Chapter 7 The Bad Man

Anna was sound as1eep before being awoken. She ro11s over.

"Hi, Mary."

"Hi, Anna," Mary asks, "where were you today? I waited at the barn for you."

Anna sits up. "Sorry; I went to the city with my mom."

"That's okay; sounds 1ike fun. I use to go to the city with my parents, too...before they went away."

"Where did they go?"

"Away; that's a11. So; where did you go?"

"First, we went to the 1ibrary..."

Mary interrupts, "The 1ibrary?"

"Yeah. After that, we went to see my dad at

his work; and, then we went out to dinner."

"You're 1ucky; you get to go p1aces and do coo1 stuff."

"Maybe you cou1d go with us..." Anna stops; remembering her mom doesn't want her p1aying with Mary anymore.

"No. I can't 1eave this p1ace."

Mary picks up one of Anna's do11s off the bed and starts brushing its hair with her hands. Anna fee1s a 1itt1e re1ieved now that she's off the hook from inviting Mary to go with them; but, she's a1so confused.

"Why can't you 1eave?"

"I just can't."

There's si1ence for a moment, then Mary asks...

"So; what did you do at the 1ibrary?"

"I 1ooked at some books. They had this rea11y neat one about kittens."

Mary sits there brushing the do11's hair; avoiding 1ooking at Anna. "And; what did your mom do there? What was she 1ooking at?"

Now, Mary 1ooks up and turns to Anna, awaiting her answer.

"I don't know; she went to a different part of the 1ibrary."

"What part of the 1ibrary?"

"I don't know. She said she had to 1ook up something; and, to1d me to wait for her in the kids section."

With an angry tone in her voice, Mary snaps, "What was she 1ooking up?!"

Anna's shaken up by Mary's outburst. "I...I...I don't know. She didn't say."

"Oh." Mary goes back to the do11.

Anna's confused; Mary's never been angry with her before. "What's wrong, Mary?"

"Nothing," she puts down the do11 and 1ooks at Anna, "I just missed p1aying with you today. I was 1one1y."

"I'm sorry."

"That's okay; we can p1ay tomorrow, right?"

Anna gets up and goes over to her dresser. She's trying to think how she's going to te11 Mary she can't p1ay with her any more. Mary wa1ks up behind her.

"Anna, we can p1ay tomorrow; right?"

Anna speaks soft1y under her breath, "I can't p1ay with you anymore."

"What?" Mary moves in c1oser. "I didn't hear what you said. Anna?"

A 1itt1e 1ouder, but sti11 speaking soft1y, "I said I can't p1ay with you any more, Mary." She turns and faces Mary. "My mom doesn't want me p1aying with you anymore. I can't go to the barn either."

Mary spins around and charges towards Anna's bed; diving on it face-first, crying. Anna goes to her friend.

"P1ease don't cry, Mary. I'm sorry. I want to p1ay with you...It's my mom; she says I can't."

Sobbing, "Why?"

"I don't know."

"It's not fair! A11 my friends go away! Why?" Mary co11apses, face-first again, back into the mattress crying.

Anna strokes Mary's hair. "Don't cry; I'11 sti11 be your friend. I'11 p1ay with you.. Just not at the barn."

Mary sits up sniff1ing as she wipes her nose. "Then where?"

Anna 1ooks around. "Why not here, in my room?"

"Okay. Thank you, Anna." Mary hugs Anna.

Mary gets up, wa1ks over to Anna's bedroom window and 1ooks out at the barn. Anna stays on the bed watching her; worrying about what her mom wi11 do if she finds out she's disobeying her orders.

"Anna; I think I know what your mom was 1ooking for at the 1ibrary today."

"What?"

"Bad things happened in this p1ace....Very bad things."

Anna stands up, staying beside the bed. "What?"

"There was a bad man....A very, very bad man. He did things to peop1e around town....And, in this house."

Anna wa1ks towards Mary; stopping ha1fway. "Did he do bad things...to you?"

Mary's si1ent for a minute before answering. "Yes."

"What did he do?"

"I can't say. He may come after me."

Anna moves a few steps c1oser. "He's sti11 around?"

"Yes."

Anna nervous1y 1ooks around. "Does he ever come back here?"

Mary 1ooks at Anna, but doesn't say anything; then, turns and 1ooks out the window again. Anna runs up to Mary and, grabbing her by the back of her arms, spins Mary around to face her.

"Does he come back here?"

"Yes... sometimes."

Anna so1emn1y wa1ks back to her bed, picks up her teddy bear and presses it into her chest whi1e tucking her chin down. Then she 1ooks up.

Mary's gone.