”…Girl, age 3 lost… darkskinned, brown long hair and brown eyes… Last seen at her home in London 18.30, sep. 5th… wearing an all yellow pyjamas carrying a scuffed toy monkey… Any information? Pleas contact your local police station…”
No one could ever explain her disappearance, no one had seen her leave the house or seen any suspicious men. The couple was told there was nothing to do but wait, to hope and pray. And that is what they did.
For a long time Stephen and Julie searched frenetically after their lost child. But for every day that passed they grew more tired of the lack of clues and it took its toll on the both of them.
After some time they lost hope of ever seeing their beloved daughter again. They could no longer live together without being reminded of what had been. So they split up, moved away from each other, and both tried to just forget.
Julie fled far, far away, were she would never find herself reminded of her past. She created a new life and moved on, with a new family.
Stephen moved to a small, quiet town where he had a well paid job. He was praised by his coworkers, but he always kept to himself, never letting anyone close.
Ever since he moved something had come back to haunt Stephen, memories, things he had tried to forget. Around every corner he saw the same shadow he had seen ”That day”.
Stephen had a secret he could not confess, even to himself. And he had bought himself protection for what haunted him. He knew the time would come to end it all. So he kept it in his pocket, close, for when he would need it.
That evening Stephen went home from work earlier then usual, he felt the warm summer breeze caress his bare face as he strolled along the river. All was good.
But then he walked past some children, playing in the riverbanks, and so many painful memories came back while watching them, he could not stand it. He closed his eyes, turned his head away from it and continued walking looking down on his feet.
”Its time!” he said to himself.
The trees on the side of the road grew bigger and multiplied as he walked further and further into the woods. Soon the trees was completely blocking out the sun and with the shadows embracing him his steps gained speed until he was more or less running, letting the wind wash it all away, clearing his mind, making him focused on the task in hand.
He had reached his destination and stopped, just standing there, staring. There was a small cabin for a house in front of him, his place. A crooked, spooky little shack no one would ever look twice at. But that was the point, he wanted to be left alone, no one could ever find ”It” out.
Slowly he walked towards the door. He bent down to pick up the hidden key from under a vase. With a forceful wiggle the rusty lock clicked, he turned the old knob and entered.
His footsteps echoed loudly as he walked in, it was otherwise all so quiet. But as he turned around and closed the door shut a loud giggle was heard. The high pitched laugh was etched into his brain, it was all he could hear.
After two or three deep breaths he turned back around and gazed upon the single room.
Right in front of him stood the IKEA-couch, which was also his bed, with all the the sheets and covers neatly folded on top, as he had left it this morning.
On his right, besides a bowl with scraps of mouldy dog food, there stood a single table on top of a small carpet, with a tiny frame and inside a picture, a picture of her.
Just looking at it was enough and he fell to his knees, grabbed the picture and started to cry, screaming, throwing his head around in agony.
But soon he stopped and his screams grew into a mad laughter. Dropping the frame, forgetting all about it, he stood up to give the table a devastating kick, making it, and the bowl next to it, brake, as it hit the wall.
With the table gone, he grabbed the carpet, glued to a small part of the floor, ripped it of, and there it was…
He stood there for a while, staring at the trapdoor, realising he was actually going to do it, finally.
Stephen could no longer stand the shadow haunting him, he had to end it. The weight of the gun in his vest pocked grew bigger. He reached for it whilst he with his empty hand fetched the key for the lock. He slowly unlocked the hatchway and swung it open.
”No more!” he screamed as he pointed the gun at the the girl, waiting for him, holding a dirty scuffed toy monkey.
Av: V