Liam wanted to crawl inside a hollow tree. “You have to be able to get out quickly so you can run back to base,” I reminded him. I didn’t want to mention all the creepy crawlies that were probably using that tree as a home.
“Okay, what about behind this bush?” Liam asked, crouching behind an oversized scrub tree. I could still see the red shock of his hair, but figured it would be hard for Rosie to spot right away.
“Perfect,” I told him, giving him a thumbs up. With an infectious grin, Liam hid himself, having to cover his mouth with his hand to contain his glee.
“Sara, what about this spot?” Dakota asked, lying down on the ground behind a large boulder. I made a point to look at it from all directions. Bastian was at number thirty. I could hear Rosie dutifully repeating the numbers.
“Looks pretty great to me,” I said.
Dakota went to go behind the rock then stopped. His green eyes sparkled with something that had to be joy. “This is the most fun I’ve had in forever. Thank you, Sara.”
I was both touched and saddened by his gratefulness.
To think playing a simple game of hide and seek was the most fun these kids had experienced in a long time…
I couldn’t think about that.
My childhood was no different.
That doesn’t make it right.
I blinked away dust that must have gotten in my eye and hurriedly found my own hiding spot. I kept it simple, choosing to stand behind a tree that didn’t quite cover me.
Peeking out from around the trunk I heard Bastian call out, “Ready or not, here we come!” Several soft giggles drifted through the trees.
Bastian made a show of stomping noisily through the leaves, telling Rosie places to look.
“Found you!” she cried out triumphantly after finding Pia perched up on a tree branch.
“Found you!” Rosie yelled, giving Anne a hug after seeing her sitting behind a holly tree.
There was a rush of footsteps and Liam’s exuberant shout when he made it to home base.
The game didn’t last long. Rosie found me only a few minutes after finding Darlene, who wasn’t that far from my hiding spot.
“Found you, Sara!” Rosie exclaimed, her cheeks flushed with excitement.
“You sure did!” I put my hands on my hips and feigned disappointment, which made her giggle.
“You’re no match for Rosie’s super finding skills.” Bastian gave Rosie a high five.
“Guess not. You and Bastian make quite a team.” Rosie hugged Bastian’s arm and he seemed delighted.
“We’re the best, right, Bastian?” Rosie looked up at him adoringly.
“I made it!” Dakota yelled from the base. He and Liam did a funny dance and we all rushed over to join in their celebration.
“That was so much fun! Can we play it again?” Darlene asked, seeming to brace herself for rejection. They all were. For all the fun they just had, the kids looked as though they were waiting for it to be taken away.
There was such miserable acceptance that totally obliterated the happiness I had witnessed only moments earlier.
Were we culling innocence to make way for beaten down obedience?
How could this be what God wanted?
I just want to go home, Mommy. Please!
His face in the shadows. Rescuing me. Leading me into the light. But he was the one who put me in the dark…
