On the way to grandma’s house baby Jack started crying again.

“Mom, when will he ever stop crying?” I complained.

“Oh come on, Melissa. It’s just another stinky diaper. Here, why don’t we just stop off at this gas station and change it. In fact, why don’t you go and change it while I put some gas in the car.” Mom said. 

“But mom,” I said.

“No “buts.” Go or you’re grounded.”

“Fine.”  

I started my way into the gas station when I felt a piercing jab in my back. Suddenly everything started going black. I started to tip. I dropped Jack and landed painfully on the ground. Just as I blacked out a tall man dressed in black grabbed Jack and ran off.  When I woke up I was in a white room I felt nothing but pain and there was a doctor standing beside me. 

“You took a hard fall.” He said. 

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Well, Melissa, you must have been having a nightmare last night, fell off your bed and landed on your switch blade.”

© Tyler E. Original for CCF (Tyler E. grants CCF first electronic rights for one month; CCF may archive the material indefinitely and include it in an eBook anthology).

* CCF does not publish students' last names on the work they submit for publication.