The Chase

Chapter 52

"Mommy?"

"Yes sweetie?"

"When is Daddy coming home?"

My mother's face turns down as she looks at me. There is a sad smile on her face as she looks at me, "He won't be coming home for a while."

My face turns into a pout as I look up at my mother, "But I haven't seen him since I was little!"

My mother's face lets out a small smile at my outburst, "You're still little."

"You know what I mean Mommy. When's he coming home? Doesn't he miss us? He'll want to know how big I've gotten. I've gotten pretty big since the last time he was here." I pause confused as I think back to when I last seen him.

Unsure I ask her, "Mommy? How long has it been since he's been here. Doesn't he love us?"

"Of course he does sweetie, but he has to..." my mother cuts off midway on a choked cry.

Feeling guilty, I run over to my mother hugging her legs, "Don't cry momma. I'm sorry I won't ask about him anymore."

She leans down to my level and wraps me in her arms, "No baby, I'm sorry. I just miss Daddy."

That's when my hate started. Daddy left us and I was angry. At him, at the wolves, at anyone who posed a threat to us, to my mother.

My face turned hard. I'll protect my Mommy. I can protect her. I don't need-.

I'm cut off by the sound of the door opening. The door opening? No...that can't be right. When I turn around there was a silhouette of a man at the door.

"I'm home." The voice sounds like it is far off in the distance. But he's right there I can see him.

"Who are you! You can't come in!" I turned to look over at Mommy but she just stood there frozen. I tugged on her shirt to get her to pay attention to me, to what was happening, but she just continued to stare off into the distance.

Finally when she started to speak again it was shaky, "Is that you? Have you come back for me?"

"Yes...it's time for us to go, dear."

"Okay, I'm coming." My mother says in a trance like voice. She starts to walk away and so I hold onto her shirt harder to make sure she doesn't leave, but it's like I'm not even there. She keeps walking away from me until her shirt is torn out of my hand.

"Mommy! Mama! Where are you going? Don't leave me!" I scream as tears start to run down my face. I try to run toward her but it's like I'm running in place and soon they are getting farther and farther as if the distance is growing all on its own.

"Mommy please don't go!"

"I love you baby. Remember that. Daddy loves you too."

"Daddy? I don't understand." My voice is no longer a little kids but it's my voice as it is now older, surer.

"Yes Addie," It's the mans voice now, "Your mother and I have to go now but we love you. Never forget that."

Sobs are racking out of my body as I scream and run toward them, "Don't go please! Please! I love you! Don't go!"

"We love you too. Goodbye." They say in unison.

I wake up with a gasp from the events from my dream and its not until I taste salt that I realize that I was not only crying in my sleep but in my dream too. I reach my hand up to wipe my tears away from my face and let out a sob of breath. There's a knock on the door and I quickly try to situate myself in the bed.