𝕁𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝔽𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕜𝕚𝕖 (𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝗻𝗲)

2. 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲

(Side note: I hate my writing compared to how I write know. I wrote this in 2019 so it's not my best work. It's under construction so ignore jumpy ideas for now until I get around to completing this book officially which might not be for a good amount of years.)

(5)
Flashback
Mike's POV

Stef and I had been patrolling the streets where by now, it was getting darker. High rates of drug activity happened around the area we were in and it wasn't the best part of town.

We were on a graveyard shift and had a long night ahead of us.

"Mike, look over there." Stef said as she started getting out of the passengers side.

We turned on our flashlights that had previously been clipped to our belt and got closer to the shed. Neither one of us knew what to expect but thats what came with the job on a daily.

She ignored me and kept walking towards the shed. I was about to put my flashlight away since she had hers out but then there came a noise.

The sound of something suddenly falling in the shed. Then rustling noises.

Stef quickly reached for her gun.

"Police, anyone in there?" I called as I had my hand resting on the holster of my belt. We were now at the entrance of the shed before we we heard another noise. A whine. Almost a whimper?

She stepped into the shed, gun still raised with the flashlight that was attached to her weapon.

"Oh my god." I heard her voice say from inside. She didn't sound scared, but I could tell a sense of immediacy arose. What could she have possibly found? My mind continued to race with endless scenarios as I entered into the somewhat larger structure.

Then I saw where her flashlight was pointed.

Walking into that shed changed a lot of lives in that moment. It was best thing that ended up happening in each of those lives. I didn't know what healing really was until this new chapter in my life. All of those other lives had chapters and this little girl would have a little page curled on each.

I don't want to think about what could have happened if we hadn't found her that night. She most likely would have starved had she been out there by herself another night alone. Anything could have happened to her if we hadn't been the ones who walked into that very shed.

I saw Stef lower her weapon slowly as I also gently lowered both of my arms to my sides while being sure not to aim my flashlight directly at her. Stef and I made sure to keep a good distance between us as we didn't want to scare this small human being in front of us.

She seemed to be a little smaller than most kids her age. Maybe because she had now tucked herself even further into the corner? She looked to be around 5 or 6. The condition her clothes were in was tough, but her
tangle of curls seemed to be in even more tough of conditions. I noticed a few small bruises here and there which made my heart break a little more.

"Hi, my name is Stef, and this is Mike." I heard Stef say in a soft gentle voice. Stef had always been great with kids and this moment was no different.

"What's your name?" She continued with a comforting voice as we both made ourselves not as intimidating by kneeling/ crouching down to her level.

The girl only pushed herself even more far back against the shed wall. There was no where else to go and her fear showed. She only pulled her knees up to her chest further trying to make herself as small as possible. I was scared she was going to get splinters from the old wood shed walls or worse, rusty nails.

"It's going to be okay. I know it's really scary right now but we aren't going to hurt you. We are police officers. We help people. See our badges?" Stef said as she showed her badge to the little girl.

"We are here to help you. Can you tell us your name?" Stef asked again.

No response as the little girl buried her head into her knees.

"It's okay honey, we aren't going to hurt you. You can tell us your name baby." Stef said again trying to get her to say something.

"We can stay here as long as you want but it's getting a little colder out. We have blankets and food for you in the cruiser. We are going to help you." Stef told the little girl.

At the sound of heat and especially food, her little head perked up ever so slightly.

"Yeh, we can get a nice warm blanket around you. We have seat warmers to. And we have a lot of snacks and you can pick how ever many you want." Stef said starting to encourage her and I could tell it was working as the little girl loosened up her grip around herself and looked up fully at us.

"Do you want to take my hand?" Stef asked as she held out her hand slowly to the little girl. The little girl didn't recoil and just stared at it.

"Frankie." The little girl said in the smallest most sweetest voice that made Stef and I fall in love with her even more.

"What's that? Your name is Frankie?" Stef asked.

The little girl nodded her head at the both of us.

"Frankie is a very beautiful name." Stef said kindly smiling at her.

Frankie then looked back down. It looked like she was contemplating on staying right where she was in that spot, or going with complete total strangers that had offered her food and warmth. Whatever was holding back this little girl wasn't good. I had a strong feeling that her life had not been good before we had found her considering what she currently looked like.

The little girl then looked up at me with those big beautiful brown eyes of hers.

"Police." Frankie said as suddenly she stood up and walked over to me as I had crouched down earlier. She stepped in between my legs as she then grabbed for my badge and started playing with it. Well that was completely unexpected. Stef and I just looked at each other and smiled.

"Can I hold it?" She asked as she looked up at me.

"Yeh, of corse you can." I said still kneeling as I undid it and handed it to her. She grabbed it excitedly and examined it curiously. She had a sense of us being good people and that she was safe now.

"Do you want to come with us to the police car? You can turn on the siren if you want." Stef asked as we still had to remain extremely calm and cautious with every move we made to not scare her and have her possibly running away.

"Can I still play with the badge?" She asked looking to us for permission.

"Of course you can." I said smiling down at her. She suddenly then wrapped her arms around my neck and tried hoisting herself up on my body.

She wanted to be held. I wrapped my arms around her to support the rest of her body as I stood up. She leaned her head into my chest and her body went limp hinting that she was very comfortable around us already.

Stef and I just laughed as this girl had our hearts.

"Let's go get some food and a nice warm blanket for you." I said as she rubbed Frankie's little back.

Stef and I headed out of the shed as Frankie still had a tight grip around me. It made me so sad as I could feel her ribs sticking out of her. We were going to get her warmed up and fed. Take her back to the station and figure out what to do next. Stef and I deep down wanted to keep this little girl but we knew she probably had a family. But if her family had done this to her, there was no way in hell we were sending her back there. And we definitely weren't going to put her into the foster system and just give up on her.

Little did we know she would become the center of our lives and we were determined to be there for her every step of the way.

_________________
Mike will be in the story from time to time. I wonder if Frankie will ever find out who hurt her and what impact will this have on her parents? We know Frankie is in safe hands now with people who will love and care for her unconditionally.