Bette: Hey.

Tina: Huh?…um so what did the police say?

Bette: Well there’s a problem, I decided to call Coleman’s first to give him a update you know since it’s his place and all, and I totally expected to get his voicemail but he picked up. I started explaining everything to him, you know the break in and now a missing child found inside his cabin and seeing that something like this would call out all the police and news people, Coleman doesn’t want that kind of attention surrounding his place so, he ask if we could take care of this ourselves and against better judgment I said that we would.

Tina: What! Bette this is serious and what if we can’t find the child’s parents, then what?

Bette: Then we call the police whether he wants us to or not, but we can at least give it a try.

Although Tina was afraid of not calling the police, she had to admit that she was more relieved that they weren’t going to turn the child in right away. She wanted to help Angelica and get to know who she was. Both women walked back to the living room where Angelica was still sitting on the couch playing with her dolls until they interrupted her.

Bette: So I saw you playing dollies with Tina earlier, can I play too?

Bette tried to make Angie feel comfortable first before she just straight out and tried to get information from the child. It was obvious that the girl wasn’t much of a talker.

Angelica: yes

Angelica handed Bette the white doll because the black one didn’t have a head on it.

Bette: Hey you know what, I think I might just have something that belongs to you.

Bette quickly walked to the bedroom and dug out the doll head from the trash basket next to the bed, she wiped it off and hurried back into the living room.

Bette: This seemed to have fallen off, here you go.

Bette handed Angelica the doll head.

Angelica: You found my Barbie, thank you.

Angelica was looking at Bette and smiling for the first time, and there it was, the first connection she had felt to the child.

Bette: So Angelica sweetie, my wife and I are going to take you back home okay, but we need for you to show us where that is okay honey?

Bette rubbed the little girl’s back and found it to be also comforting for herself too.

Angelica nodded her head no again.

Tina: Remember how I told you that nobody was going to hurt you?

Angelica nodded yes.

Tina: Well I promise you that okay, but we got to take you back home.

Angelica: My mommy and daddy are gone.

Bette: What do you mean honey?

Tears formed in Angelica eyes and slowly began making their way down her chubby cheeks.

Angelica: The big monster took them.

Bette and Tina looked at each other in confusion. “The big monster took them”…what did that mean they both communicated to each other with their eyes.

Tina: How did this monster look?

Angelica rubbed her eyes.

Angelica: He was a big black dog, but real big and tall with big teeth.

After a second or two, it hit both women at the same time that what Angelica was describing wasn’t a dog, but a big bear. Tina kneeled down in front of Angelica to look her in the eyes.

Tina: Angelica, how did the monster take them honey?

Angelica looked at both women then hung her head down, speaking in a low tone.

Angelica: He was eating them.

Both women gasped, they looked at each other in horror. Tina pulled Angelica into her arms and slowing began rocking.

Tina: Oh my God I’m so sorry sweetheart, don’t worry it’s going to be okay. You’re safe now.

Tina was sobbing now and Bette who also had tears running down her cheeks, wrapped her arms around both girls and in that moment wanted nothing more than to protect them no matter what it takes.