1 Kane

"It's pretty warm tonight." Leena thought to herself as she made her way down main street.

Particularly warm seeing as it was Autumn in her small farm town in rural West Virginia. Leena brushed her long golden locks from her face as sweat began to bead across her forehead. She checked her appearance in a local shop window. Long golden, slightly curled hair, beautiful deep green eyes and thin lips with just the slightest hint of eye liner and lip gloss, she thought she looked very babysitter-esque and quite like a very trust worthy 16 year old. She smiled at the reflection before turning her attention to looking for the address of her newest client's. She rummaged through her pocket until she found the scrap piece of paper she'd used to write the address down on.

"Hmm, looks like it's a good ways out. I guess that spin class mom made me take with her is finally gonna pay off." She laughed to herself.

Leena shoved the small scrap pack in her pocket before righting her bike and heading off down the road that led out of town. It was a bumpy ride but 10 minutes later she found herself looking up at a beautiful old country farm house. She noted how well kept the old columns were and how the flowers surrounding the large front porch almost seemed to glow in the faint light of the moon. She parked her bike and smoothed her shirt and jeans then headed for the porch. Right as she was about to ring the doorbell, the door swung open.

Before her stood a beautiful Auburn haired, brown eyed woman and her very handsome, very tall, black haired, blue eyed husband, both smiling from ear to ear. Leena immediately felt welcomed as they invited her inside and each took turns shaking her hand.

"Hello, it's nice to see you again, and it's nice to meet you sir. How are you tonight?" Leena said in her most polite-young-lady tone. Her mother had always made a big deal about manners growing up.

"Hello Leena! We're doing just fine, thank you! See, I told you Bill, she's so polite!" Marie said as she turned to smile at her husband.

"I see that, hello Leena. Just call me Bill. Thank you so much for coming tonight. We really appreciate it, especially with it being on such short notice and all. We've heard really great things about you though." Bill said with a warm smile.

"Oh I have references if you'd like to call around before you leave." Leena stated happily.

"No, no that won't be necessary. Like I said, we've heard great things already. Now, there's just a few things we need to tell you about our little Kane before we leave, sort of standard rules I guess you'd call them.." Bill explained, still smiling that toothy smile.

"Ok, sure." Leena said as she fiddled with the strap on her backpack, trying to shift the weight a little. She'd brought her homework with her in case she got bored. "A+ students don't laze about." As her father say's.

Just then, Kane came bounding down the stairs in an enthusiastic ball of energy. His curly auburn hair bouncing around his ears as he came to a landing next to Leena. She instinctively reach for him and began tickling him mercilessly. As his parents began explaining the "Standard Rules." She was only half listening to Bill and Marie but figured this gig was like all the others anyway. When she looked back up both parent's were gazing down at her expectantly. She straightened herself, Kane still in her arms and smiled broadly.

"There's nothing to worry about. Kane will be totally fine, I'm a pro at this babysitting thing. Y'all just have a good time and don't worry! I have the emergency numbers, I'll call if necessary, promise." Leena said reassuringly.

"Alright, just remember what we've said ok, and everything will be fine." Marie said as she took Kane and kissed his forehead.

"Now you be a good little boy, Ok?" Bill said as Marie gave him back to Leena.

"I will be." Kane exclaimed excitedly.

Everyone said there goodbye's and off they went. Leena blew out a long breath then placed her hands on her hips before glancing at the old grandfather clock in the corner of the extravagant living room.

"Hmm, it's only 6 pm, have you had dinner little dude?" Leena asked.

"Nope." Kane stated.

"Ok, I think your parents said something about grilled cheese. Do you like that?"

"Yup." Came the reply.

"Huh, kid of few words...that's new. Ok, come on into the kitchen then, I'll whip you up some good ol' double stacked grilled cheese. Truth be told, I'm kinda hungry too. Maybe we can watch a movie or play a game afterwards huh?" Leena asked as she took Kane's hand and led him into the kitchen.

She lifted the small child onto the bar stool and pushed him up to the kitchen island so he could watch her and she could keep an eye on him. Kane watched on in awe and giggling amazement as Leena made extravagant gestures and faces whilst flipping the grilled cheese sandwiches. After it was cooked,stacked and sufficiently cheesy, Leena made herself and Kane a plate and took her seat next to him at the island.

After eating two sandwiches herself and one and a half for Kane, they decided they were done and it was now time to play a game. Kane jumped down from the bar stool and grabbed Leena's hand. Dragging her into the living room once again.

"Game time, game time!" He exclaimed happily.

"Ok, ok" Leena laughed. "What do you want to play?"

Kane's nose scrunched up as he placed one little finger at the base of his lip as if he were deep in thought. Leena couldn't help but smile at the scene before her. This child was absolutely hilarious, and probably the cutest 5 year old she'd ever seen. She crossed her arms and waited patiently as the boy tapped his lip then finally looked up at her with a broad grin.

"I wanna play hide and seek!" He squawked excitedly.

"Oh ok, I'm pretty good at hide and seek. Should I count first or do you want to count?"

"You count! I'll hide, I'm the best hider!" Kane exclaimed, puffing his chest with pride.

"Ok, BUT, before we play. Ground rules have to be set. No going outside, it's getting dark and if I can't find you I'll call your name and you HAVE to come out. Oh, and no going into the basement or attic ok?" Leena said in her authoritative voice.

"Ok, I promise." Kane said, still smiling.

"Ok." Leena said as she turned her back to the boy and covered her eye's.

"1.....2.....3...." She began. "18....19....20! Ready or not here I come!" She yelled out.

Leena began her search, in the living room to which she stood in the middle of. She hadn't heard Kane running so logically he must be nearby she thought to herself. She tip-toed around the couch but he wasn't there. She then tried behind the chair, but nothing. She continued to look throughout the rest of the bottom level of the house.

As she searched, she noticed the house seemed to be much bigger inside than it looked from the outside and honestly it looked pretty darn big outside. After a solid 5 minute search of the downstairs she decided to move this party to the upper level, however, after another 5 or so minutes of searching, she still couldn't find Jack.

"Man, he wasn't kidding about that being the best at this thing." She said to herself.

Though not scared, she began to grow worried and decided it was time to end the game. She made her way back downstairs and into the living room again.

"Ok Kane, I give up you win!" She yelled into the soundless void of the house. She waited a few moments but heard no reply.

"Kane?" She tried again.

Nothing.

"KANE!!" Leena yelled, worry lacing her voice.

Again, nothing.

"KANE, THIS ISN'T FUNNY NOW, COME OUT!!!" She yelled again, fear evident in her pleas now.

Silence.

Leena ran back upstairs, her heart pounding and palms beginning to sweat. She tore through the bedrooms, study, library and second living space. The child was no where to be seen. Running full speed back downstairs she grabbed her backpack from the floor where she had dropped it and shuffled through it until she found her cellphone.

Sprinting into the kitchen, she made a b-line for the fridge where the emergency contact numbers had been magnetized to the door. No sooner had she found the cell number for Marie, she spied the kitchen door slightly a-jar.

"Oh, crap!" She exclaimed as she laid the cell phone on the island and rushed out the door and into the back yard.

"KANE!!" She screamed as she took in her surrounding's.

Nothing but the soft whispers of the corn stalks flowing in the gentle breeze answered her. Leena's heart felt as though it were going to explode. She couldn't believe it, she'd lost him. Never in all her 4 years of babysitting had she EVER lost a child. Sweat rolled down her temples, from fear or the heat of the evening she didn't know which and at this point she didn't care. Reaching in her pocket she pulled out a hair tie and proceeded to quickly pull her tangled mess of hair up on to her head and secured it tight.

She ran from one end of the yard to the other, looking under every piece of lawn furniture, or toy she could find. Her heart nearly stopped when she spied the large fence surrounding what she guessed was a pool. The door on the gate, leading inside the fenced area was open.

"Oh my God, No!" She whispered to herself in terror.

She sprinted to the gate, flinging it the rest of the way open. Once inside she searched fervently for a switch to turn on the pool lights. She ran her hand's down the walls of the house until finally, her fingers came to rest on what felt like a light switch. In one swift move she flicked the switch up. Immediately the pool lights came to life. Leena looked on in terror as she spied something floating in the crystal water. Without another thought she dove in. "Like a fish in water", that's what her parents had always said about her.

She swam at champion speed to the dark lump floating a few feet away from her. She grabbed the heaping bulk and pulled with all her might until she was at the waters edge. It took every ounce of her strength but she managed to get it back onto solid ground. With shaking arms she used the last of her adrenaline to pull herself free from the waters chilly grasp. Leena braced herself as she turned the soaking heap over to face her.

Her heart both soared and dropped again as she saw what she had thought was Kane, was actually nothing more than a few beach towels that had gotten intertwined with some debris and branches from an over hanging tree. Lisa sat back against the fence, face in hands and tears streaming freely down her cheeks.

"Jesus, what am I going to do?!" She sobbed.

After a moment of indulging in self pity she realized sitting there, crying wasn't going to do Kane any good. So, she wiped her face, stood up and made her way back to the back yard. She surveyed the swings, slides, tire swing and lawn furniture again before stopping for breath and looking up into the now darkened sky.

She was just about to give up and call the police when a dim light in the barn caught her eye. The door had been pushed open a bit, just enough to let a sliver of light shine through. Filled with new hope she bolted for the door, she came to a sliding halt just inside and began looking around rapidly. Her eye's saw nothing but an empty barn, her ears however told her someone was in here.

"Kane?" She said in an unsure tone. Whimpers came from the horse stall beside where she stood.

She immediately grabbed a lantern hanging nearby and opened the stall door. There, huddled in a small, shivering ball in the corner was Kane. Leena's heart soared, she ran to the whimpering child and enveloped him in a bear hug.

"Kane oh my God! I was so scared! Didn't we make a deal?! I said NO going outside! You scared the heck out of me! I didn't know where you'd gone, I didn't know if you were hurt! Oh, Kane! Thank God your safe!!" Leena exclaimed as she held onto the boy for dear life.

"God had nothing to do with it..." Came a whisper like voice.

Leena's head whipped around, but no one was there. She held Kane closer as she stood up, bringing him up with her. She looked around the barn again, the dim light casting shadows all around. Kane shivered in her arm's, she realized he was probably freezing, hanging on to her wet chest and shoulders. She moved to leave the stall, still watching her surrounding's as she did. Suddenly a faint, menacing laugh echoed behind her, so close she could almost feel someones breath on the back of her neck. She spun on her heels backing into the door of the stall and almost dropping Kane as she did so.

"Hello! Who...Who's there?!" She demanded.

"Leena..." said a small, frail voice from against her chest.

"Yeah bud?" she asked, still searching the barn.

"I'm hungry again."

"Ok sweetheart, I'll make you a peanut butter and jelly sandwich just as soon as we get back inside ok?" she said as she pulled her lantern up to light his little face.

"I don't want that though." he squeaked.

"Ok, what do you want?" Lisa asked absently as she slowly started to make her way to the barn door.

There was no warning, no great clash of thunder or lightning, no symphony orchestra playing that certain "HEY YOUR GONNA DIE" ballad like in the movies, there was just one quick whoosh, like the sound of a sword slicing through the air. Leena's body fell to the straw covered floor, dropping Kane and the lantern in the process. Her eye's strained to find the child in the dimming light, she attempted to yell for him to run but no sound came from her lips. Cold set in quickly and she realized she was dying. She tried one last time to call out for Kane but again, nothing came. One lonely tear fell from her lashes as the life left her eye's. Leena...was dead.

"Think he did alright?" Marie asked her husband as they turned up the long driveway leading to their farm.

"Oh I'm sure he did fine. Leena seemed to have everything well in hand didn't she? Did you see how well Kane took up with her? I'd say we could probably make this a routine kinda deal." Bill replied enthusiastically.

"I hope so. Still though, I heard from Bethany Akers, at the Beauty Salon, that there was an escaped convict on the lose. She said her sister's boyfriend's brother is a guard at Outlook Prison and HE said the guy that escaped is a mass murderer and that his ex lives in town. They think he may be headed here." Marie said, worry obvious in her voice.

"Ok, First...Bethany Akers exaggerates...ALOT...Second, nothing ever happens here honey. You know that."

No sooner had the words left his lips, he spied what looked to be nearly half a dozen police cars in their driveway. Bill looked to his wife, utter terror plain on her face. He threw the SUV in park and launched himself out the driver side door, Marie right on his heels from the passenger side. They didn't make it very far before they were stopped by a young police officer standing guard at their porch steps.

"Ma'am, sir you can't be here. Back behind the yellow line please." said the young man.

"This is MY house!" Bill stated, clearly agitated.

"Excuse me, did you say this is your house?" said a voice from behind the pair.

"YES." They said in unison as they spun to face the owner of the gruff voice,

"My name is Detective Blake, Jeremy Blake and I have to ask you a few questions. Step over here please." he said as he ushered the two away from the front door.

"NO! Where's Leena?! Where's my son?! " demanded Marie.

"Ma'am please, if you'll follow me I'll explain. Your son is fine he's in the kitchen with a few officers. I assure you he's ok." Detective Blake said in as gentle a tone as he could muster.

"What's all this about? What happened? Where's Leena?" Bill asked as he placed his arm reassuringly around Marie's shoulder's.

Detective Blake rubbed his forehead then pinched the bridge of his nose before blowing out a long sigh and looking back at the pair.

"This is never easy, no matter how long I've been a cop, this never gets easier. The young lady babysitting your son, Leena...?" The detective prompted.

"Kendrick." Bill answered hotly.

"Leena Kendrick" Blake scribbled her name onto his pad before continuing. "She's been murdered."

"WHAT?!" Marie screeched.

"I'm sorry but I have to ask where you two were tonight." The detective stated.

"We were at the town meeting. We're business owner's we have to be there." Bill answered in barely a whisper.

"Did anyone see you?"

"Well, yeah. Every business owner in town."

"Alright, we'll have to verify this, its procedure is all."

"Whatever, look...what...what happened to...to..." He couldn't bring himself to finish.

"The neighbors called it in, said they were driving home when they noticed your barn light was on and the door was wide open but no car was in your driveway. They stopped to see if you were home and when no one answered the door, the husband, a mister...Bradford, went to close your barn. He found the girl …."

"LEENA....her name....is Leena." Marie said in between sob's.

"Right, sorry, Leena was found in one of the stall's. The body's...her body's...been mutilated beyond recognition, it'll take dental records to officially....." He stopped mid sentence when he noticed Bill's disapproving glare.

"Anyway, The coroners on his way. We should have this place cleaned up in a couple hours if you want to wait but honestly we're working with a skeleton crew this month, lots of layoff's, anyway, what I'm saying is it could be a while before they're done. I suggest getting a room at the Inn back in town or maybe stay with a relative tonight. I'll call you to let you know when everything's cleaned up."

Bill nodded then fumbled through his wallet to retrieve a business card. He handed it too the detective with trembling finger's. Detective Blake nodded his head then told the young officer to let the couple pass so they could retrieve their son and some clothes.

It was two whole day's of stress and worry before the couple could get back into their home. Detective Blake stayed in constant contact, always reassuring the pair that they WOULD IN FACT catch the killer. Meanwhile, the mayor declared a special "Day Of Remembrance" in honor of Leena Kendrick, "the young girl who gave her life to protect little Kane!" That was the statement made anyway. Leena's parent's were grief stricken to say the least. Bill and Marie did their best to comfort them through the rough time but it was no use. Maggie Kendrick's body was found a week after her daughters funeral, an apparent overdose.

Soon after her husband followed her to the grave. He was found hanging from the rafters in their basement. No note was found just a picture of his wife and daughter and an empty bottle of prescription pain killer's, the ones his wife had used to end her suffering. The police speculated Brian had taken a lethal amount of the pain killer's then hung himself for good measure. It came as no big surprise to anyone when a month later there was an extravagant farm house with a now tarnished property value up for sale. People sent condolences and gift's to young Kane for what he'd been through and no one in their right mind dared bring up Leena in the boy's presence.

Bill and Marie however, just couldn't fathom raising their child where such an awful travesty had taken place. They opted for a quick sale and after many sorrowful good-bye's they left town and all memories of that hellish night behind them. People would talk for years about how lucky little Kane was and how brave Leena Kendrick had been for saving his life. A few months after the ordeal, Bill, Marie and Kane were in their new backyard in Klayton, Kentucky, enjoying the Autumn breeze when a package arrived. Marie quickly signed for it and thanked the postal worker before rejoining her son and husband.

"What's that hun?" Bill asked as he dusted the leaves from his trouser's and came to stand beside his wife.

"I don't know, but it's from Bethany Akers." She replied as she tore the seal on the manila envelope.

She reach inside and pulled free a single slip of news paper. It was a copy of an article from the local news paper back in West Virginia. Her eye's shot from the article to her husband who looked back at her bewildered.

"What's it say?" He asked.

"Look for yourself." She replied.

Bill took the paper for himself and began to read the headline.

"Escaped Convict Found Guilty In Murder of Local Hero Babysitter!!" he read aloud.

The pair looked at each other for a moment before glancing back at their angelic son playing in a pile of leaves.

"Thank goodness it's over." Whispered Marie.

"Yea....but that was too close." Bill whispered back.

"We'll have to be more careful this time." Marie said as she released an exasperated sigh.

"I told you the suicides would work. There's not a single mention of the Kendrick's deaths being investigated any further." Bill said as he skimmed the rest of the article.

"Alright, alright I suppose it was a good idea. However, if you recall, I'm the one who said she should overdose and he should hang. She was always taking those vitamin pills and drinking her healthy drinks, there was all kinds of gossip about how she was using medication to keep skinny and everyone knows Brian was a dog on a leash, hanging himself with it was only right." Marie exclaimed in a hushed tone so as not to be overheard.

"Fine, we both did good. Let's just hope we don't have to do it again...and by the way....what was up with that, Where's Leena, bit when the detective was talking to us?"

"What do you mean?" Marie asked, clearly taken back.

"You asked about her BEFORE you asked about our SON. That was kinda an obvious screw up Marie." Bill retorted.

"Excuse me? I happen to think that performance was Oscar worthy!" Marie growled.

"Yea well your "Oscar" almost got us caught. We have to be more careful. Honestly though, it's a shame about the girl."

"I know, she was really sweet....Should have listened better though. If she did she would have known not to ever play hide and seek with him."

The pair turned to their laughing child who was still rolling in the leaves. As the sun began to set they could just make out the slight glint of golden curls intertwined with auburn ones on their happy son's head. Kane looked up to meet his parent's gaze, one shinning amber eye and the other a deep glistening green.

"Oh well, just a few more month's and we'll be done here anyway. Then it's back home to report our finding's. I'll be so happy when Kane can finally play with his own kind." Marie said as she wrapped a loving arm around her husbands waist.

"Soon honey...." Bill turned his face to the ever darkening sky, the first sign of stars just beginning to show.

"Soon, we'll head home."

The End