Ashton: “Where’s (Y/D/N)?” You asked Ashton, looking up from your book. He looked up as well, looking out the window. “She was out front playing,” He said, setting aside his paper. He brushed some of his hair back, and stood up, going towards the front door. Deep in the pit of your stomach you had a kind of dark feeling, something was wrong. You stood up, coming up behind Ashton, and looking around the yard. Her toys were still out, and so was her chalk, but she wasn’t anywhere. Ashton called out your daughters name, but there was no reply. There was no sound of her tiny voice calling back, or her laughter, or even any sound of a child around. You clutched at Ashton’s bicep, and he shook his head. “Maybe she’s around the side of the house,” He said, and you detached your claw-like grip from his arm and followed him around the side of your house. You couldn’t help but call out her name, in any hopes that she would respond. But when you searched around your house, and there was no sign of your daughter, that was when the panic began to overtake your body. “Ashton where is she?” You asked, your voice wavering. “Maybe she’s at the neighbours.” He said, determined. You both walked over to your neighbours house, praying silently to yourselves that she was with them. You knocked fast, and loud, and your neighbour answered the door. He smiled when he saw you, but his expression changed when he saw your faces. “Have you seen (Y/D/N)?” You asked, trying to steady your voice. “No we haven’t, we saw her playing earlier but she went towards the tree in your yard, and then we went out.” He said. “Why?” He asked. “She’s not around here, we were wondering if she was over here for whatever reason.” Ashton said, grabbing your hand and running his thumb across your knuckles. “I’ll keep an eye out for her,” He said nodding. You parted ways, and returned to your house, fretfully searching everywhere. Your calls turned desperate as you began shrieking her name, but to no avail did you find her. “Ashton, what if she’s hurt? What if someone’s taken her?” You began to tremble at the thought of your darling hurt. Suddenly a much darker thought flicked across your mind, making your small tremor turn into a full blown panic attack. Tears fell from your eyes as your knees went weak at the thought of holding your cold dead daughter. “Hey, we’re going to call the cops. We’re going to find her.” He said, picking you up and holding you. He squeezed you a bit tighter, thinking the same thing. Ashton calmly called the police, telling them everything. Within the hour a police officer sat in your living room, taking details of your daughter and her whereabouts. If there was a a possible family member that was seeking revenge, if you had any affiliation with gangs, crime, or someone had a vendetta against you. An amber alert was dispatched for your area, seeing as it was nearing twelve hours and there was no sign of your daughter. You sobbed relentlessly, clutching at Ashton as you thought of the endless possibilities of what could have happened to your daughter. Someone had called in anonymously saying that they saw her in a convince store with a strange man, but she looked at ease. When you heard the news you couldn’t breath, you couldn’t cope. Your daughter was kidnapped by a stranger. Who knew what they wanted to do with her. Being only five, she was so innocent and young, and you wanted to protect her. You should have protected her better, why had you let her out of your sight? Why had you chosen to read instead of play with her. Why had Ashton not watched her better? You felt Ashton begin to sob as he too realized the ramifications of what that call meant. Your daughter could be anywhere. Twelve hours turned into twenty-four hours, and you hadn’t slept, you hadn’t eaten, you hadn’t moved. You sat by the phone, occasionally talking to the police officers to see if there was any news about her. On the news she made the headline, radio stations broadcasted the missing child. But no one had found her, and that made your insides turn with guilt and dread. What if she was begging and crying for you? What if her last thoughts and words were where is my Mum and Dad? You felt sick, you felt disgusted, you felt guilty. And Ashton was in the same boat, he was pale, shaking, and teary eyed. Twenty four hours turned into forty eight, and by now, the darkness was almost a possibility. What if every dark thought you thought was true? Who was it? What did they want with your daughter? If they wanted money, they could have it all. They could have every last cent, as long as your daughter was returned safely to your eager arms. Your heart ached, and every time you breathed it was if someone had clamped your ribcage together. But finally, the day came along where there was news. She had been sighted at a local supermarket with a man, unidentifiable but the police were onto it. For the first time there was a glimmer of hope in this hellish nightmare. Ashton had become inconsolable, the only distraction was you. You were the only thing keeping him from ripping his hair out. He never let you go, and was always holding you. The phone rang, drawing you both out of your trance. You looked at Ashton, tears shimmering in your eyes. You picked up the receiver, shaking. “Hello?” You asked, holding your breath. “Mrs. Irwin, we’ve found your daughter.” The officer said, and you began to sob uncontrollably. “Mrs. Irwin, she’s alright!” He said, trying to calm you. “I need to see her,” You managed to sputter out. “Of course, we’re on our way to the police station now. She’s asleep in the back of our car, she is fine. She’s just scared, and wants her parents.” He said, and you couldn’t help but nod your head. “See you soon Mrs. Irwin,” The officer said, and you hung up looking at Ashton. “Did they?” He asked, and you nodded your head sobbing again. He hugged you so tight you couldn’t breath but you sobbed into his shoulder harder then you ever have. Whoever had done it, it didn’t matter in this moment because your daughter was safe, and alive.
