Seeker

Chasing the Sun

The playground was eerily silent, lit by only three flickering street lights. I looked around, noticing the snowman Lawrence had been making earlier. The wind made one of it's long tree branch arms shake like it was waving to me. On one of the three mildewing wooden picnic tables was a picnic basket, a rusty old barbecue grill next to it was still smoldering. Something was on it, and it smelled awful. I didn't want to go investigate that any closer. A decrepit swing set was being blown back and forth, wailing every inch it moved. Icicles hung from a faded red jungle gym, an old bike lay propped up against a cracking slide. I suppose this was how Lawrence and June had left everything.

Now where was Evelyn?

I stopped, feeling my spine... shiver, I guess is the best word for it, and arch back.

"June."

Her red hair wasn't so red anymore, the cold had made it frosty at the tips. Her eyes had changed too. I could make out tiny slits behind a blind-looking blue film.

She grinned at me, and I watched sets of tall, pointy teeth rip her jaw apart.

What are you?

"Y o u  f o u n d  m e."

The words came out like a death rattle, almost blown away by the wind.

"Where's Evelyn?" I asked.

She made a strange wheezing sound that I think started out as laughter.

"P l a y  w i t h  m e."

"Show me my sister first." I felt Earhart stir in my pocket. 

Not yet.

"P l a y  w i t h  m e."

"If you let Evelyn go!"

"P l a y  w i t h  m e."

"Uuuugh. What's the game?"

"P l a y  w i t h  m e."

"You're just going to repeat that until I agree, aren't you?"

"P l a y  w i t h  m e."

I bit my lip and checked my watch. It was five thirty. I had half an hour.

"I never did find Lyn, technically." I said, trying very hard to be clever. "So I am still playing with you."

She paused. Craaack-crack-crack goes her neck as she tilts her head at a bizarre angle.

"I found you, now finding her finishes the game, right?"

Her eyes narrowed.

"H s s s s s s..............."

"Right?"

She nodded, snarling. I looked around, listening hard.

I could hear her crying, but I couldn't tell from where.

Okay, Melody think. I glanced at my watch again. Five thirty-five. Twenty-five minutes.

The snowman kept grabbing my attention, startling me as much as June did every time I turned around. Maybe Lawrence had given me a hint, after all. June seemed to be hovering around it... I tried to take a step toward her.

She stretched her jaw open, showing me her sharp teeth again, this time mingled with an awful, low gurgling noise. Looks like she isn't going to play fair.

Earhart shifted again, poking her head out a tiny bit.

Waaiit for iiiit....

I looked up and behind her, forcing an enthusiastic smile. "Lawrence!"

Her head whipped around and Earhart launched at her, with a little bit of my help. June screamed and swiped at her, but I was close behind, shoving her over and pretty much tackling the snowman. Buried in the cold, my arms closed around something warm.

"Melody!"

———————-

I found her, I found her, I found her...

Up and over roots and rocks I went, barrelling past reaching hands and protruding branches. The path sure got narrower. I could hear June close behind us, tearing up the woods in our wake. Fifteen minutes, ten minutes, almost there... Evelyn was shaking in my arms, clinging to me and our battle-scarred parrot. We were almost out. This time, I wasn't letting go.

Nine.

Something swiped at the jacket, almost yanking me back. I shook it off and kept running.

Eight.

I picked Evelyn up again, ripping her away from a Lost Child that was trying to drag her off the path.

Seven.

I could hear someone calling my name from far away. I could feel something's rotten breath on my neck. Pick up your feet. I reminded myself. Don't make Chris's mistakes.

Six.

Evelyn looked behind me, and wouldn't stop screaming.

Five.

June started laughing.

Four.

I could see Lawrence and Chris waving to me.

Three.

I could see the end of the path.

Two.

I could see the first streaks of sunlight.

One.

"June! Thank god, I found you!"