#10 We All Scream

      “I scream, you scream, we all scream for… “ was the last thing I heard before I watched Savannah be taken away in an ice cream truck.

Two years earlier

     It was 3 a.m when I woke up to the sound of the house's alarm system going off. I sluggishly got out of bed to turn it off, but as I walked into the front foyer I noticed the front door was wide open. Quickly shutting off the alarm I and went outside to find Savannah. Savannah has been sleepwalking for months now and trying to get outside. About a month ago Britt and I took Savannah to a sleep specialist to try and figure out why she sleepwalks.  The doctor told us it was normal for children around Savannah’s age to sleepwalk. I as her dad, knew this was different ever since I found her slamming her head into the great oak door in the foyer. When she woke up the next morning she had large, yellow- green bruises on her forehead. I ran vigorously outside only to see Savannah’s pale little face peeking out the window of an ice cream truck. As the truck disappeared all I could do was watch. I just stood there and watched my babygirl vanish into the night. It took only minutes for Britt to find me standing in the middle of the street with a look of disbelief on my face. She asked me where Savannah was and I couldn’t muster up enough courage to tell her I did nothing to save her.  

     Britt looked at me with anger burning in her eyes, for she knew what happened without me even having to say a word. Britt did what every good mother would have done and called the police. Looking around ashamed of myself I noticed a small yellow order slip on the ground. I picked it up and flipped it over to see a sloppily written note that read:

   Call us at 6 a.m today and you may speak briefly to the child

   309-123-4567

   Sincerely,  Shadow Man

     

With 6 o’clock in just 15 minutes I ran inside for the phone. Dialing and redialing the number ,because my body was shaking with fear, I finally got the number right with seconds to spear. The phone rang three times before someone picked up. “Mr. Precisely” came a dark slightly raspy voice on the other end of the line. Then nothing. A loud sound then came that startled me. Before I could even process what was was happening I recognized Savannah’s voice singing “ I scream, you scream we all scream……” and that was it. Then came  a long unbearable silence.The man with the raspy voice came back “ If you would like to see the child then you come to the old warehouse at midnight tonight come alone.”  I waited around all day nothing to do but worry. I couldn’t tell Britt because she would want to come. Seeing the pain on her face made me sick. It made me even sicker that I knew where Savannah was and wasn’t there to rescue her until midnight. Midnight was finally just around the corner. I crept out of bed careful not to wake Britt. I made it out of the house and got into the car. The drive to the warehouse only took about ten minutes to get there, but it felt like years. So any thoughts running through my mind as I drove. When i arrived at the old warehouse I saw a dark and slender figure waiting for me at the door. As I got closer this  thing I was seeing was no man at all but just a shadow. It lead me to a small room where I saw Savannah laying lifelessly on the cold cement floor. I dashed to her. I rolled her over to see that her little pale green eyes were gone and nothing but black pits were in there place. I held Savannah for what felt like hours crying hating myself for not being there sooner. I heard a small breath escape from Savannah’s mouth. I watched in amazement until she finally exhaled and whispered “ ….Daddy....”