Don’t Talk to Strangers

Where’s Mama? She thought, looking frantically around the farmers market. She felt a tap on her shoulder and spun around, hoping to see her mama, only to see a concerned looking short man with cropped brown hair and stubble.

“Hey doll, you doing’ ok?” he asked her, “What’s your name?”

Her eyes filled with tears as she answered, “My name’s Isabel, and I can’t find my mama.”

“What’s your mama look like?” he inquired. “Maybe we can find her together.”

She sniffed, “She has a brown ponytail, and she’s wearing shorts and a white tank top.”

He nodded and gently took her hand and started leading her around the stalls.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“We’re gonna wander around until we find her, or someone who’s seen her,” he answered. “But for now, you’re going to have some chocolate.”

“You don’t have any chocolate.” she said suspiciously.

“It’s in my car.”

“And after that, we’ll find Mama?” she pressed.

“Pinky promise,” he grinned. “C’mon.”

She followed the nice man until he stopped next to a white car. He let go of her hand and leaned in to grab a melted candy bar from the unlocked car. He unwrapped it and handed it to her, smiling kindly. She took it from him and watched as he started his car.

“You said we were gonna find Mama.” she said, forgetting the candy.

“I did say that, didn’t I?” the man turned and knelt before her, tilting her chin up so he could look into her eyes.

He wasn’t smiling anymore. He was smirking, his dark blue eyes alight with contempt. She tried to take her hand away, but instead, he pulled her closer.

He leaned down and whispered into her ear, “Didn’t your mama tell ya never to take candy from strangers, kid?”