Stranger Danger
Prologue
Henry Gibson was five years old when he disappeared from the face of Earth. His family was not the safest and his kindergarten days were not the nicest. He was born into an unhealthy family. A neglectful father, strict mother, and an evil older brother.
His father wanted nothing to do with his brother or him, but was forced to stay by his mother. Speaking of her, Henry's mother was strict. She controlled everything about Henry. She forced him to wear clothes he didn't like, watch sports he wasn't interested in, and be someone who he was not. As for his brother, Nile, he was evil. Always torturing Henry physically, mentally, or even emotionally. Henry was just a plaything to Nile.
Despite that, Henry still loved his family.
The young boy had no friends. He was lonely. The teacher did not like Henry since his mother was the principal and no one liked the principal. Henry was not a smart kid, which his teacher took advantage of. Mrs. Will would always make a fool out of Henry, which encouraged the students to do the same. She didn't stop them.
Despite that, Henry still loved going to school.
Henry did not have the ability to hate. At least, not for long. His hate was only temporary. He hated his teacher, his brother, parents, and his classmates, but it was only temporary. He couldn't do anything about it, so he just let it be. Henry got used to it.
Unfortunately, throughout his five years of living, no one bothered to teach him about the cruel world, the brutal people, or the danger of strangers. Henry was a naive little boy who still believed in Santa and the power of friendship.
That was the why and how Henry had gotten kidnapped.
His father never bothered picking him up from school and his mother was too busy with the rest of the kids at school to bother dropping him off at home. That's why he walked home. Everyday. After school.
Henry walked home alone, but on his way home, he meant a man.
"Who are you, sir?"
"Don't tell anybody, but I'm an undercover hero!"
The man said he was a hero, but in reality he was a liar. Unfortunately, Henry did not know. He knew no such thing as sarcasm, he didn't know what lying was, and he did not believe or know that people could or would lie. If someone had told him, had taught him, the cruel world, brutal people, and the danger of strangers, maybe he wouldn't have believed the man.
The man, said to be a hero, told the young boy to follow him. Henry looked at him curiously.
"Why?" He had asked.
"Because I have a surprise for you."
Henry was interested. The man smiled.
"Like a birthday surprise?!"
"Yeah, like a birthday surprise, but better! All you gotta do is follow me."
And the boy did. He followed the hero into an alleyway. Never to be seen again.
Henry's mother did not know her son was missing until later that night. She noticed he had not come down to dinner when she called, so she went to scold him instead. To her dismay, her son was nowhere to be found.
The mother panicked and immediately called the police. The father was surprised his son was not home, but he couldn't care any less. The brother, Nile, was the same. He couldn't care any less for his little brother.
After weeks of searching, Henry was deemed missing. No one knew if he was dead or still alive, but no one wanted to know.
Henry was gone. He had disappeared.
And yet, nothing had changed.
To Be Continued?
