Chapter 6: A Vision

The clock strikes twelve. Crash lays in bed with the lights low. An open copy of Brom's 'Child Thief' rests on the sleeper's stomach. Despite wanting to read, the teenager's fatigue gets the best of him.

All is quiet in the house until a phone chimes. The abrupt sound startles the sleeper awake. Crash rises in bed and looks around in a groggy haze. While noticing the book, he places the tale on the nightstand.

A rhythmic melody continues to resound. He stands from the bed and walks over to the phone on his dresser. Crash answers the call of a frantic guardian.

"Honey!" Mama's voice ramps in a panic. "Are you home?"

"Yeah," the teenager replies with a yawn. "I've been home since six."

"That late," the concerned guardian remarks. "Don't you usually make it home around three thirty?"

"Mama, I texted you that I was with Alex!" Crash's tired frustration is evident. "Besides, I thought I sent you a message when I came home."

"I'm sorry, Hon," Mama apologizes. "I just heard about the missing girl."

Her voice sounds sad. The anxiousness in Mama's demeanor changes her son's attitude. 'I can't be upset with her worrying about me.' Crash sighs.

"It's okay." His tone softens. "I understand. Hopefully, they can find her."

"I agree," Mama replies. "I'll be home at four, Hon. You can go back to sleep."

"Thank you." Crash smiles. "Be safe."

They bid each other 'goodbye.' As Crash ends the call, he turns off the lights. The teenager shuffles back to the bed. Once he retreats beneath the covers, Crash finds himself staring at the ceiling.

Despite his body's fatigue, his mind is wired. The reminder of the missing girl makes falling asleep more difficult. 'What sort of monster hurts children?' There's a sort of bitterness to his question that is atypical for Crash's quiet personality. Alas, blue yes close tight as though pained by the thought.

"A coward," Crash speaks aloud with conviction. "That's who preys on children."

The emotional teen turns onto his side. His breathing regulates into a rhythmic lullaby. After several minutes, Crash is able to drift off to sleep. Yet, his thoughts turn towards an image of a girl's silhouette…

***

A young girl plays in the park. Other children are present with her—an older brother and two younger cousins. The girl's attention fixates onto a red bouncy ball. While her companions busy themselves with the swing set, she plays alone on a basketball court. The little girl attempts to dribble the ball like Michal Jordan on Space Jam.

"One day I'll be tall enough to make the shot!" she says with determination.

The girl studies the ball and the hoop. After a few bounces, she reaches a revelation.

"I know!" she shouts with glee. "If I bounce this ball harder, then it can land in the basket!"

She paces herself a few feet away from the hoop. The little girl raises the ball high overhead. Upon an internal count of three, she hurls the ball onto the concrete. She stares with awe as the ball flies through the air. Her anticipation is met with a reward. The net swooshes as the red ball falls through. With an enormous surge of energy, the little girl dances around in triumph.

"Yes!" she exclaims. "It worked!"

Amidst her cheering, the little girl fails to realize—she's alone. She scans around the park for her family. However, they are nowhere to be seen. The little girl's memory picks up a faint voice of her brother. She vaguely recalls him informing her that the others are going to leave for a moment. One of their cousins has scraped his knee on the ground. Her older brother promises to return for her. Yet, the little girl is too engaged with her sport to notice.

"Hello?" She speaks sadly.

While looking back towards the ball, she shrugs her shoulders. A sound catches her off guard.

"Bravo!" an older man's voice bellows from behind. "Great shot!"

The man's presence is alarming. She does not remember seeing him while searching for her companions. The little girl stares at him and wonders if she has seen him in town before. Unfortunately, the older man is a complete stranger!

"…Thanks…" She accepts his kind words. "I should be leaving now."

Her response receives a broad smile. The man says nothing in reply. His demeanor shocks the little girl. She nervously walks over to the basketball hoop. She squats down to retrieve her toy. While close to the ground, the little girl notices a heavy sound. Footsteps stomp towards her from behind! The stranger crouches along with her.

With a wicked smile he wraps his arms around the frightened girl. He keeps her in one hand while grabbing a stinky cloth from his pocket. Once the girl inhales the foul odor, she feels a tingling sensation throughout her head. Her eyes flicker shut as she lays limp in the stranger's grasp.

The red ball rolls away as the little girl is taken to play…

***

Crash wakes in a shock. He sits in bed with sweat beading down his face. The distraught teenager gulps as he recalls the details of his disturbing dream. His gaze turns towards the direction of his cellphone.

He rises to the floor and walks over to the dresser in doubt. 'The little girl cannot be the same one. Could she?' Crash's thoughts circle around the possibilities. As he reaches for his phone, fingers frantically slide to open the internet application.

While searching for information regarding the Amber Alert from the previous afternoon, Crash locates the most recent article.

The teenager scrolls through the text, slowly becoming more and more anxious. By the end of the digital paper, Crash's jaw drops.

"No way!" His heart beats faster. "How could I…"

His voice trails off. Crash stares at the image of the little girl from the article. She has long light brown hair and blue eyes. She has the same green dress as the stolen child from his dream. The teenager shuts the phone off in disbelief. He returns to bed and stares out the window.

Crash's vision only provides him with dread. 'Is she going to be…okay?' his mind asks with concern. Fearing dreaming about her again, Crash decides to remain awake for the rest of the night. Yet, his mind plays more tricks on him as he recalls the details of little Marie being stolen by the unknown monster at the park.