Chapter Two

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“Honey go get the mail please,” I look down at Mae sitting on the couch.”Mom, come on I’m doing homework.” “Honey please, I’m in the middle of dinner and I’m excepting a package.”

I watch her sigh, and get up, slamming the front door behind her. I set down the casserole I’m making and rub my eyes. It’s been so challenging lately with her. At school it’s been the hardest because of the other students around her. I keep trying to tell her not to take her anger out on her father and I, it wasn’t our faults this happened. Yet, my heart still went out to her, I know how hard it’s been at school with her father becoming the-

*High-pitched screams*

My head shoots up. The screaming stops. Thinking it must be children playing in the neighborhood, I put the casserole in the oven. I hear it again, but this isn’t a playful scream, no it sounds desperate, familiar, like..

Mae.

The casserole clatters on the ground, as I run out the front door and into the front yard. frantically, I focus my eyes towards the mailboxes down the street, but there is no sign of Mae. I hear the screaming again, and start sprinting down the sidewalk.

“Stop! Mom, mom help, no!”

Mae, I’m coming.

“Mae! Mae I’m coming!” I scream. As I round the corner, I see her struggling against two men trying to get her into a black suburban. My heart stops. “Hey, stop! what the hell are you doing, that’s my daughter! Somebody help, somebody stop them! help!!” I run as fast as I can, I’m so close. The men have gotten her feet, and are moving closer to the the suburban. I can get her. We lock eyes for just a second, But it feels like eternity.

help me.

I’m almost there honey.

But I’m too late. In an instant, they shove her into the car, slam the doors, and screech off down the road.

“No! no, stop!” I scream out.

I’m running down the sidewalk, tears streaming down my face, my whole body is numb. Even when they are completely out of view, I keep running. I trip on a stone, falling onto the sidewalk. My hand reaches out, toward the road, and I start sobbing. I can’t breathe. ” Mae, Mae please, no, come back,” I whisper, as I struggle to catch my breath.

My baby’s gone.

 

“Honey, Honey? It’s okay, it’s just a dream, I’m here.”

I’m getting shaken awake by my husband. He’s looking at me with worry.

“Martha, honey? It was just a dream, was it the same one again?”

I look up groggily at him. His face creased into lines of worry, that I see too often these days. I gently feel my face with my fingers. It’s wet from the tears. My shirt is drenched, and my hair is sticking to the sides of my face.

“I’m fine, It’s okay, Yeah I had it again.” He frowns. ” Martha I think we should go to my therapist, you’ve been having these dreams for days now.”

I look out the window at the black luminous sky.

“No I’m fine really. I just need some water. Don’t wait up for me, go back to sleep.” He nods wearily, and get’s back into bed. I walk down the hall and into the kitchen, where the nightlight gives the kitchen a warm glow. As I pour myself some water, I see my hands shaking uncontrollably.

Easy Martha, calm down. 

I sit on a stool at the counter and catch my eyes drifting towards the front door. How many more days would it go on like this? It’s been almost a week. The house is so empty and gloomy. I feel like my motivation for life has been wiped out of me. I need my Mae back. It was because of me she was taken. I could have gotten the mail. It would have been so simple. The echoing of her screams never leave my head. It’s like a ghost haunting me. I just want to know where she is, if she’s safe. I can’t I-

Stop.

I quietly sob into my hands, my whole body shaking. All the while, Mae’s desperate screams ringing out in my head. I remember the last time I saw her face. I’ll never forget how she looked at me. Her eyes. They were screaming for me to save her, But I couldn’t. I didn’t make it.

I lost my Mae.