Amanda laughs as she finished her coffee and began making sandwiches for her son and his friends. "Anyone else want some more drinks?" Amanda offered the other adults.
Paul shook his head "Ah, no thanks Amanda." He says, refusing the offer politely "Besides, I think we should leave now anyway, im suprised Tord hasent come out and forced us two out the door already." He chuckles, his mind skipping to a time Tord was at his aunts house for a weekend and pretty much threw them out the door.
Stacy nodded her head "Yeah, I should be heading out as well, but its been fun catching up! And its been a pleasure to meet you two." She refers to Paul and Patyrk.
Patryks expersion lit up, and he smiles "Its been a pleasure to meet you all, too!" He looks at Paul and clasps his hands together.
"We should see our little Tord before we go, make sure he is alright." Paul nods and walks out to the lounge room followed by Stacy, Amanda and Patryk.
"Tord we are leaving no-"
No Tord.
Amanda raises an eyebrow and looks around the room, there was no sign of the children anywhere in the room. She sweats abit and forces a smile. No need to worry Amanda, they will be around the house somewhere.
"U-uhh, maybe they are all up in Edds room, he likes to show off his art." He laughs nervously and led them upstairs to the childs room that was perfectly clean, as Edd left it before the others came, and again, there was no children. The adults continued to check all the rooms in the house until they wound themselves back in to the lounge room.
Patryk was the first to lose it, his heart racing as he continued to call Tords name. Paul was attempting to calm his partner down by patting his back and telling him its all fine, but behind all that calm energy he was actually freaking out aswell.
Amanda ran a hand through her hair, sweating now, extreamly anxious about where the kids had gone to since she refered herself resposible for all of them today since they were at her house and she was meant to take care of them. They wouldn't have gone far, right? Her eyes glance to the front door that was wide open, letting some of the rain wet the floor boards, the cool breeze chilling the house. She felt herself grow faint.
The other adults followed Amandas gaze and they all quickly ran out the door, not caring about the rain that quickly drenched the parents, head to toe. They spilt up and searched the back yard and frount, screaming out for the kids.
Paul ran to Stacy and Amanda who where almost in tears and said "You two keep searching for them, me and Patryk will be back soon." Paul said, a hint of anger in his voice as he spoke to them. He grabbed his husband who was close to having a huge melt down and ran off to their car, driving off into the rain, way over the speed limit.
Amanda and Stacy look at each other in confusion, trying to take this all in. They ran back into the house to continue searching.
Edd gulped and looked over at his friends trying not to focus on the scary man infront of him "U-uhh, my mummy told me not to talk to strangers?" This only made the man laugh, sinisterly
"Well, I wouldnt be a stranger if you would talk to me." He man smiles showing his sharp, yellow teeth.
Matt held onto Tord tightly, protectivly and for comfort since he was starting to freak out. His eyes did not look away from the man, watching the strangers moves very carefully, checking out every inch of the mans ugly features.
Tom and Tords fists seem to clench, ready to fight or run, they looked as scared as Matt, even when they tried to push their fear aside. Tord felt himself start to breathe heavier as he did before when his friends were fighting a few hours earlier.
Edd frowned "Alright..." He finally gained the courage to look into the mans eyes, a determined look on his face.
The mans eyes were dark, and had a murderous look. Edds brave experesion quickly faded, becoming once again shaken and afraid. This made the man chuckle and in his raspy voice he asks again
"So are you lost or not?"
Tom spoke up with a small "Yes" the boys voice squeked helplessly, it was almost unaudible through the rain. The man slowly turned to Tom, grinning as he slithered over to the child.
"And what might your name be, little fella?" He approched Tom, kneeling down on his left leg to get closer to the boys height level.
Tom stampers "Uhm... Thomas?" He was nervous to tell the man his name, this was noticeable by his tone, shaky and uncertain. "Thomas ey?"
Tom nodded, a gulp in his throat "Ugh... Wh-ho are you?" He asked him.
"Who am I? Why... Im Regenald..." Regenalds face seemed to have a more satistic look everytime he spoke, the dark alley way hid most of the mans uglyness, thankfully but it just made him scarier, his eyes, they glowed in the dark like an animals whos hunting in the deep woods, ready to sneek up and kill something... Someone...
Regenald crooked his head towards Matt and Tord now, they both wimpered and held onto eachother tightly, earning a grin from Reggy. "Now that I have met little Tommie, who may you two be?" He scooched over to the other frightened kids who where cramming themselves into the corners of the box they were in.
Matt whimpered helplessly, staring at the man, frightened for his life, he was too pretty to die! The mans cold voice asked them slowly.
"Come on kid, spit it out would ya?" He said in a soft but demanding tone. Regenald didn't bother to kneel down this time, but he did lean far forward face almost to the ground, his skinny, slick bones popping out of his skin, thankfully most of them were covered by his giant, brown and dirty trench coat, which wasent a great sight either. "We dont have to tell you anything!...?" Matt spoke up somewhat bravely, his voice giving in to his fear at the end, The stranger frowned with a small noice that was a mix of a forced out chuckle and a grunt.
Tord put a determinded look on his face, similar to how Edd had done, but this time he spat at the man, the saliva landing on Regenalds boot.. Bad choice...
The adults face scrunched up, his eyes looking from his shoes to Tord, very slowly, the rain seemed to fall heavier now, filling the silent air and lightning strikes blasting across the sky showing a silhouette of a helicopter, the sound of the vehicle could hardly be heard and the dark alley lighted up for only a second, only a glimps of light erupted to show the mans face. A sickening experession on his face as he stared down at the child. Tord realised that this was a mistake, and somewhat second guessing his decisions but honestly thought Regenald deserved it. He only really started regretting it when the man swooped his hand into the box, fast, grabbing the front of Tords red, wet hoodie pulling him towards his face with all his force so Matt would release the other, as much as the ginger squealed, and tried to grab Tord back.
Tords determinded look didnt disappear though, he refused to let it fade even when he was absolutely freaking out on the inside, wanting to cry and run away into his parents arms, his face shows a much different child. Regenald shook his head, the smile was back, along with an dark chuckle "You're pretty brave kid... Could be good enough to pose as a soldier... But..." He brushes his coat away with a hand, the other still holding Tords throat, gentally but still firm, just not choking him, the free hand grasping a handle of a knife, a small dagger, fit inside a leather pocket so it was protected.
"Soldiers all die in glory... Right?"
Tords eyes widened abit, he had noticed the dagger slowly being pulled out of the psychopaths pants pocket and started to wiggle abit to try get out of the mans grasp, the look on his face never cracking away like Edds did. Speaking of him, Edd was out of his box and back into the darkness, already soaking again as he pounced at the man, with a scream that sounded like he was the one getting murdered. This was followed by Tom and Matt who joined in to help, both letting out war crys themselves.
"Hey, teh- wha?" He looks around at the children that surrounded him and continuously punched and kicked him in desperate attempts to make Regenald let go of their foreign friend who was still struggling to try break away from his now stronger grasp, Tord found himself trying to grasp for air, Regenald didn't even notice that he had tightened his fists, but he knew he was getting angry as he yelled at the kids, shoving them off him, putting the weapon back in his pocket. "Get off me!"
Without warning there was a loud sound that was for once not the rain, lightning or thunder, it was the same helicopter that flew above them before and it was now currently landing down slowly on the road outside the enterance of the alley way, the windows were tinted aswell, making it hard to see who was inside. It was almost as if there was a bit of hope, might this be the police?
Regenald tenses, he knew no one with a helicopter... Anyone he could trust that is. "Crap!" He drops Tord harshly, the boy yelped and went into a coughing fit, struggling to breath again after being strangled. Regenald knew it was his time to leave and bolted out of the alley way and into the wet darkness that surrounded them.
Edd, Matt and Tom help Tord regan his breath and look back up to the helicopter. None of them had been so close to one before, it was leaving them all stunned, and none of them could believe who stepped out of the chopper. Why, it was Tords parents, Paul and Patryk.
Tord bounced off the ground and onto his feet with a huge smile and eyes as wide as the moon, he started running towards them both, a limp in his step but he did his best to ignore his injured leg, tears in his eyes as he opened his arms out for a hug.
"Daddy!" Tords voice shrieks out, a choked sob.
Patryk took his attention off the man who had bolted down the street and his focus turned to his son, he felt tears in his own eyes, rushing over to Tord instantly and threw his arms out, wrapping the tiny boy in his grasp. Paul rushed to Pats side and hugged them both "Why did you run off like that?! We were so worried!" Patryk rubbed Tords back softly hoping it would calm the boy down, but really, Pat was hesterical and needed someone to calm him down.
Paul let go of the two and looked over to the other kids who were making their way across the road carefully, keeping their eyes down the road, thinking that Regenald may pop out of the dark with his knife and murder them. They were only kids, they have been now traumatised by the events that happened earlier that night.
"You kiddos alright?" Edd looked at his friends to see their responses. Tom was staring at the ground, dazed, his mouth hung open and his eyes wide, he looked extreamly pale and looked as if he was going to throw back up the last thing he ate, which was probably breakfast from hours ago. Matt slipped his hand into Edds. Edd jumped at first but accepted the hand. Matt was shaking like a leaf, but he still managed to force a smile towards Edd to say that he was okay, even though, really? The shaking ginger was far from it. Edd looked back at Paul.
"No not really..." Edd sighed honestly, Paul shook his head and waltzed over, picking the three boys up in his arms, they were all astonished by the adults strength, making them giggle under their breath. Paul was actually pretty built under his uniform and could carry alot of things that Patryk could not. I mean, Patryk is a stick, he was struggling to hold Tord in his arms at first but managed, this made Paul chuckle and Patryk quickly became blushy mess.
Once they arrived at Edds house, via helicopter, Amanda and Stacy quickly ran to their children, hugging them tightly and thanking Paul and Patryk more than nesasary. Amanda was crying alittle while Edd tried to calm her down, apologising to everyone about not looking after the kids properly, she felt horrible and useless but everyone forgave her since she has a lovely attitude and they all knew that she would never have wanted that to happen, but it would be awhile untill Paul and Pat would let Tord stay over at another persons house.
Stacy looks at the helicopter and then at the two males. "Where in the world did guys get a helicopter?! Yet alone know how to fly one!"
The couple exchanged looks and then focused their attention back to Stacy to answer her question "Well, I formerly worked in the air force and Patryk is a cop so we were able to use one of the helicopters for this certain emergency." Paul responded, leaning forward abit as he did. Patryk sighs, sounding abit sad "Too bad the crook got away...- wait... You kids didn't happen to know what he looked like right?" Pat hoped. He hadent been able to see the man properly since he ran off too quick.
Matt looked up at Patryk with big bright eyes, he waved his hand in the air like he wanted to ask a question. "I remembee what he looks like!" Matt indeed did, he had focused on the mans look the entire time, to every detail.
Patryk pulled out a small pen and paper from his jacket, ready to write as Matt spoke.
A few weeks later the man was caught and sentanced to only 3 years in prison which the adults thought was not enough. Regenald could have done anything to those kids that night, and thats the thing that haunts them.
