Emily likes to write, but hardly ever gets to do it.
I blame school for this. School is lame.
_____
The park was as it always was. Calm. It was slightly overcast, and there were few people there. One person walked by, not really paying attention to the woman and her son. It was strange- after everything that had happened in the past four years, this is one of the few places that still felt like the calm days in the past. She could just come here and forget everything bad that was happening.
Right after reaching the top of a hill, their goal had come into sight- the play ground. Her son squirmed in her hands, trying to break free of her grip. She couldn’t resist those brilliant green eyes, watching them gleam from excitement. Finally, she gave in, watching his dash across the grass to the playground in mere seconds.
She sat down at her usual park bench, watching her young son run up to a friend of his. Within seconds, they were climbing all over the playground.
“Cute, aren’t they?” A voice said from the other side of the table. Erica look at him, startled that anyone had come up and sat beside her without her noticing.
“Yes, they are” Erica felt obliged to respond, she didn’t really want to be talking to this young man. If she were a little bit older, he could have been her son- it was just a little awkward with him starting a conversation out of no where.
“I’m surprised that people are still bringing kids to public parks these days- with, you know.” He continued on awkwardly, “Everything that has been going on.”
“This is one of the safest neighborhoods in the whole state. Nothing has occurred here since the murders began.” The young man nodded, “Also- see all these mothers around the park?” Erica continued, “None of these mother lions will allow anyone to get to her cubs.” The young man chuckled quietly to himself.
“Which one is yours?” He asked. Erica pointed him out, a little boy of about eight playing with another blond boy.
“That’s him, he’s a complete angel.” The young man smiled.
“My girlfriend things we should have one of ‘em, but I’m not so sure about it.” She was coming to like this young man. He seemed honest enough.
“How old are you?”
“ I’m only 20.”
“Oh- wait a little, dear.” Erica responded, shaking her head, “Children are wonderful, but you can’t get rid of them once you have them. Spend a year or two with your girlfriend- maybe get married, enjoy your time together. You’ll be thanking me later for it.”
“You sure?” He questioned.
“Most definitely.” Surely this girl friend of his was very proud of her catch- he was handsome and sensitive. In a few years, he’ll be a perfect husband and father.
“Well- you’re a parent already. I’m sure you did all of this perfectly.”
“Oh boy, I have made plenty of mistakes in youth. Trust me. And don’t do what I did.”
“Like what?” The curious young man asked. She laughed
“Sorry- only one other person knows of these, and that person holds the secret just as strongly as I do.”
“Oh please,” the young man scoffed, “Devon wasn’t the only person to know.”
You know that feeling when all of a sudden the world comes crashing down around you? The feeling that everything you once knew to be pleasant and charming turns out to be the cause of your destruction. Erica felt that, and so much more. There was something horribly wrong here.
“How did you know that?” Erica was tense, cautious. Clearly she wasn’t talking to a young confused man that she thought she was. “How did you know about Devon?” He simply smiled.
“Your son, Mrs. Wendell,” he spat out her name, “is Aaron, correct?” These names- how did he know these names? She never told him- there was no reason for him to know. Unless….unless.
“You’re Devon’s son- aren’t you.” Erica stated. It wasn’t a question- that’s the only way he could know.
“So is he.” Erica looked over to her son, watching him slide down the slide without much of a care. The young man merely smiled back.
“What do you want?” She asked, fear creeping down her spine. “I haven’t talked with Devon for eight years. There is nothing between us now.”
“Nothing except him” The young man nodded in the boy’s direction.
“What do you want with me?”
“I want nothing with you.” The young man replied. He pulled out a small knife, and started etching something into the wooden table.
He fell into silence, ignoring her and the rest of life. Erica watched as his marks on the table formed into letters
Aaron, Aaron
“What are you writing?” Erica asked upon seeing her son’s name in the wood. The young man simply ignored her.
Come out to play
Look and see where your mommy lay
“Stop it.” Erica commanded him. He didn’t even look up, he just smiled to himself in her cries of protest.
What once was lost, now is found
But you’ll never find what’s underground
“What is this? What are you doing?” Fear had well crept into her voice by now, one might be able to classify it as terror now.
“Oh relax, will you?” The young man barked back. “It’s just a letter.” The young man looked back to the playground, “A letter that won’t be received for a long time now…” he trailed off, just watching.
“You need to leave now, or I will call the cops.”
The young man laughed, “What? What have I done? Pardon me, miss, but I don’t think the cops are too concerned with vandalism these days with a serial killer on the loose.”
“Nevertheless, I will call them” The young man raised his hands in surrender.
“Fine- I’ll go”
He got up, starting to walk away, which Erica was more than happy to see him leave.
“Mommy?” Her little boy came up to her, pulling at her skirt. “Who’s that? A friend?”
The man turned, coming down to the eye level of the boy. Erica quickly gripped onto her son’s arm, trying to keep him away.
“Yes, Aaron” He said, “I’m a friend. Would you like to be my friend?”
Aaron looked to his mom and back to the man, “Mommy said that I shouldn’t talk to strangers.”
“And you shouldn’t. But I’m no stranger, aren’t I, Erica?” He looked up to the woman kindly. Aaron seemed to understand that blatant lie as truth.
“Do you want to play?” His eyes shone excitedly, “I like to be the hero- you can be the bad guy!” He held up his two action figures to the stranger, encouraging him to take the villain.
The young man laughed, “Sorry kid, I can’t play now. I’m a little busy.” Aaron looked away, trying to hide his disappointment as well as an eight year old could. “But” the man continued, “I’ll be back. You just keep on looking for me.”
Aaron seemed satisfied with this, but Erica just held on to him all the tighter.
“Ma’am” the young man nodded to her, his snake-like smile spread across his face, “You’ll be seeing me real soon”
Erica didn’t let go or stare away until she heard a little voice
“Mommy- what’s wrong?” Erica blinked, as if waking up.
“Sorry” She let go “Nothing is wrong sweetie. I’m fine.”
Aaron never went to that park again.
