Puzzle

Joel arose from an unpleasant slumber. It was filled with Sean and however Duffy ended his life. He got up from the creaky bed, hoping Duffy did not stir because of it. Was he going to leave? No. That would be stupid. Wherever the demon-child was, he knew trying to escape her was not an option. He was just going to have to do whatever she told him and find a way out. He needed to get back to his own family but he didn't want to find them dead.

He bit his lower lip in the thought of his precious Caroline and beautiful Lacey gone. It would be a burden he could not hold. He knew it sounded a little dramatic and extreme but he knew he couldn't continue living without them.

Not knowing what else to do, Joel looked around the room. Same old curtains, same rickety floor boards. But there was an intricately designed dresser in the back. Flowers carved along the edges and butterflies chiseled just at the right angle to make it seem like they were flying away from the drawers. He took hold of the pearl handles, careful with such a fine piece of craftsmen-ship, and flinched at the groan it made as he gently opened it. He waited, for footsteps, for anything before he looked. In the drawer was a corduroy bear. It had button eyes and mint green cotton overalls. It didn't have a mouth, just eyes and a sewed in nose, but it was cute, in a way. It reminded Joel of Caroline, so he smiled a little.

The creak of a stair made him drop the bear and close the drawer. Another and Joel was sitting on the bed. Another creak and another, until the footsteps were muffled by a rug. He was wringing his hands. The door creaked open and Duffy popped her head in.

"Ready?" she asked pleasantly, as if she was asking him if he wanted pancakes for breakfast.

"Yeah." he mumbled, getting up. I wonder who else she doesn't like. He looked into the face of the girl before him. How that small face could have the gut to kill disturbed Joel beyond any horror movie he had ever seen. It was beyond him.

"You comin'?" she asked, moving away from the door to allow him to leave. It could be simple. Leaving. Joel knew better, though.

"Yes." he whispered, more to himself, and made his way to the door, closing it behind him. "So what are we doing today?"

Duffy giggled and said, "We're going to play a game."

Of course.
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Joel waited outside on the front lawn of Duffy's house while she went to get her bike from the garage. Across the street, Joel saw a woman in distress. A man was running to his banged up pick up truck and sped out of the drive way while the woman ran to the driver's side. "Please," she said through hysterical tears. "Please find our boy." The man, probably her husband, nodded, said something that Joel didn't quite catch, and the two kissed briefly. The woman moved away as the truck roared to life again and left. Joel felt deeply sickened now. I know where he is he thought with tears threatening. I buried him. He saw the woman break down. I'm so sorry. he wished he could tell her. I didn't get there fast enough-

"Joel." Behind him was Duffy on a baby pink bike with shiny red streamers on the handlebars. A white basket adorned the front and training wheels graced the back. She tapped the bell twice. The sweet sound made Joel twitch. Duffy leaned over, looking at the woman across the street. "Here she comes." she said, the same darkness taking over her face as her grip on the handles tightened. Her knuckles were white by the time the sobbing woman came over.

"Duffy." she said through breaths. "Have you. . . seen Sean lately?"

The girl shook her head.

"Did you two play at all?"

Again, she shook her head, without any emotion. Duffy's eyes were blank. Her mouth unmoving. It was all so very terrible.

The woman bit her lip but nodded, her mascara streaming down her face. "And. . . you?" she turned hopeful to Joel. "Have you seen my boy? He's. . ."

But Joel knew what he looked like. Blond hair, happy green eyes, sun soaked skin. He didn't want to, but yesterday, when he laid him on the ground, he took a mental picture of the once living breathing boy.

"No." he said when the woman stopped. "I'm sorry. I'll watch for him though." The woman touched his arm and said barely above a whisper, "Thank you," and walked back to her house. Probably off to make unnecessary phone calls to other neighbors.

"They're ruining all of our fun." Duffy said, annoyed.

Joel looked at her. "Can't we leave them be?"

She shook her head. Duffy looked down at her bike, fingering with the streamers. She ripped one of them off then looked up and smiled at Joel.

"I know what game we're going to play."
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"Make the call." she said.

I'm in too deep. he thought.

"Now."

A slave to the girl's will, Joel picked up the phone in Duffy's kitchen, a overly-normal kitchen, and dialed the number that Duffy recited from the phone book.

"Don't forget to deepen your voice." she said.

One ring. Twice. "Hello?" It was the woman. Sean's mother.

"Mrs. . . Donall?" Joel looked to Duffy and the girl nodded.

"Do you have my son?"

". . .Yes."

Joel had to turn his head away from the phone, the screaming and cursing was enough to turn him deaf. He tuned back in to hear, "You son of a bitch! You bring me back my son or I swear to G-"

"Ma'am? He's. . . he's fine. He's waiting for you. Right now."

"Where?!" she demanded.

"At the park. At the merry-go-round."

The line went dead and Joel placed the phone back in the cradle.

"Now what?" he asked, not bothering to try to stop the tear that trickled down. He could never forgive himself for what he put that boy's poor mother, and father, through. Never.

Duffy was opening, searching, and slamming drawers until she stopped and found what she wanted.

Matches.