. I’m content admiring him from afar.” Zoë smiles at her and somehow manages to blush in embarrassment at the thought of my mother setting her up on a date.
Thankfully, it’s time for her to head out to pick up my little brother from school. “I’ll be back in a few hours. I have to make a couple stops after I pick up Jonah.”
She heads out the door and down the stairs. “Bye, Mrs. Owens! Nice to see you!” Zoë yells to her as she walks away.
“You too sweetie!” my mom yells back before she shuts the front door.
I watch out my window as she backs her car out of the driveway and disappears down the street.
“I swear, if your mother tries to set me up on a date with Dylan Parker, I will die of embarrassment!”
“I am so sorry. I don’t know what she is thinking sometimes.”
Zoë settles herself into a more comfortable position on my bed as the television catches her attention. “Ugh, this story again! It makes me sad. I can’t watch it.”
She picks up the remote, ready to channel surf again when I realize what is on the screen.
“No! Don’t change it!” I exclaim.
I walk over and sit next to her on my bed for a better view. “Jeez, Emma. You have to have seen this a million times by now. It’s all over television and the internet.”
She had inadvertently left the television tuned to a national news network when my mom came in the room before. The screen is filled with the image of a little girl, Natalie Jacobs. Her face catches my attention. “Turn up the sound,” I demand. She obliges.
A ticker runs across the bottom of the screen with the details of her story. The anchor’s voice slowly becomes audible as various images of Natalie are displayed in succession as the anchor speaks over them. “Natalie Jacobs, a beautiful, fun-loving seven year old girl who enjoyed painting, reading and ballet. Her parent’s pride and joy. The only child in her family. One morning, six and a half months ago, Natalie didn’t wake up. Her parents, Paul and Rebecca Jacobs of Waterville, Maine tried