Survival

Charlotte

"Do you know where my Daddy is?" The little girl asks as Dylan looks at her, cuts and scrapes on her face, dirty hair, and tears in her eyes.

"W-what?" Dylan stutters out. "Where did you come from?"

"My daddy said to wait for him in our house while he gets food." The girl coughs.

"Did he ever come back?"

"No"

What do I do? I should help her, but then what? How will I take care of her? Dylan thinks.

"Do you know where my Daddy is?" The girl asks again.

"Come in here, you look like you need some food and water." Dylan waves the girl over and takes her inside to the houses kitchen.

"What do you have to eat?" The girl sits on the cot.

"I have some crackers, beans, and root beer, does that sound good?" Dylan asks her, putting the food in front of her.

The girls doesn't answer and immediately starts eating the beans. She looked like she hadn't eaten in days.

"When was the last time you had food?" Dylan asks.

"I don't know. Me and my Daddy had some but it's all gone now." She says, in between bites.

"You don't know where your Dad is at all?" Dylan asks, handing her a bottle of water.

"No" she drinks the water. "He just said to wait."

Oh god. I need to help her.

"Do you want to stay with me?" Dylan offers. "I can help you find your Dad."

"Sure" she wipes her face on her sleeve and gives Dylan a smile.

"Wait right here, okay?" Dylan stands up. "I'm going to get you blankets, eat whatever you'd like."

"Okay" the girl says.

Dylan goes out the front door, checking for anybody else before leaving the house and walking across the street.

This house had some blankets, maybe even clothes that would fit her.

Dylan opens the door slowly and calls out "hello?" When nobody answers she goes upstairs to get the stuff.

She gathers up some blankets and look through the dressers to find clothes for the girl. She finds a few t-shirts and some pants that looks like they would fit her.

She goes back downstairs and heads back to the house.

Dylan reaches the kitchen and drops everything.

"Fuck, where'd she go?" She mutters to herself. "Hello? Little girl? Where are you?"

Dylan walks around the house, looking in all the rooms, finally she gets to the back door. She looks out and see the girl playing on the swing set in the backyard.

"Oh thank god." Dylan runs over to her. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, Mr. Bear said we should go outside." The girl says, motioning to the bear.