Forgotten

Ezra had been missing for six months and it was as if she didn't exist in the world anymore. She was almost seven years old, but had no home, no parents, and worst of all she felt alone. A few weeks after being kidnapped her and Henry seemed to somewhat get along, but it still just didn't feel right.

"I brought you something special today!" Said Henry as he entered her prison cell as he referred to her as a prisoner.

Ezra smiled a little because Henry didn't bring her much except food once a day as if she was a pet. The only things he had brought her before was a coloring book, crayons and a blanket to stay warm at night. Ezra was losing weight fast from only eating once a day. Days seem to roll by as if it was nothing and Henry start to generally care for Ezra, but he wanted money so that he could get out of debt.

A year ago or six months before Ezra was kidnapped he made a loan or a drug loan with the mafia, but the deal fell through and he lost all the money. It was 100,000 dollars and because he lost it and he was late on payment he now owed 150,000. He was wanted by the law but he was also wanted for dead by the mafia.

He watched Ezra for a few months and saw how her dad seemed to be somewhat decent and must have some money to be carrying a briefcase all the tome and working day in and day out. He figured he could blackmail David and Kelly into giving him 200,000 dollars to pay his debt and get him back on his feet in return for their daughter.

David and Kelly were depressed and still kept trying to search for Ezra, but after a few months the police basically broke it down to them that she probably was dead but they would keep trying. On the fourth month she was missing Henry had emailed Kelly anonymously from a public library computer and told her if she wanted her daughter money talks. He simply told her if she wanted Ezra alive she had three months to come up with the money or else Ezra would be gone forever.

"What'd you get me today?" Ezra said as she finished coloring a unicorn.

Henry rubbed his facial hair and reached into his pocket. It was an old locket and Henry had found pictures of a David and Kelly online and printed them and glued them into the locket.

Henry held the locket up and then handed it to Ezra, "I know it's not much and you miss them, but I promise kid this will be over before you know it."

Ezra loved the locket but held her head low, "I've been here forever so it's not like their still looking for me."

Henry sat on a old stool in the room and grunted, "Trust me they're still looking. I received word that they want to buy you back from me."

Ezra crossed her arms, "I'm not some doll for you to put up for sale!"

Henry rolled his eyes kicked over Ezra's water and left the room angry. Henry was running out of time so he had to think fast. He really didn't want to hurt Ezra but he had little patience. He decided to buy some beers and relax on a couch in another room in the warehouse. Ezra was not allowed to come out of her room and all she knew for the last six months was dark walls with very little light unless it was the middle of the day and some light came through the door.

Henry drank three beers and threw each one as he was done with it. He was a dead man as far as he knew but didn't want to admit it. The little money he did have was from small deals he made secretly to avoid being shot up or beaten to a pulp. He couldn't take care of a seven year old and he certainly didn't really want to keep her.

He was a forty five year old man with no family and no dreams of doing anything except drugs and alcohol. The biggest dream he had was to open up a strip club and run a drug ring underneath it, but he knew it would never happen.

Ezra starred at the locket and wondered what her mother was doing. Was she cooking her favorite food or looking into her bedroom wishing she was there? Her world was crushed and broken and she hoped her mother felt the same way she did.

Ezra jumped in fear as glass shattered outside the room she was in. Henry was drunk and who knew was he was capable of doing. She started to cry and grab her blanket hoping he would go away and pass out.

"You made this situation worse for me you freaking brat," said Henry as he grabbed Ezra's hair and shoved her onto the bed.

Ezra screamed as he reached for her neck. He started to strangle her and shake her asking for answers that she couldn't help him with.

"I hate you! Your parents are too dumb to realize where your at or give me the money to get you! Do you realize what this means Ezra? You're just a little orphan with no home!"

Ezra cried more as he finally let go of her and started murmuring to himself. He turned towards her and took the beer bottle he had in his hand and threw it at her. He finally left as Ezra started bleeding. When he saw the blood on Ezra's little hands and legs he realized he had really screwed up.

Henry went to the main room and drank the rest of his beer and hollered and kept throwing glass all night. He just wanted to be free, but he didn't know how. Every way he turned he was in trouble or did something wrong.

Ezra wasn't cut too deep but she had three cuts on her legs, a small one on her cheek, and one on her right hand. Her neck throbbed in pain from Henry strangling her and shaking her. She knew there was a mark around her neck. She felt that even if David and Kelly still cared they wouldn't want her. Who would want a little girl as ugly as she was right now? And who would want a kid with so many issues that they couldn't even stand themselves?

Ezra felt lost and just hoped she would be found. Henry was okay sometimes, but he was also a monster. The type of monster her parents warned her about if she ate too much candy, or didn't go to bed on time. He was the real deal and she didn't know what she did to deserve such treatment.