Chapter One Hundred Ten: The Shell Game
581 Words
-----Emma’s POV-----
The crab was fast.
It scuttled sideways so quick Emma had to laugh and chase it like she was in a race. The sun warmed her skin, the wet sand squished between her toes, and every time she reached for it, the little crab darted away like it was teasing her.
“Come back here, silly!” she called, stumbling forward, her giggle tumbling into the salty wind.
Lily was behind her, still working on the sandcastle. Mommy was with baby Luca. Daddy was somewhere on the phone, she thought.
Emma wasn’t supposed to go too far.
But it was just a crab.
And she wasn’t that far.
She scooped up a smooth shell instead, purple with a curl on the end. “Lily’ll love this one,” she murmured, holding it up like treasure.
That’s when she heard the voice.
“Hey there, sweetheart. That’s a pretty shell you’ve got.”
She turned.
The man was tall. Not as tall as Daddy. But he had a baseball cap and sunglasses, and a friendly kind of smile.
“Thanks,” Emma said, a little shy.
“You like collecting shells?” he asked.
She nodded, gripping the one in her hand. “I got this one for my sister.”
“That’s sweet,” he said. “You must be a good sister.”
“I try,” she said with a proud little shrug.
He crouched down a little. “Wanna see something cool?”
She hesitated.
Mommy always said no strangers.
But he didn’t feel scary. His voice was soft. He smelled like sunscreen and salt.
“I know a secret spot,” he said. “Where the shells are huge. Like the ones you see in books.”
Emma blinked. “Bigger than this one?”
He nodded. “Bigger than your hand. Maybe even a sand dollar or two.”
She looked down the beach. The castle was far now. Mommy was a speck. She could still see them.
“You wanna come with me real quick? I won’t tell,” he added with a wink.
Emma chewed her lip. “I… I should ask my mommy.”
“Oh, she said it’s fine,” he smiled. “I just talked to her. She said you’re allowed, since I’m a friend.”
Emma tilted her head. “You did?”
He nodded. “And I’ve got a puppy in the car. Wanna pet him?”
A puppy?
Emma forgot the crab.
“Okay,” she said slowly. “But just for a minute.”
He held out his hand.
She slipped her fingers into his.
It was warm.
Strong.
They walked toward the dune path. He kept glancing around. She didn’t notice.
When they got to the lot, she saw a dark car with tinted windows. The man opened the back door.
“Puppy’s shy,” he said. “Come on in, we’ll get him out.”
Emma climbed in.
She didn’t see a leash.
Or a puppy.
“Where’s—” she began.
The door shut.
Click.
The lock slid into place.
The engine started.
She looked up, confused. “Are we going to get Mommy?”
He didn’t answer.
She turned to the window. The beach was gone.
Her shell was still in her hand.
“Wait,” she said softly. “Would Mommy be okay with this?”
The car turned out of the lot.
And Emma finally felt it.
The fear.
- Writer
