AllFreeNovel
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"Nothing."
"Okay. Weird much," I started. I was about to give him a hard time for keeping secrets when we came upon a commotion.
"Ma'am, we're gonna need you to leave," a very stressed store clerk stated at the front of the store.
"But I need these things! It will be ruined if I don't have them. Please, just let me grab a few more."
"Ma'am, we already asked you once."
"Is that your—"
"Mom!" I answered as I took off running. Something wasn't right. She was acting all over the place and didn't resemble the mother I knew. When she saw me, she started to tug my arm to get me to talk to the man.
"Baby, tell this man," she urged. "Tell him I need these things. They will look great in our house. We can have tea parties and go on adventures together. Won't it be the best?" She was smiling ear to ear, and I wanted to join in on her excitement, but something felt wrong. Looking around, I realized what it was.
"Mom, Mom," I said over and over to get her attention. Simon had joined me in the store and was looking at me curiously as well.
"What, baby? Do you want it in a different color?"
"Kid, is this your mother?" the store clerk directed to me, officially giving up on getting through to my mom.
I tuned them all out, needing my mother to answer my question.
"Mom, where's Noah?" Fear and ice-coated my skin when she didn’t immediately answer.
"Who?” she asked, looking at me strangely.
"Noah, my baby brother, your son." She tilted her head, confusion on her face. In a voice I'd never heard before, she responded nonchalantly, dismissing my fear. "Oh him, I left him in the car. He's not very fun. Always crying that one. Not like you. You're fun. So, what do you think? Purple or pink? Hmm?"
Turning to Simon, I saw the same fear reflected on his face. "Stay with her. Call my dad. Call 911."
And then I took off, running the fastest I’d ever run in my entire life, my sandals smacking the ground, my bags banging against my leg with each step. I ducked and weaved around customers, pushing my way through the mall. Darting through the glass doors, I searched around me, looking for the car.
Taking off in a direction, I started turning my head side to side on the side of the mall she dropped us off earlier. Finally, about five rows down from the door, I spotted the familiar blue Camry.
My breath was uneven from the exertion and fear as I ran, sweat dripped down my neck, the humidity suffocating in the early summer heat. When I got to the car, I yanked open the door handle only to fall on my butt from the force. Crapola, it was locked!
Standing, I dropped my bags and started to look around for a way around the lock, checking all the doors to see if one had been left up. I could see Noah in his seat, but he was quiet. He blinked when he saw me and reached out his little hand to me. Tears streamed down my face, and I started to bang on the window, unsure how to get to him. Where was a clothes hanger when you needed one? A rock? Anything!
I was panicking but I didn’t know how to solve this. I needed my dad.
Wiping my tears, I searched the ground again, going a little further out this time. I heard footsteps approaching and hoped it was the police. When I looked up though, it was to be met with soft blue eyes. Shaking myself, this was not the time to be consumed by thoughts of hot boys.
"Can I help?"
"I'm trying to get in the car. My brother’s in there, but the keys are with my mom, and I don't know how to jimmy it."
The boy nodded, taking in the seriousness of the situation, and ran past me to pick something up. Returning, he had a medium size rock in his hand and looked to me for permission.
"Please," I begged, nodding, the tears never stopping.
He braced himself, turning away from the passenger window as he smashed the rock down on it. It took a few smacks, but eventually, it did splinter. It was the shatterproof windows, though, so even though it was broken, it was still all intact. Without hesitation, he whipped his shirt off over his head and wrapped it around his hand and smashed his fist into it. Once it went through, he pushed the unlock button, releasing all the locks.
Jumping into motion, I lifted the door handle to the backseat and quickly unlatched my brother from the car seat. The car was sweltering, and I tried to keep a brave face for him, not wanting to scare him more. Pulling him out, I took off his shirt and pants as I sat on the ground holding him.
The mystery boy handed me a bottle of water he’d magicked out of somewhere. I was thankful and started to feed Noah tiny drops of it. I used some to cool him off as well, wetting his hair and dampening his skin. Just as he started to revive, I could hear the ambulance in the distance. I turned to tell the boy thanks for helping me save my brother, but he was no longer next to me. Standing, I watched him disappear as the ambulance wails grew louder.
“Thank you,” I croaked, clutching Noah to me.
