Red Toy Truck
Toby reached for her as she looked behind the tree once more. "Vale?" Turning to face him her blue eyes were blank but fearful once more. "I thought I—" "Don't." He knew what she was going to say. It was always the same. "Please I—just don't Vale, it's over, he's not going to come running back." Her eyes starred back empty just the same they had since that day. It had been a year or so. He knew if he asked she would tell him it had been 13 months 1 week and 4 days. She could tell him the hours and the minutes if only he asked. Toby Taylor knew his sister would never give up. He had and she hated him for it. Every day she would look, waiting for him to run back with the red toy truck in his hand. But no matter how much she searched he was never there. She had seen him many times so she had said, and he was sick of it. She was wrong but really how wrong could she be.
The disappearance of Jamie Taylor aged 7 had been all over the news for weeks. Taken from his front yard; as his supposed mad sister had been watching other things, there was no trace he was ever there. The police had searched the local area but as the only other person who might have seen something seemed to be in another world only speaking in mutters, never quiet finishing what she was saying. They had only left the case open for a week before closing up the whole thing and leaving the family distraught and her more broken than before.
Toby quickly snapped out of the flashback only to find Vale gone. Turning on the spot he couldn't see her. He called out for her beginning to feel the panic rising. She had just been getting better, talking wasn't an issue now. He screamed for her over and over. People around him began to stare before continuing on their walks through the green park. He raced to the tree Vale had been staring at only moments before. The he heard it. Her desperate crying rang through the crisp air. Everyone seemed to freeze as the sound grew louder. "VALE?!" Running towards the deafening sobs he passed a corner seeing her hunched over staring at her hands. A woman left her stroller walking cautiously towards the young woman. Touching her arm the woman jumped as the shaking woman jumped to her feet, almost knocking the mother over. "WHO WAS IT?!" Vale gripped the woman viscously. Shaking her once again she continued to quiz the poor woman. "DID YOU SEE WHO TOOK HIM?!"
The child in the stroller began to cry catching Vales attention. Running to the front of the stroller she pushed the woman aside. Peering into the chair she stood back realisation setting in. This child wasn't Jamie it was a scared little girl waiting for her Mother to come back. Toby pulled at her hand forcing her to face him. The woman rushed to her child hushing it as she hurried away glancing back at the torn girl.
Vales eyes were panicked darting from place to place fighting with her brothers arms in desperation. "Vale! Vale look at me! Vale—" Grabbing for her other hand he stopped, looking down to see what was occupying it. "Where did you get this?! Vale who gave this too you!" She shook her head over and over tears still rushing. "He was here Toby, he was I swear this time—I just – I—no—" No longer fighting her grip relaxed allowing the red toy truck to fall into his hand.
