“Shit, sorry, baby. I thought the call was over when I dialed your number.”
“What the heck was that?”
He takes a deep breath. “It was nothing. I don’t want to talk about work. I’m only leaving now, so I’ll be late but still be there before Seb.”
“Okay, no problem. I know you only like riding with Robert, but take the subway at this time of the day. You’ll get here in half the time.”
“Yeah, not happening. I’ll see you soon. Love you.”
“Okay, love you too.”
Claud comes running over to me after twenty minutes of playing. “Do we have any chalk? Some of the kids are drawing over there.” She points behind the swings.
“I’m sorry, Claud, we don’t. We can bring some next time, or maybe one of the kids can share with you.”
“Hi. Sorry to eavesdrop,” the woman next to me interrupts and points over to the kids. “My daughter is in the pink sweater, and she has extra. She’d be happy to share with you.”
“Okay, thank you!” Claud calls and runs over so fast I’m worried she will trip and fall.
I’m watching her closely when something at the corner of the playground catches my eye.
Turning my head, it looks like…no, it can’t be…
What the hell?
“Amber?” I call after my cousin, completely confused, but she doesn’t react. Her eyes are laser-focused on the children drawing with chalk. Fear knots my stomach when I see her take a step forward, swiveling around until her gaze locks on Claud.
“Amber!” I scream as I jump up and rush toward them.
She raises her head, and a slow, malicious smirk lifts at the corners of her mouth just as she takes another step closer to Claudina.Don’t you dare.
“Claudina,” I scream, running as fast as I can.Why isn’t she listening?
Amber’s mouth moves, and Claud nods.
My heart is beating out of my skin, and I can feel bile rising in my throat.Just a few more steps…then, right before my eyes, Amber bends down, grabs Claudina, and brings her tight to her chest. Claud cries for help just as I burst through the swings and leap, lunging forward to stop them.
My foot hits the pavement, and a searing pain shoots up my leg, debilitating my movement, crippling me to the ground. Everything happens so fast. My knee smacks the concrete, and unable to put my hands out, my head slams down hard into the ground.
Dots blur my vision as I watch a man come out of nowhere, grab Claudina out of Amber’s arms, and knock her to the floor.
“Claudina!” I attempt to call out again, but my voice gets lost in my throat, as blackness starts to take over.Nooo…
No. No. No.
Claudina screams my name, but I can’t move. I’m helpless. And then, there’s nothing.
Light flashes in front of me, causing my eyes to flutter open. I hear someone beside me take a gasp of relief while a strange woman shines a flashlight back and forth over my eyes. “Welcome back. I’m June, a paramedic.” She smiles. “Can you tell me your name, please?”
“Juliette,” I murmur.
“Can you follow the light with your eyes, Juliette?” she asks, and I do…or at least I think I do.
“You’re doing, perfect Juliette.”
“Juliette!” I hear Claud cry from a distance. I attempt to sit up, and June pushes me back down.
“Please stay down until I work you over.”
