Short Horror Stories

The Lost Child

   I gaze out the window of the passenger door of the Avis moving van. The houses we pass
are little more than shacks with dark, weathered faces peering out from the murkiness inside. I
open up my bible the bishop gave me before we left for the plane that would bring us to South
Africa and start to read.
    2 Chronicles 7:15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is
made in this pla-

     “ Mommy, are we there yet?” asked Sadie impatiently, fidgeting in her seat. I look up from my bible and turn around to look at Sadie. She has her father’s eyes, green with flecks of
gold and intelligent with his blonde, curly hair. Oh god, I miss you so much Joseph. Her legs
swing over the edge of her seat, bored. I smile at her lovingly.
“ Just a little further, cherry,” I say tapping her little nose. Her face lights up and she leans
forward out of her seat.

  “ We are almost there now.” I turn back to face the front and see it. Our future.

   Overlooking the sea on the cliffs, I hear Sadie squeal with excitement. The van stops and she
unbuckles her seat belt. Sadie throws open her door and runs up the cracked pavement of our
new house. Setting down my bible on the dash, I go after her grinning.         

   “Hurry mommy I wanna go inside!” says Sadie. I give her the key to the house and she quickly unlocks the door.

   She rushes inside, and scrambles up the stairs. I walk behind her and
keep her out of the way of the movers who set up our furniture and rooms for us. When they leave it’s near time for bed. I find Sadie in the parlor room on the floor, playing house with her dolls from America.

   “Baby boo, it’s almost time to go to sleep.” I say to Sadie. She looks up from her dolls on the floor and pouts.

    “Mommy, I’m not sleepy.” she says sticking out her lower lip, crossing her arms. I pick up a doll.
“ Yes, but Sadie is gonna be cranky if she doesn’t get enough sleep, and Mommy doesn’t want a cranky baby boo.” I say moving the doll’s arm for emphasis.

   “I am a big girl now though! I turned five last week! So I don’t need to go to sleep anymore!” persists Sadie to the doll. I smile fondly at my little baby girl.

    “Oh, then does that mean you won’t eat any of your sweets, or play with your dolls
anymore since those are for little girls, not big girls such as yourself?” I say.

    Sadie looks up from the doll to me and quickly shakes her head.
“Oh no! I decided I’m not a big girl. Being a big girl sounds boring and not really tasty. I
guess being a little girl isn’t so bad.” I laugh and take her hand.

   “Then let’s get you bed, my baby boo.” I say gently.

   “Yes, mommy.” She walks with me down the hall connecting our rooms, her small, bare feet padding on the wood floor.Sadie hops onto her bed and slips under the covers, snuggling her stuffed bear my mother
gave to her on the day she was born. I tuck her in, pushing the blanket in at her sides.
“Mommy, Mr. Snuggles wants you to sing us a lullaby, please?” Sadie says holding up the bear.

   “I’m sorry baby but Mommy needs to get some sleep too,” I say shaking my head.

   “Just one song please? Please Mommy?” begs Sadie. I chuckle and sit down on the edge of the bed.