Story on Display: Little Rabbits

[noizchild]

 

Little Rabbits

Chapter One: Baby is Gone:

It happened on a hot afternoon in July of 1996. The neighborhood on Hunter’s Street started out lazy like it had been that summer. Most of the kids had gone to camp or the beach that year. It seemed that nothing could disturb the peace. That all changed about 3:19 on July tenth.

Twenty-six-year-old Kimberly had just pulled into her driveway from her morning shift at the Chicken Express. Ever since her broken engagement to her long-time boyfriend, Chris, she had been struggling to make ends make for her four-year-old daughter, Lily. The only thing Kimberly thought of was going to bed before working the night shift at the local grocery store that Wednesday.

She walked up to the front door and unlocked it. “Lindsey, Lily, I’m home,” she whispered as she peeked inside. The mother didn’t think much about the silence that greeted her. Her younger sister and daughter were usually at the other end of the house when she came home. Kimberly made her way down the hall to the den where they played in the afternoons. She found her nineteen-year-old sister, Lindsey, sound asleep on the couch with the TV on. The mother looked around the room rather confused.

“Lindsey!” she shouted in a loud whisper, “Lindsey! Get up, I’m home! Lindsey!” The girl on the couch didn’t stir. Kimberly marched into the room and smacked her sister on the knee. Lindsey awoke with a jump.

“What? Oh, it’s you,” she muttered.

“Yes,” the older sister said, “Now where’s my baby?” Lindsey gave her a puzzled look at that question.

“Huh?” she asked, “Isn’t she sleeping in her bed?” Kimberly went down the hall to her daughter’s room. Right when she walked through the doorway, the mother knew something wasn’t right.

“Lindsey, where’s Lily?” she asked as she came back to the den. Her sister sat up blinking.

“She isn’t in her bed?” she asked.

“No,” Kimberly said. Lindsey gave her a rather puzzled look.

“Maybe she’s in the yard, playing?” she suggested. Kimberly narrowed her eyes at her sister.

“You aren’t sure?” she asked.

“I put her down for a nap just like you told me to and I fell asleep out here shortly after,” her sister explained. Both women rushed out the screen door to the backyard.

“Lily!” Kimberley screamed, “Where are you, honey? Mommy’s home!” Lindsey rushed over to her side, shaking her head.

“She’s not in the playhouse either,” she said in low voice. Kimberley broke trembling when she heard those words. Lindsey patted her sister on the shoulder.

“Calm down,” she said softly, “Lily’s probably around here somewhere. We haven’t finished looking.” It took a while for her words to sink in. Once they did, the young mother nodded.

“You’re right,” she whispered, “You’re right.” Twenty minutes through the whole backyard, house, and front yard turned up nothing. By this time, Kimberley really began to panic.

“I have to call the police,” she said, “I have to!” The mother race into the house and got on the phone. Lindsey tried not to fear the worse as she followed behind. The police were parked on the street in thirty minutes. They asked the questions plenty of questions. Lindsey gave the detectives the first piece to the Rashomon puzzle.

Little Rabbits:
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