Lily

I was sound asleep. Dreaming about Mama, and how much I missed her. I dreamed that she was stroking my hair with the softest hands and softest touch. I missed her teaching me how to sign for dad so that he could follow along with what was going on. Daddy is deaf. It was always hard for him without a translator when Mama wasn’t there, but I was there for him. She was there for us. I missed her big hazel-green eyes being the last thing I saw before I fell asleep.

Suddenly I heard quiet footsteps walking toward my room and I figured it was Daddy, coming in to check on me. I was pretending to be sleeping because I always played those jokes on him. He kept pulling me so I kept resisting his playful tugs. Then, I peeked my eyes open and it wasn’t Daddy. It was an incredibly unfamiliar face and I closed my eyes hoping it was a dream. I opened them back up, and I realized that this was happening in real life. I thought about what to do while screaming for him to get off of him and to go away. That’s when I realized that no one could hear my cries for help. “I need you right now Mama, please help me.” I whispered. This man was much bigger and stronger than me but I fought as hard as I could before he finally got ahold of me and took me away. I tried banging on the walls while being carried out to see if Daddy could feel the beat of the banging but he couldn’t, or at least if he did, it was too late. I was already gone.

There is a time in this that I don’t remember. I don’t remember him taking me out of the house and away from the only home I knew. When I woke up, we were in a car but still in my neighborhood, I was in a dog kennel. It was cramped, dark, and lonely. There was dark brown stains on the wall behind me and the metal bars had rusted. A young man’s voice was singing a song I didn’t recognize with a voice that kept cracking and falling out. I wailed and screamed, then a few house lights turned on, one of which was my best friend Millie’s house. Did she hear me? When did she find out that I was gone? Would everyone be wondering where I was in---before I could finish my thought while screaming, he shushed me and banged the top of the cage. The sound echoed and I prayed the neighbors would hear. He was the man I despised the most. The man who took me away from Daddy. The man who took me away from who I wanted the most in that moment.

I can’t be afraid. Daddy will find me! It will be okay. Millie will still have a best friend. You’ll be found faster than a blink of Mama’s hazel-green eyes. Don’t worry.  These were the only things I could say to myself to keep me from going insane. The sun rose and burned through my eyelids onto my eyes forcing them to open. Lily, when you open your eyes, you’ll be in Daddy’s arms in your bed. You will. Please? I wasn’t. I was in the cage, but I was not in the car anymore. I was in a room with no walls or ceilings, just windows. Windows upon windows glaring into my eyes. I tried to yell, but no sound came. Had he taken my voice? No silly, that’s only in the movies. There was a small door over my left shoulder but I could only see a small part of it because the cage wasn’t the best for a “viewing party” if you know what I mean. I heard a dog’s bark echo into the room and all around. It was almost as if the dog was trying to say something to me, or send me some type of message. I listened and longed that it would bark again but it didn’t. Don’t be stupid Lily, what kind of a dog talks to humans it doesn’t know? None that I could think of. I closed my eyes to try to think but I felt eyes on me. There was.

“Hello Sweetie Pie!” said an unfamiliar voice. I refused to open my eyes. The voice for high and creepy that sounded prepubescent and kept crackling but I knew it was the kidnapper. After what felt like a decade, I decided to open my eyes and there he was.

“Oh good you’re awake!! We have much to do today!! Maybe we will go to the dog park if we have time before you are off tomorrow!!”

“What?? Off?? Where?? This is not good, hurry Daddy please.” I thought. I was silent for a few brief moments but I spoke up and said. “What do you want from me? Who are you?”

“Oh I am so sorry that I haven’t introduced myself yet. My name is Andrew.. Or at least that’s what they named me after they found me.. Anyway, the reason I need you is to sell you to a family who has always wanted a kid but have not been able to conceive a child. Oh, so sad, but now I’ll be the one who changes that for them! And I’ll be rich! Ha! Freshen up sweetie, today is a big day!” Then he left. As if it was normal. Has he done this before? Is this what he does for a living? All I can do is sit tight until Daddy finds me. He’s probably on his way here now! Yeah. That’s right.

Andrew

I can’t get caught, I just can’t go back there, if that little girl doesn’t keep her mouth shut, then I’ll, I’ll, I’ll do something. Yeah, something big. Jail is not where I belong. I am a normal human that has done no wrong, Yeah, that’s right. I should go get ready and put on my best suit. I have to look good for my buyers. One little girl gets kidnapped, HA! No big deal. I bet the family didn’t even love her anyway. Why did I take her from this house you ask? Well, that used to be my home before they took me away from it. I want it back! I figure the family will move out and I’ll get it back!

Daddy

I started scrambling, looking  everywhere for my precious girl. I checked in her playroom, the nook, my office, her room, everywhere. Where is she?? I hastily ran down the stairs, grabbed my jacket, and sprinted all the way to her best friend’s house, Millie, and rang the doorbell. Her mother Lisa came quickly to the door and I started signing to her about what was wrong while talking because I know she can’t sign.  She spoke fast but I asked her to please slow down because I can’t read lips that fast. She nodded and started over. She had said.

“Don’t worry, I’ll call the police. We will find her. We will find Lily.” I wish I could have heard the emotion in her voice and if she was being real or sarcastic because I need to find my daughter and I need her help.

Next thing I knew I was in her house and Millie was crying and begging not to go to school to help find her. I am so glad that Lily has a best friend that is so good to her. I lost mine just two months ago. She had always helped me and when we first met she talked slowly, yet normally and calmly. After we had been together for three months she was already completely fluent in ASL (American Sign Language). This showed me that she was committed and really, truly loved me enough to live my silent life. I need you right now honey, please lead me to the only part of you I have left. Our daughter.

Lily

About five minutes later I was back in the black pickup truck on our way to God knows where. I’m getting really scared now. I don’t remember being put in a car.. Did he knock me out again? He halted and turned right into an abandoned parking lot. Where were we? How long had we been driving? All of a sudden I see a maroon Corvette pull up. It appears that there is a couple, but I can’t see them too well. They are both wearing blue and hats, it seems weird that they would be matching. Is this the couple? At that moment, Andrew quickly unlocked the jail. He probably didn’t want the couple to see me in the cage which made sense. He then said to me.

“So help me if you say to this eager and excited couple that I kidnapped you, I will find you.” The car pulled up a couple parking spots down. They waited in the car for a moment, and it seemed as though they were gathering something or getting prepared for something big. In the driver’s seat was a woman and all at once I see both doors slowly open as if it was in slow motion. This seems a bit odd.. I thought. I saw a black shoe with worn soles and blue pants slowly touch the cemented ground. I see then the man start to get out of the car. He looks as if he could be some type of officer or something. Could that be his job? But why would he and his wife be matching. That’s when I put two and two together. They are police officers! I ran with all my might to their car. The man was shouting at me but I didn’t care. I was being rescued. The police officers proceeded to run over to Andrew and tell him to put his hands in the air. Then they cuffed him and stuffed him in a police car that had pulled up right behind them. I then proceeded to get in the Corvette and the police officers soon followed then I asked them.

“How did you--thank you for--,” “Don’t mention it sweetheart, it’s what we do. We went undercover and drove the family’s car so that he would think it was the other couple. We have a tracking device in Andrew so we knew where he was. We are just glad that you are safe now. Let’s take you home.”

The car ride was so long. I couldn’t wait to see my Daddy. I had never wanted to be silent with someone more in my entire life. I learned from this experience though. I have learned to have hope and be brave.

Before I knew it we pulled up at Millie’s house. I jumped out of the car and ran and knocked on the door. Millie came to the door sobbing. Then she saw me and her eyes lit up. She hugged me with all her might. She didn’t have to say a word. I am so lucky that I have a person like Millie in my life. She brought me inside and my Dad instantly started crying tears of joy. I ran to him and gave him the biggest hug. Then I backed up a little and signed to him, “I love you Daddy.”