The Find

“Come here, come on.” A soft voice cooed. I poked my head around the large green dumpster.

Two hands held out a red container. “Come here.” The container waved back it back and forth.

My mouth watered as I smelled something sweet and salty. Waves of steam rose off skinny golden sticks. I crawled closer ignoring the urge to run and hide. Two large orange shoes stepped closer sending me flying back down the darkened alley.

I peeked around a bag of trash only to find golden sticks laying on white paper. I crawled closer to hot food my stomach yelled with excitement. Within seconds I had devoured what was on the paper. As I licked the salt off my lips, my eyes caught another pile of steaming yellow sticks. I ran towards them forgetting about danger. I had gone too long without food all I wanted was the warm salty sticks. I was licking the paper when the soft voice spoke again.

“Hey, look at this.”

This time I didn’t shy away instead I crept closer to the road. There was a line of yellow straws that led to an open car door. On the seat lay a large sandwich. Fear gripped me, but it was food, good hot food. Finally I couldn’t help myself I jumped on the seat and buried my face in the sandwich.

I wasn’t scared when the door slammed shut. I only looked up when the other side opened as a boy with shaggy brown hair slid in. The sandwich dropped out of my mouth as terror set in. I banged my body against the door trying to get out.

“Hey, there. It’s okay.” The car rumbled under my feet and I began to whimper. The sound of crinkling paper made me cower. “Hey, look. Look at this. I bet it’s better than what you’ve had to eat in a long time.”

My attention was drawn to his hand. There was the prize of all foods—a doughnut. I lunged, trying to grab the pastry out of his hand. He laughed and patted me on the head.

“Sit down. Sit. Good that’s it.” He set the white circle next time me, I dove in. “Hey, watch the fingers now.”

After a few minutes I sighed and slumped against the seat. For the first time in months my belly was full. I looked over at the boy who kept stealing glances at me. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the warmth.

I woke up to strong hands gripping me. Fear over took me. I let out high pitched screeching sounds as I clawed and bit. This wasn’t right memories of the dark gripped me making me thrash more. The boy wrapped his arms around as he pulled me to his chest.

“Hey now, it’s okay. We’re home now.” He grunted when my teeth found his arm. He pushed open a door, blinding white light hit my eyes.

“Mom!” The boy called out. I shoved myself out of his arms. I landed on a hard white surface. I sat there for a moment until I heard footsteps. Footsteps usually meant bad things were going to happen. I scrambled to find a hiding spot. The floor was slippery like the ice on the pond in winter. I couldn’t get a grip on the ground. Finally I shoved myself in a corner my eyes darting around wildly.

“Mom!” He shouted again.

“What?” A tired voice responded.

“You have to come to the kitchen.” The boy was facing me, his legs spread wide and arms held out ready to catch me if I ran. A tall willowy woman stepped in the room.

“Brent, do you realize I had to stop in the middle of—oh my God Brent!”

“Mom, can we keep it?”

“Brent where did you find it?” Her eyes were wide and her voice trembled.

“I found it in the alley digging in a dumpster over on 56th street.” Brent shrugged his shoulders. “I figured it needed a home. So—can we keep it?” Brent’s mom sank to her knees in front of me. I bowed my head and looked away.

“Brent! This is a kid! A human being, you don’t just pick them up and take them home.” Tears flooded her face. “Go call the cops. We can’t keep this child.” She turned towards me and opened her arms.

“Come here, child. I won’t hurt you.” I turned away from her, facing the gleaming cabinets. She inhaled loudly.

“Who would do something like that to a child?” I flinched as she ran her fingers over the scabbed over welts on my back.

“Yeah, so can we keep it since nobody wanted it?” Brent asked eagerly.

“No.” The woman responded. She wrapped her arms around me, rocking me gently. For the first and last time I felt the love of a mother’s touch.