Started: December 2011

Finished: January 2012

Little Makayla sat underneath the blankets in the dark silently playing a hand held video game. She walked to her uncle Rubens' house. Her mother had sent her there because she was going out late and her uncle watched her sometimes.

Craving a soda she got up. When she opened the door, she gasped at the sight of her uncle being drug past her by his feet. She shut and locked the door swiftly. She heard the other man cursing and falling over her uncle's body hastily to get to her. In panic, she struggled to climb out her window and ran fast into the night.

Forcing open the door, he saw that the window was open and dashed out side. To his horror, she had disappeared. There where too many places she could've gone. Too large of a chance he'd be seen if he'd prowl around looking. 'I've got to get out of here. I need to get out of here,' he said making his way back to the kill room. 'I can hope she didn't get a good look at me.'

Makayla took the nearest cover she could, a large bush by the backyard shack. She held her breath and closed her eyes, listening. She quietly crept around the back and felt the door open. She slipped inside.

It was nearly pitch black. There was one small window looking as if it was covered by…plastic. The child crouched down behind something that could've been a dresser and prayed that she wasn't found. She stayed there, willing to sit there till sunrise. He had to be gone by sunrise, right?

He put the light on and heard a soft rustle of clothing.

She put her hand over her mouth and glanced to her left and right. Everything was covered in plastic. Even though her young age she assessed that someone was about to make a really big mess. There was a small tray in front of her that stood no higher then the table.

Suddenly she heard him take a step further into the room. She knew she was going to be seen so she rose slowly staring at him. He stared at her too, open mouthed.

'Now she did get a good look at me. Is this how it ends?' he asked himself. 'What am I going to do? I could abort but I'd need time to take down the kill room. Time that a little girl running scared to a neighbors house to call the police wouldn't give me. I could tie her up, to give me much needed time.'

When he took a step toward her, she started back violently, knocking into the table behind her. She glanced back at the collection of tools then to him and then back again at the gleaming, silver…knives. She turned around fast pointing one of his own knives at him.

"Don't come any closer," she said trying sound brave.

He put his hands up, took a step closer and said; "I won't hurt you."

"Please leave," she said walking out from between the tables.

He watched her shake as he got closer. "I can't do that, not yet."

"Stay away," she pleaded.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said gently.

She stepped to him fast slicing the air, surprising him.

He didn't have time for this. He crouched down in front of her and swiftly caught her wrist during the second stroke.

She let the blade clatter to the floor and started to cry.

He closed his eyes and swore softly. 'I can't tie her up, traumatizing a child is not my goal. I can't just let her leave at least not at this very moment. I could tell her what…the truth?'

"Shh shh don't." He picked her up effortlessly and sat her on the table. He moved her arms away from her face and pushed the hair out of her face. "Hey, hey, I'm not going to hurt you, trust me…trust me," he said trying to get her to look at him. She finally did. "What's your name?" he asked with both hands gently on the sides of her face.

"Makayla."

"Ok, Makayla. I'm not going to hurt you but I have to explain few things to you now, ok?"

"Ok."

"Your uncle is a very bad person. See these pictures," he said pointing to the 3 gory looking photos on the wall. "These are people that your uncle has hurt, killed."

Her mouth hung open. "Shouldn't he go to jail then?"

"Some," he gestured with his fingers, "slip through the cracks."

"You're not the police, are you?" she said looking at him with her big brown eyes. He shook his head. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to make your uncle Ruben…" he waved his hands dramatically, "disappear."

A smile ghosted over her lips. "Like a magician?"

He smirked. "Something like that."

"No, I understand. You're going to make sure he can't hurt anyone anymore."

He nodded.

She sighed. "I don't like him either." She wore a disdainful expression. "I don't like to stay there. He has people over that make me feel…like I don't want to be there."

A horrifying thought came to his mind. "Have any of them ever hurt you?"

"No."

He let out a breath of relief. "Where is your mother?"

"I-I don't know. She works and she sees guys and…" He could see she didn't want to tell him everything. He didn't push. He could find out on his own if he wanted to.

"Ok," he nodded his head. "I want, I need you to promise me something." He leaned in putting a finger under her chin and looked intently into her eyes. "Promise me, that if someone asks you about your uncle, you will tell them that you didn't see or hear anything out of the ordinary."

"I promise."

"Promise me that you will not tell anyone and that you'll forget my face."

"Promise."

"Good." He took a deep breath and leaned away. "You go back to bed, ok?"

"Ok." She put her arms around his shoulders. He looked down at her surprised. Slowly he wrapped his arms around her and picked her up off the table. A few minutes later, he lied her down in her bed.