Finding You

Misfortune

          Instant. That's the one word to describe how quickly things had escalated for Valory. Just ten minutes ago, she was downstairs playing while her mom was reading a book in the kitchen about to prepare dinner. Things were the same way they had always been. Valory had come home from school excited to finish her homework so she could watch a new TV show one of her friends recommended. Valory was finishing her math and spelling work and went downstairs to watch TV for a bit. Her mom said that dinner would be prepped in a few minutes and that she could play until then. As Valory was playing, there was a knock on the door. 

"Who's that?" Valory asked.

"Not sure sweetie, let me check."

Her mom opened the door to see a man dressed in a suit.

"Hello, can I help you?"

"Good evening ma'am. We've come to see your daughter."

"My daughter? Are you sure? I don't even know you."

"It's no mistake ma'am. She my be gifted and we'd like to help her."

Valory's mother was becoming suspicious.

"Okay.... And who sent you?" Valory's mother said as she picked up one of Valory's jackets that was hanging by the door. She threw it over to her. It was inside out. 

"The name of my boss shouldn't matter, but his name is Michael Stryker."

Vallory's mother's heart sank to her feet. She could keep a good poker face.

"And is he good with children? While I'm there, I'd like to make sure that she's given the best possible care" she said as she grabbed a shotgun from behind the door by the hung up coats.

Valory knew what her mother was holding. She looked at the jacket and saw that there was something written on it. She picked it up and it said, "Run away from the house!" Valory looked up at her mother from the floor as she was slowly lifting the shotgun.

"He loves kids. Now, we should take her to him before it gets too dark wouldn't you say?"

"You're right"she said as she brushed a lock of brown curls from her face.

"But before we do, let me pack some things" she said as she kicked the door open and fired the shotgun at him. Yelling was heard in the distance as a special ops team started surrounding the front door. Valory's mom looked back at her, her eyes giving her the "ok" to go. Vallory didn't want to, but she got up from the floor and went to the back door as her mom shot again and grabbed more rounds. 

"THAT SON OF A BITCH CAN'T HAVE HER!" she yelled to distract them. 

Vallory was now outside in the backyard. She ran past a few houses hoping no one would see her as she turned a corner and kept running. She kept going, faster and faster until she almost tripped trying to go even faster. She ran along the side walk as she neared the entrance of her neighborhood. She ran across cross walks and past stores, bumping a civilian or two along the way. Tears were spilling from her eyes as she kept running, clenching to the jacket in her tiny fist. She eventually found the mall parking lot which was empty. 

Valory stopped to catch her breath as her lungs started to hurt from the chilled air. Horrible possibilities filled her head as she recalled the alarming sound of the gunshot and the scary looking men with their guns and helmets. Valory looked around, as she saw that she was alone. She rested up for a few minutes, put the jacket on, and started running again.