My Little Girl

“Please, someone help, I can’t find my daughter, has anyone seen her? Please help me!”

I saw the lady frantically panicking from across the mall. Her face was as white as snow. I followed her as she ran frantically around the mall, looking in every store, talking to every person that walked by her, hoping someone had seen her daughter. She pulled out a picture of her showing it to all of those same people. She saw me and ran over.

“Have you seen my daughter? Please tell me you have.”

“No I haven’t; I’m sorry,” I lied.

The lady ran to the assistance desk.

“Attention everyone in the mall. A young girl with blonde hair and a pink sundress is missing. If you see her please bring her to the information desk immediately.”

I walked the opposite way. I didn’t want her to see me following her. Mary didn’t know me at all, but I knew her very well. I had watched Mary and Lilly everyday for the past year. When they went to the grocery store I would be in the aisle right next to them. When they were playing in the pool in their backyard on a hot summer day, I was in the bushes, peering into their backyard. They never saw me, but I was everywhere they were. What a silly, stupid woman. She did not pay much attention to her surroundings. I noticed that about her the first time I saw them. That’s when I knew she would be perfect. That’s when I knew if she were to ever be in a busy place where she would take her eyes off her precious little daughter for even a second, I could follow through with my plan.

I mapped out what I was going to do onto a piece of paper in my basement. How I would do it, where I would bring the little girl after and how to get the lady to talk speak to me at the mall. So far all of it worked according to plan, everything was falling into place exactly how I wanted it to. How could this woman be so stupid? How could she be so unprotecting of her daughter? That little girl deserved better. So much better, a better that only I could give her. I wanted that little girl for my own. So I took her. I took her from her clueless mother who cared about nothing more than the attention of a male. I was a better fit and I was going to take care of that beautiful girl as if she was my own. Well now she is my own.

I had Lisa grab her and carry her out as if she was her mother carrying out her distressed child crying and being upset over not getting a toy. It worked. I know it worked because I watched. My sweet friend. She did such an amazing thing for me. I could never ask for a better friend. She was a little hesitant at first, but after I begged her, or threatened her to tell her husband about her affair, she was happy to do this for me. She carried her out to the car we placed in the parking lot, and locked her up in there.

I watched the mother of the child one last time as she cried and screamed, and all I did was smile. I looked her straight in the face and smiled. I could tell she was a little confused by the way her eyebrows scrunched up and made ugly wrinkles. But she was so clueless, I knew she had no idea why I was smiling.I walked out to the car to meet my baby girl for the first time in person. I opened the door to a sad little girl crying and screaming in my face. I grew angry, I wanted her to be as happy as I was when she saw me. She will grow to love me. I knew she would. And I was right. Years went by and after all the missing child posters were gone and she was no longer on the news and the girl stolen from the mall people gave up looking for her and I could finally take her out in public and feel safe.

She was at the age where she wanted to go shopping for herself and just wanted me to buy it for her, so we went to the mall. I would do anything for her. So we shopped and I took her to all the stores I knew she would like and we picked out some new clothes. Oh no. I can’t believe this. I froze in my tracks. Her mother is still here looking for her daughter.

“Come on, Lilly, let’s get out of here.” I grabbed her by the arm and we ran out of the store. I looked back and she was staring at me.

“That’s my daughter!” Fuck. She had a weird look on her face and got up and started running after me; she recognized me.

She caught up. “Dammit baby girl I told you to run fast,” I whispered to Lilly.

“That’s my daughter!” she yelled again. “Give her back to me!” She screamed even louder as I began to run faster.

My little girl looked at me and said, “What is she talking about, Mama?” Mary looked at her and looked at me. She paused and had a look of complete sadness come across her face. Her eyes drooped, and she began to cry. I took Lilly and ran again. She was mine. Mary did not chase me. She stood there just staring. And I just smiled. I looked at her straight in the face for the last time, and smiled. I love my little girl.