Hi all, this is my very first posted story here, and as a rookie, I'd really appreciate feedback, positive or negative. So, like it, or hate it, or bit o' both, please take the time to let me know what you think.

Vikki's Story: FEAR.

Vikki was scared, really scared. The mall was a sea of legs, calves clad in wool, denim, cotton, nylon or bare, none of that mattered to Vikki; none of them were Mommy's.

She froze. She was alone, all alone in a forest of strange legs. Mommy was gone.

From earliest childhood, Victoria Randall and her mother, Carole had been very close, that hadn't changed now she was all grown up and married. They lived next door to each other and as both were full-time housewives, they were always in and out of each other's homes, even her mom's remarriage hadn't changed things, and it had been like that as long as she could remember. Dad had died in a road accident when she was still in nappies, so Vikki and her mom were all each other had.

She was losing her.

"It's only six months, Vikki."

"But...Mom...now...just when I need you."

"Victoria, you're not a child anymore...you and Carlos are always falling out...

It's not serious...I bet he's next door right now waiting to make up."

"But...Mom...You're leaving me..."

"Only for six months, Vikki. Roger's not seen his brother for nearly twenty years and I've got nephews and nieces I've never met. Why don't you come and meet them all as well, you were invited."

"You know I can't fly.

Vikki stormed out, her face an impassive mask, she never liked to travel and the thought of flying to Australia terrified her. But so did six whole months without her mother.

She was losing him.

"But Veeki, darling, I haven't seen Debee for months, not since that big fight you had."

"She's always wanted you Carlos, ever since we all met in Benidorm, and now you're gonna leave me for her."

Vikki didn't shout or scream, didn't cry or plead, she just sat unmoving on the grey sofa, her voice barely shifting in tone or inflection.

"But, Veeki, mi amor."

Carlos moved to sit and put his arm round his wife.

"Don't touch me," she hissed. "Just don't"

"Ok, Ok, Ok" he rose to leave."I go to see Dan, you call me soon, Ok, I love you."

"Get out." Vikki almost whispered.

He left. She remained stock still on the sofa it seemed for hours.

Vikki and Carlos had met while she was on holiday in Benidorm two years ago. It was perfect. Carlos, tall dark and handsome, and Vikki. They had the perfect holiday romance...apart from one thing...Debbie.

Vikki and Debbie were best friends, well seeing as neither of them would win popularity contests, and the field was limited. But they had been friends since primary school and a holiday in the sun seemed the perfect way to celebrate the end of their formal education. They had a great time, and then it happened. They met a waiter named Carlos.

They both fancied him, and he seemed to like them both equally. Trouble in paradise. Vikki had won out, best not to go into too much detail exactly how. But suffice it to say she got him. He was hers and it was perfect. Except for Debbie. That last night in Spain, he had to go and 'see his sick mother', and she had conveniently disappeared too. Vikki knew they were together. She just knew. On the plane on the way back she froze Debbie out; she retreated to thoughts of her time with Carlos.

Eventually she and Debbie made up.

She and Carlos stayed in touch and three months later, the long-distance romance became an up close engagement. Carlos had left his homeland behind to be with her. Perfect. Within six more months they were married. But there was still Debbie.

Before long she became convinced that they were carrying on behind her back. She just knew. She was going to lose him.

He was always 'off to see his friends', what friends? He meant Debbie, of course, the bitch. She tried to keep him close, to keep an eye on him, but that cow was one sneaky little slut. They might act all innocent, but she knew, she just knew. Carlos and she would row often, she ice cold and venomous, he all passionately declaring his love and denying it all. But she knew.

And then things were perfect again, well nearly. Vikki was pregnant. Well officially, just a bit late, but she knew. She was having a baby and everything would be fine. Yeah, the cramps would disappear and all would be perfect again. Her and Carlos and the baby, a perfect family. Of course, she told her mom, and, of course, she insisted she see Dr. Thomas, but it would all be fine. Dr Thomas had brought her into the world and now he would do the same for her baby. Perfect. Until she fainted in Tesco's.

She woke in a curtained-off bed in some hospital or other. She felt terrible.

A familiar face appeared.

Dr. Thomas.

"Victoria, how are you feeling?"

"Awful, doctor...the baby?"

"Victoria, I'm sorry, there never was any baby. You had an infection, that and a bit of anaemia. We'll soon have you right as rain."

"But I am...I was pregnant" she hissed." I know I was."

"I' terribly sorry, but that was the infection, my dear, it gave you a sort of phantom pregnancy. But there are no permanent effects; you'll be able to have as many children as you want when we get this cleared up."

He was lying, she knew she was pregnant, he had to be, she had to have been pregnant.

"You took my baby, you took my baby, you took my baby, you took my baby."

Her voice got lower and lower, but she kept repeating the words, over and over.

"You took my baby, you took my baby, you took my baby, you took my baby."

They were all going to leave her; she would be alone, alone in a sea of strangers. Her mother would never come back from Australia; Debbie would take Carlos from her as Carlos had taken Debbie from her. Even dear old Dr. Thomas had taken her baby from her.

She had no-one. She was all alone. She froze.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Randall, Mr Rojas, we just don' know when Victoria's condition will improve. She has nothing, physically wrong with her and Dr. Manton tells me she could recover today, tomorrow, weeks, months, even years, I'm afraid some patients with these symptoms never recover, we just don't know."

"You took my baby, you took my baby, you took my baby, you took my baby."

"Has she said anything else, Dr. Thomas?"

"I'm afraid not Mrs... Carole, she seems to be fixated, frozen on that, but the tests show that she's never been pregnant."

"What can we do, Senor Doctor?"

"Nothing more than we already are doing, just be patient and don't give up hope. The human mind is very resourceful, it finds a way."

"You took my baby, you took my baby, you took my baby, you took my baby."

Vikki had lost them all, her mother, Carlos, Debbie and her child, but they weren't going to get her. She would hide where they'd never get her, go where they'd never reach her, where she'd be safe. No- one would ever reach her in here.

"You took my baby, you took my baby, you took my baby, you took my baby."