Nightmare as a Child
Chapter 1: Vanished
The wind blew rapidly through Atlanta, as the rain fell like buckets upon buckets. A storm was upon the Butler Plantation. The shutters began to bang against one another as the storm got worse every minute of every hour. The lightning flashed through the home causing the whole house to light up. Within the light, of the lighting, two figures could be seen. One tall and thin and the other much shorter, and thin as well.
"I am not doing this anymore Rhett. We have got to get her broken of this habit." Scarlett said looking her husband of six years in the eyes. This wasn't going to happen anymore; it just wasn't.
"Yes we can she's our daughter and…no wait a minute, she's my daughter. You hardly even love her, let alone notice her." Rhett yelled as he threw his glass down on the ruby carpet of his and Scarlett's room.
How could Rhett say such things? Scarlett could just feel her temper go up as Rhett kept at her, as if she was some prisoner in her own home. Scarlett wasn't going to let Rhett get to her like this. She was a good mother; she was she really truly was.
Her breath got stuck in her throat. "That isn't true I…" Scarlett started but stopped as she heard little foot steps behind her. Scarlett turned around to see her four year old daughter standing there motion less and scared.
For the past few years Bonnie had been scared of the dark, but that wasn't the worst of it; storms were. Bonnie wouldn't and couldn't sleep during these times when the shutters were banging, and the wind sounded like a monster outside the house.
"Mother, Daddy I had a nightmare." Bonnie's little voice came. Her poor, cute face was as white as a sheet. She looked as if she was going to jump out of her skin.
"Did you now Bonnie Blue? What was it about?" Rhett asked scooping his daughter up into his strong and loving arms. He knew that Bonnie often had nightmares, and he did whatever he could do ease the fear. Unlike Scarlett, she always kept to herself. From the day Bonnie was born Scarlett had shown the utmost dislike for her newborn daughter.
"I couldn't see the person's face. It was dark, I was all by myself, and it was storming like now. Then someone took me away from you and mother." Bonnie said as tears filled her eyes.
Rhett held her close and tried calming her down. Their poor little girl, all Bonnie wanted was her mother and father. It seemed whenever it stormed Bonnie found herself walking quickly to her parents bedroom.
Scarlett began rubbing her daughters' cheek. This would put her to sleep every time. Whether it was for a daily nap, or for the night it always seemed to work. "Aw our poor little girl, come let's get you back to bed." Scarlett said. Sure enough as those words came out of Scarlett's mouth Bonnie's blue eye shot open.
"No I want to stay with you and daddy." Bonnie said as she buried her small face in her daddy's shoulder.
"Alright darling you can stay with me and your mother." Rhett said to his little princess.
"Bonnie has to learn how to sleep in her own bed." Scarlett said taking Bonnie from Rhett's arms. "You and I have a big day tomorrow, we're going shopping for a pretty new dress for you."
"Yay!" Bonnie said in a happy voice.
Scarlett knew that's would make Bonnie happy. After all Bonnie just loved to go shopping just like her mother did. "You will go to sleep in your room then?" Scarlett asked still holding her little girl. Scarlett knew that Bonnie hated storms, but there was nothing she could do about it. She just couldn't let Bonnie sleep in her and Rhett's room, or it would become a pattern that happened all the time.
"Yes mother." Bonnie agreed as she looked at her mother's lovely face. Scarlett carried Bonnie back to her room with Rhett right behind her.
Bonnie's bedroom had pink walls with dainty white furniture. Her white four poster bed leaned up against one wall. A window with a white curtain was right next to the bed so that way Bonnie could see the stars and moon at night, a dresser that laid up against the left wall, a closet just to the right of the bed, and of course all the newest toys and clothes.
Little bunnies were painted on the walls with dark pink crown molding on the tops of the walls. Bonnie truly had a room fit for a princess. After all she was spoiled and treated like a true princess.
"Now roll over and shut your eyes and you won't even notice the storm" Rhett said as he sat on the edge of the bed as Bonnie snuggled into the big covers.
"But I can still see the lighting with my eyes shut" Little Bonnie said in fear as she looked at her mother and daddy.
"Not if you keep on the night light we got you." Scarlett said as she went over and turned on the Disney Princess night light. "There all better now."
"Yes it is." Bonnie said as she looked over at the night light. Which sat next to her white rocking chair.
"Now go to sleep. The quicker you get to sleep the sooner you and mommy will be able to go shopping in the morning." Rhett said kissing his daughter on the forehead.
"Good night sweetheart." Scarlett said as she did the same as Rhett.
"Good night mother, daddy." Bonnie said wiggling farther down into her covers.
Rhett and Scarlett left the room closing the door behind them.
"That was rather convincing Mrs. Butler." Rhett said as they began walking towards their bedroom.
"What do you mean convincing? I meant every word I said." Scarlett said as she walked into the master bedroom.
The master bedroom was of course the biggest bedroom in the house. It over-looked the lovely yard with the many rose bushes. The room was a rather dark green with oak furniture. The king size bed sat to the right of the door, while the bathroom was to the right.
"Sure you did. We'll go shopping tomorrow and get you a new dress." Rhett said mocking Scarlett as he sat on his side of the bed.
"Stop mocking me Rhett Butler! Beau Wilkes' birthday party is this Saturday, and I thought I would take her out and get her a new dress." Scarlett said looking over he should as she took her makeup off.
"Whatever you say my pet," Rhett said as he turned off the lamp.
"You're impossible Rhett Butler." Scarlett said as she rolled over on her side.
Rhett's laughter was drowned out by the rapid thunder. All throughout the night the storm could be heard from all around them. All the creaks in the house could be heard.
At around 4:30 a.m, the storm finally began to dissipate, as the clouds from the storm passed overhead all that was left was the stars that shined above. The house slept peacefully for the rest of the night. However, this would be the last night the Butler family would have a peaceful night's sleep.
Next morning…May 10th 2010
Scarlett woke with a yawn as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She looked over to see that Rhett was still asleep. Scarlett quickly, and silently got her Chinese robe on, and made her way downstairs.
As she made her way into the kitchen Scarlett saw her daughter, in her little pink night gown, sitting at the counter with a bowl of cereal.
"Morning sweetheart did you another nightmare last night?" Scarlett said.
"Morning mother. No I didn't, the rain put me right to sleep" Bonnie said with a smile.
"Good." Scarlett said. Then her the smile faded "Bonnie Butler did you get that all by yourself?" Scarlett asked walking over to her daughter with her hands on her hips.
"No Mammy got it for me." Bonnie said taking another bit of her Lucky Charms.
"Oh okay." Scarlett said running her fingers through Bonnie's lovely black hair.
"Morning Ms. Scarlett. Do you want me to get you anything?" Mammy asked as she put away some dishes.
"Morning Mammy, No thanks I will get it." Scarlett said going over and getting a mug out of the oak cabinets. "Are you ready to go shopping today Bonnie?" Scarlett asked as she poured herself a cup of coffee.
"Ye…" Bonnie started with a mouth full of cereal.
"Swallow before you talk please." Scarlett said standing next to the counter.
Bonnie swallowed the bit of cereal then spoke. "Yes when are we going to leave?"
"As soon as you and I get ready, then we will leave." Scarlett said putting her cup down.
"Okay, I'm done. May I be excused?" Bonnie asked as she downed the last bit of the milk from her Lucky Charms.
"After you finish your orange juice." Scarlett said pointing at the small glass.
Bonnie finished the glass within a few seconds, and raced up the stairs.
"Good morning Bonnie Blue." Rhett said as he passed her on the stairs.
"Good morning daddy." Bonnie said as she headed to her room.
"Good morning, my pet." Rhett said giving Scarlett a kiss on the cheek; then he sat down at the breakfast bar.
"Good morning." Scarlett said with a smile. "Do you want a cup of coffee?"
"Sure… what was Bonnie in such a hurry for?" Rhett asked.
"Remember today were going shopping for that new dress." Scarlett said sitting the cup of coffee in front of Rhett.
"Oh yes." Rhett said as he went to take a sip of coffee.
"Careful it's…"
"Hot" Rhett said as some of the coffee went onto the counter.
"I tried telling you." Scarlett said with a small giggle. She got the towel that was lying nearby.
Scarlett went and cleaned up the spot."There, no harm done, it cleans up easy." Scarlett said looking at Rhett.
Rhett gazed into Scarlett's green eyes. Moments later his mouth met hers. For a few short seconds they shared a passionate kiss. They didn't even hear small little footsteps coming down the stairs.
"That's nasty!" Bonnie said as she looked at her parents. She had never seen her daddy kiss her mother like that.
Rhett and Scarlett parted. "Uh." Was all they could say.
"Mother are you going in your PJs?" Bonnie asked standing at the bottom of the stairs.
"No, let me go get dressed, and we can leave." Scarlett said as she went up and got dressed.
Bonnie waited till her mother was out of ear shot to talk. "Do you and mother do that a lot?"
"I will tell you when you are older." Rhett said patting his little girl on the head.
Fifteen minutes later Scarlett came down stairs dressed in a pair of Liz and company jeans and a cute little white top that tied in the front. Scarlett was used to wearing the latest fashions, and would have nothing else for her daughter. "Ready Bonnie?" she asked as she grabbed her purse.
"Yes." Bonnie said skipping over to the door in a little pink shirt that had puffy sleeves with a pair of jeans with little flowers on them; her dark hair was up in cute little pig tails.
"Have a nice day at the office." Scarlett said opening the door for Bonnie. Rhett and Scarlett only put on this good front for their daughter. They were hardly ever like this to one another.
"Rhett looked at his watch and sure enough he had fifteen minutes to get to the law office.
A half an hour later Rhett was at the office, and Scarlett and Bonnie were looking for the perfect dress for Beau's. The mall was their first stop.
"What about this dress dear?" Scarlett asked holding up a dress that was dark royal blue, and a lighter blue almost a purple color at the bottom with little flowers on it.
"I like that one mother." Bonnie said "But I also I like this one." The dress Bonnie held up was a pink one that went off the shoulders.
"That is much too old for you." Scarlett said picking up another dress.
Bonnie put it back and they went, and tried on the eight dresses that had been picked out. Dress after dress came and went. They were in that dressing room for over an hour trying to figure out which dress to get. After what seemed like forever, Bonnie decided on the little blue one.
"This dress looks very cute on you Bonnie, and the new Mary Jane shoes, that you just got, will look very good with it." Scarlett said with a smile as they went and paid for the dress.
After leaving JC Penny's they went to go to lunch. "Where do you want to eat lunch at Bonnie?" Scarlett asked as they walked out of the mall and down towards all the food places.
"Um… Dairy Queen!" Bonnie said with a smile.
"Alright Dairy Queen it is." Scarlett said and they headed over to Dairy Queen.
"Where do you want to go after we eat?" Scarlett asked looking across the table at Dairy Queen.
"Toys R Us. please" Bonnie said as she finished her small ice cream cone.
"Alright, one toy only" Scarlett said as they headed out the door.
"One, but daddy always..." Bonnie said in a sad voice.
Scarlett gave Bonnie a look. "We could just go home and then there won't be any toys at all." Scarlett said looking down at her daughter.
"Alright fine, only one toy." Bonnie said listening to her mother. She knew that her mother meant business when she said there would be no toys, if Bonnie started acting up.
The traffic was just awful in Atlanta today. It was bad all the time, but it was always at its worst at the lunch hour. The people came and went with everyone else, all the while cars passing by the dozen.
"Hold onto Mommy's hand." Scarlett said as they stood at the cross walk. Bonnie gripped her mother's hand as they waited to cross. They stood there for a good five minutes. "Does this light ever change?" Scarlett asked aloud as they stood there.
All of a sudden Scarlett didn't feel Bonnie's little hand, and heard her little girls screams.
"MOTHER!" Bonnie yelled as someone in a black t-shirt and jeans was dragging her away.
"BONNIE!" Scarlett yelled as she ran after Bonnie. Before she could get very far, a man came up behind Scarlett and held her there as she watched her daughter being taken from her. "STOP HIM HE HAS MY LITTLE GIRL! SOMEBODY! ANYBODY! STOP HIM! THAT'S MY LITTLE GIRL!" Scarlett yelled as she watched her daughter being drug through the crowed. She tried getting loose, but the man was much too strong.
None of the people coming or going even tried to help her. After Bonnie and the man were out of sight, the man holding Scarlett let her go and ran after them. Scarlett fell to the ground in tears. Her little girl was taken for no reason, no reason at all. Scarlett took her cell phone out and dialed 911.
"Hello 911 how may I help you?" the operator asked on the other end.
"Yes my child has just been kidnapped." Scarlett said as tears fell down her face.
"Calm down, now I need you to tell me where you are" The operator asked.
"I'm in front of the Dairy Queen on Peachtree Street." Scarlett said looking around her. "My little girl has been kidnapped.
"Alright ma'am the police will be there right away." The operator said as she hung up the phone.
As Scarlett dialed Rhett's number, her hands began to get very sweaty and shaky. The phone rang and rang. "Rhett please pick up please pick up." Scarlett pleaded.
"Mr. Butler's office, How may I help you?" a lady asked.
"Peggy this is Scarlett is Rhett in? I need to talk to him now; it's an emergency." Scarlett said.
"Yes he is I will tell him you are calling." Peggy said putting the call through. "Mr. Butler its Mrs. Butler and she sounds rather upset."
"Put her on please." Rhett said picking up the phone. "Scarlett what is it? Peggy said you sounded like something is wrong." Rhett asked.
"Rhett, its Bonnie, she's been kidnapped." Scarlett said as she began crying all over again.