The Missing Children (#OnceUponNow)

This is He.

     I gasped awake, unable to breathe. My throat has closed and my lungs refuse to expand. Anaphylactic shock? Asthma? Both? Whatever it is I can't help but panic as I grab my bag, searching for my EpiPen and inhaler. I'm not entirely sure what my triggers are but both kinds of attacks are really bad and I've almost died quite a few times from them. I shook the inhaler and inhaling the disgusting liquid. I fell back on the bed. Ok so no EpiPen needed. That's nice.

     Like always I had to wait for a headache and nausea to pass. It takes longer to get over the dizziness and my shaking. I sat up, wincing slightly. I grabbed a water bottle and put the cap back on the inhaler's mouthpiece. I drank some and looked at the clock. 2:53 AM. I shook my head, laying back down for another hour or so before I got up and changed. I ended up in black skinny jeans, a tight black t-shirt, a baggy black hoodie, and my black combat boots. I don't care today. I slipped two EpiPens into my boot and inhaler into my pocket, per usual.

     I always wear my medical alert dog tag thing, but I slid my bracket on as well. I hide my conditions well, and I highly doubt anyone knows. It sucks because I'm allergic to a lot but I'm not sure what and my reactions are known to vary. I'd used my inhaler yesterday before going into that small dusty space. Treatment and dealing with this would help if I remembered growing up, but of course not. I'm sick, mentally and physically. In fact, life threatening so. My fear is if my co-workers found out I'd be moved to desk work or something, but I work and live in the field. I can't go anywhere else.

     "What are you doing up?" Berkly asked, sitting up as well.

     "We have to find those kids." I simply said. By this point, it's about 5 in the morning, and I was about to wake him anyway.

     "I know that but..."

     "Over half a hundred kids are missing. What is it you expect to happen if we continue to put this off? I'm not sure that we can get the kids missing back, let alone those about to go missing now because we're here sitting on our hands." I said quietly. We have to find them. I'm not sure what I'll do to do so, or what I will if I can't. I don't have any inclination to find out.

     "Ok, let's go." He said, getting up and pulling on jeans and a black fitting long sleeve over his bare dark chest. I lightly and quickly checked the holster for my gun, my pockets for my keys, my phone, wallet, inhaler, and boots for my EpiPens. I touched the cold metal of the bracelet and tag. I don't think anything is wrong with him, while everything is wrong with me. I sighed, oh well.

     "Make sure you have everything, we're heading out now." I said, walking out as he scrambled to grab everything. I climbed in the driver's seat and him shortly after. He grinned and I sighed, handing his wallet that I'd knew he'd forget. He sheepishly smiled, grabbing it. I shook my head, eyes closed. I opened one and flipped the holster shut and the gun on safety so he won't loose his gun or manage to shoot himself. He's wearing the hip holster and he definitely would have lost either the gun or possibly a limb.

     We'd gotten to the station a bit later. Over the span of a couple hours, we slaved away in the station or out in the field. Those hours turned into days and every lead we'd turned up is either a dead end or led to the capture of more innocent children. I'm driving myself insane. They only time I eat or sleep is when Berkly forces me to. Eventually, there were only four children left. One was born lame and can't walk all that well, unable to keep up. The second is blind, unable to see where they're going and therefore can't follow either. The third is deaf, therefore, they can't hear the music. They've all heard it, but haven't fallen prey yet. The fourth and final child has yet to hear the siren-like music. Currently, we're in a room at the edge of town. The sun is setting and this is probably going to be our last chance.

     Over the course of this case, I've come to believe that it's not the acts of a group. It's a single man. I haven't seen him since the first time. My mind's opened to new possibilities and now I'm unsure what to believe. All the facts lead to the impossible. There's no way. It all points to a single man that was betrayed by the original town, returning the following anniversary of the betrayal and stealing all of the children. They say there was a plague of rats that threatened the town's future and so they sent for a man to exterminate them. They found one and agreed on a price. After freeing the town the man was refused payment. The following year to the date he returned, taking all of the children the same way, with a pipe. Neither the rats nor the children were ever seen again. Now, a millennium later, the man has returned to take the children once again. How is it possible it's the same man? Even if it's true, no one can live that long.

     What have I got to do with this? Am I a descendant of one of the missing children? Am I one of the missing children from so long ago? I have no idea, no inkling as to my past, or ties to this. What the hell? What is going on here? It's not possible that that ancient folklore is true. Is it really true? Has he returned to extract his revenge? What does this mean? This man...

     The Pied Piper.