Sally

Summer had begun and Sally was excited to play.

The sun, as always, warmed her skin; the light breezes blowing through the neighborhood, soothed the heat and cold, making the weather perfect. It was a summer Sally would never forget. Sally was an 8 year old girl with long curly hair and light green eyes. She was a very polite, cheerful and obedient child. Her parents adored her, they couldn't ask for more from her. Sally laughed as she played with her friends outside her house; they played hopscotch, dolls and tag. Her mother watched her from inside, wiping her hands on her apron, yelling at her:

"Sally, honey! It's time for you to eat your lunch!"

Sally looked up from her game smiling-"It's okay mom"-sitting down at the table very excited.

Her mother placed a butter sandwich, some carrot sticks, celery on the side and orange juice.

-Thank you, Mommy," Sally said.

-You're welcome, sweetie," replied her mother.

The little girl began to eat, while her mother sat next to her smiling and said, "Guess what...? Your Uncle Johnny is coming to visit."- She smiled with the corners of her mouth full of food.

- "Mmm... Uncle Johnny?"-Sally repeated with her mouth full as her mother laughed at her with a nod of her head.

- "Aha! He's coming to help your father with a job and also to take care of you, maybe we can go to the fair together."-Sally chewed quickly on what was left of the food.

Sally munched quickly on what was left on her plate.

-"Sara and Jennie too?" asked Sally.

The mother looked up thoughtfully, "It depends on what their parents say, if they can, yes."

The little girl smiled and jumped out of her seat again. She was going to have a great time this summer. Within days Uncle Johnny arrived at his sister's house. He got out of his car stretching his head and giving a tired sigh.

-"Uncle Johnny!" she shouted calling his attention and ran into his arms, who replied, "Hey, Sally! How are you?" picking her up and hugging her properly; the girl smiled and exchanged glances with her friends.

-I was playing with Sara and Jennifer, Mom's inside, let's go tell her you're here!" said Sally.

-Sounds good," replied Johnny.

He puts her down and they walk towards the house, calling from outside to the mother.

-Hey, Marie! I'm home!" as Sally walked inside.

-Mom! She's here!

The mother came running out of the house from the kitchen and smiled when she saw Johnny.

-Johnny, did you get here all right?"

The man put the child on the floor and patted her, and hugged the woman.

-Of course I did. Why else would I come here safe and sound?"

He burst out laughing and walked to the kitchen with the woman. Then Sally ran for the door, shouting that she would play again.

- "Make sure you get in before dark, I don't want anything to happen to you!"

- "Yes, ma'am!"-

And the girl left.

At dinner time, Sally's father came home, happy to see his brother at home. Walking with his daughter, he approached Johnny with a handshake and a hug.

-"Nice to see you man, how are you?" he asked, crossing his arms, watching his wife set the table. Johnny shrugged, fiddling with his thumbs.

- "I got separated from Karen."

- "Oh, that's terrible, I'm sorry..."

Johnny shook his head with a smile.

- "No, it's okay. I'm glad, I can move around freely without having someone constantly wanting to know where I am and what I'm doing."-

The two men laughed together, sitting down at the table to eat.

- "Mmm, Marie, this tastes wonderful." - "Thank you, I'm glad you like it."-"Mmm~, it's delicious mom!

- "Mmm~, it's delicious mommy!"-

The adults smiled and laughed at the little girl's compliment.

The plates began to empty, and Sally started yawning over and over, rubbing her eyes with her hands. Her mother smiled and gently rubbed her back.

-"Looks like someone is tired, time to go to sleep!" her mother said.

Sally nodded and jumped up from her seat, picking up her plate and carrying it to the sink. Her mother got up to take her to bed, but Johnny stopped her by pulling her by the arm.

-I'll take her," he said, smiling.

- "All right, thanks John."

The man nodded, looking at the woman and led the young woman to her room. John smiled and closed the door behind him, looking at the girl's little mess.

"Do you need help?"-he asked her, looking at the girl, who also looks at him nodding.

- "Okay, let's see what you've got."-

The man started looking through his pajamas.

-Do you have any strawberry ones? I bet you're going to smell just like them in your dreams."- He took the shirt and showed it to her.

He took the shirt and showed it to her, sniffing it a little. Sally laughed and shook her head to indicate that she didn't want to wear her strawberry pajamas. Johnny nodded, put the shirt back and pulled out a shirt with a unicorn on it.

- "How about this one? I'll bet you're going to ride a unicorn, missy."-

Once the girl giggled and shook her head. The man let out a small grunt before putting it back on. Then he pulled out a white nightgown.

- "How about this? You're going to become a princess."-

Sally's eyes lit up and she clapped her hands enthusiastically and nodded. She placed the dress on the bed; he walked over to her and began unbuttoning her shirt.

- "I can dress myself, man," she said with a smile, looking down. The man smiled and nodded, not leaving the job half done.

-"I bet you can, but you're tired, and why can't I help you?" he asked, watching Sally nod a couple of times.

Once she managed to unbutton his shirt, he slid it off her shoulders and nudged her belly, making her laugh.

He smiled and grabbed the edge of her shorts and pulled down. Finally, the man grabbed her nightgown and pushed the opening over her head, making sure her arms could fit through the sleeves.

- "That's it!" he said cheerfully, looking at the girl's smile again, laughing as he reached the top of the bed.

Johnny got up and gathered his clothes, the door opened and Sally's mother came in.

- "Are you ready for bed?"-she said. Johnny got up and ran to the other side of the bed.

-I'm going to lay her down, is that okay with you?

Marie looked at him and smiled, shaking her head.

- "Sure."-

He looked at his daughter, leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.

- "Good night, my love."- "Good night, my love.

- "Good night mom," said the girl, gently massaging her forehead with her thumb. The woman took the clothes and Johnny made her leave the room.

Johnny smiled at the mother and walked over to the light switch, turning it off; then he carefully locked the bedroom door and looked over his shoulder at Sally. Johnny had a chillingly twisted smile.

As the days passed, Marie noticed that Sally wasn't acting normal: she wasn't smiling as brightly as before, she didn't show joy or speak with the same amount of happiness. Marie took the little girl's hand, before she went to play with her friends, and pulled her aside.

Sally looked at her mother with a confused look.

"Honey, are you feeling all right?" she asked, kneeling down to be at her daughter's level. Sally looked up absently, and slowly began to cry.

Her mother opened her eyes, confused.

- "Sally?"

- "M-mom... I... I didn't want t-to..."- the girl managed to say with a hiccup.

-You didn't want to do what, sweetheart?

-I didn't want to play... I didn't want to play your game..." - "I didn't want to play your game..."

Sally looked at her mother and hugged her tightly.

-He... m-he touched me.... And he made me touch him."-

Marie frowned and began to gently stroke her hair, comforting her.

- "Shhhh... it's okay, mommy's here now, it was a nightmare, that's all. It's all right now, okay? Don't worry about it."-

He looked at Sally, who was about to cry, and smiled.

"-G-okay mom..."-

Her mother smiled and kissed her on the forehead.

- "Now go wash up, you don't want to go play with a dirty face."

Sally let out a giggle and ran off to the bathroom to wash her face. Later that day, Johnny and his brother returned to the house to continue the work. Frank sighed, smiling when he saw Sally.

The father waved back, closed the car door and walked to the house. Johnny looked at Sally smiling, waving at the little girl. Her smile slowly faded, showing less happiness in her, but she waved back as well. Johnny also entered the house, and stopped when he overheard the conversation between his brother and his wife.

- "Sally, what?" asked Frank.

- "She had a nightmare, a very bad one, and she said, 'He touched me.'"-"Well, who the hell is 'he'?

-Well, who the hell is 'he'?"

-I don't know, Frank.... It was just a nightmare; I wanted to fill you in on what's been going on with her and why she's acting different."-

Johnny frowned angrily, his knuckles turning white, and then he quickly calmed down, put on a smile, and walked into the room.

- "Whoa... Did I interrupt something?"-he asked them, looking at the couple shaking their heads. Johnny smiled again, pointed to the car.

-I'm going to the store, do you need anything, Marie?"

The woman smiled and looked toward the kitchen. -"Yes, actually. Can you get me some eggs, milk, bread and juice?"

Johnny nodded, about to leave until she stopped.

- "Sally wanted to come too, I just wanted to fill you in."

Marie smiled, - "Thank you, John."-

He nodded again and headed out of the house with keys in hand, looking at Sally with his friends.

- "Sally."

She looked up at him and glared at him.

"Let's go shopping!"

John headed for the car, gesturing for the girl to follow him. Sally sat there for a moment, and then placed her wrists on the grass.

- "I'm going for a walk; please take care of Marzipan and Lily."-

Jennie and Sarah smiled and nodded. Sally reluctantly made her way to the car and climbed into the passenger seat.

- "Does Mom know I'm coming with you, Uncle?"-she asked. Johnny nodded and put the keys in the ignition, started it and pulled out of the driveway.

- "Yeah, she wants us to buy stuff for lunch, maybe I can get some."-he smiled looking at the girl.

He smiled looking at the girl. Sally smiled nervously and looked ahead, taking in the scenery. As soon as they reached the road leading to the store, Sally noticed that he didn't stop when he was in front of the store. She frowned in confusion, and looked up at him.

-"Uncle Johnny, you just passed the store..." she said pointing in the direction of the Whole Foods.

But he didn't speak, just drove on, with a very slight smile on his face. The girl sat back and looked over the back seat, looking at the store gradually getting smaller and smaller until it was out of sight. Realizing they weren't going to the grocery store, the girl saw that the guy parked in a park that was close to town, but no one went out to the park on Sundays.

Sally fidgeted, her breathing quickened, looking at the man with wide eyes. Johnny turned off the engine, looking at her, anger showing on his face.

- "I told you not to say anything to Mom, didn't I?" he asked her, looking at the girl desperately shaking her head.

- "You're not playing the game correctly, Sally."

The man reached over and pulled the girl out of the car.

- "You said you would play the game with me Sally, you lied to me."-

He opened the car door beside her, getting out along with her and pushed her to the ground.

- "One has to be punished for breaking the rules,"- Johnny said unbuckling his seat belt.

.

.

.

A couple found the body of an 8-year-old girl in the community park at 9 p. m. It was Sally Williams.

"I could have sworn I locked the door before I got into bed, I guess I forgot ..."

The teenager walked across the room and closed the door. Before he could lie back down and as soon as he was covered, his legs froze as he heard the faint sound of crying, he sounded like a child.

He slowly got out of bed once more, walked to the door and opened it. The crying seemed to be louder outside his room. He looked down into the darkness and crept down the hallway, following the sound of the wailing. Once she reached the end of it all, she gasped. Sitting on the floor in front of the moonlit window was a girl, hunched over, crying?

She swallowed hard and spoke up. -Who... Who are you? How did you get into my house?" he asked the girl.

Suddenly, the crying stopped; the girl slowly moved her trembling hands away from her face and looked behind her, squirming slightly. Blood replaced her tears, staining her hands.

She was drenched in blood, the hair on the side of her head, and the trickle of blood from the wound on her face and her dirty clothes. Through the bright green eyes it seemed that her soul could be seen.

- "This is my home..."-She spoke hoarsely, sounding as if she was struggling to speak.

The girl's body grimaced and moved strangely towards the teenager. Her feet were dirty, as if she had been running through mud, full of scrapes all over her knees and legs; and the end of her dress was torn and scraggly.

"Sally:" was the name sewn on the front.

- "Do you want to play?"-Sally asked her as she smiled through blood-stained teeth-"Play with me..."-