Fiction

People Don’t Like Crybabies

A frightened little girl waits alone in the park for her missing mother. A stranger decides to help her, but it is not as simple as he first thought.

People Don’t Like Crybabies. Picture by ChatGPT.

He promised her he would help her find her mother. He reached out for her hand.

“I’m not allowed to walk with a stranger,” she said.

“That is good advice. Is that one you have from your mother?”

“Yes. She tells me that I need to scream loudly and long if a stranger ever touches me.”

“I will not touch you, but we could walk over to the police station and ask them to help you? Would you like that?”

“No police. My mother says never to trust men. Policemen are the worst men in the world. My mother says all men do is break your heart or your bones.”

“Oh, but a police man can be your friend!”

“No, they push and make it hurt.”

“Maybe we could sit down over there and find a way to look for your mother. Would you like that?”

“Okay. No touching!” The little girl wiggled her index finger as a warning.

They sat down. They looked at the people walking by.

Hugo asked, “What’s your name?”

“I’m Sandy.”

“I’m Hugo. Very nice to meet you, Sandy.”

“Nice meeting you,” Sandy said with a smile, and her shoulders relaxed a little.

Sandy's eyes were staring at him. “What are you looking at, Sandy?”

“Now I know your name, and you try to help, I think it will be okay to hold hands.”

“We can do that, Sandy. It will help me to relax. Thank you.” He took her small hand in his.

“It’s nice. My Mom should be here any minute now.”

“Sandy, when did you see your mother last?”

“I saw her that evening before she went to work. She had left when I woke up.”

“This morning?”

“Oh, no. It’s been some days. I’ve slept here in the park three times.”

“Have you got anything to eat, Sandy?”

“Yes, the shop has given me food, and I have used their bathroom. I don’t want to leave here if Mom comes looking for me.”

They sat for a short time in silence.

“Sandy, I think we need to get help from the police.”

“I don’t trust you now. Please let go of my hand. Emily trusted her father, and now she’s gone.”

“Who is Emily, Sandy?”

Her hand slid out of his. “Emily is my best friend.”

Hugo placed his hand over his heart. “Sandy, I promise you, I will never do anything that you don’t approve of first.”

“So no broken bones? I tried that once, and it hurt so much. I didn’t cry, but I wanted to, but Mom said a big girl doesn’t cry over such a little thing.”

“Why did you break a bone? Did you fall?”

“Yes, I fell. Hank pushed me, but he said I fell before he touched me. Mom said Hank would never hurt me, but I know he pushed me.”

“You got plaster on your arm then?”

“Yes, and I had to wear it for so long. It was no fun, and I couldn’t practise writing. Hank said he would tell my bedtime story, but I started to scream until Mom pulled me away.

“Mom got so mad at him. That's when Mom said men always do wrong things.”

“I think we should have an ice cream. Do you like ice cream, Sandy?”

“I looooove ice cream,” Sandy happily jumped up and was ready to go.

“Let’s go then. I know the best ice cream in town.”

“The best ice cream is vanilla. I loooooove vanilla.”

“I thought you wanted chocolate?”

“No, I don’t like chocolate. I also love the blue ice cream.”

“Oh, blue ice cream, that sounds bad. I think it tastes of soap, and bubbles will come out of your mouth when you speak.”

Sandy giggled as she looked at Hugo. “Silly you. Don’t be a crybaby. You know, people don’t like that.”

Sandy took a long time deciding what she wanted, asking if she could pick two flavours. She picked vanilla and blue ice cream.

They walked to the park across the street and found a bench to sit on while eating the ice cream. Sandy was very concentrated at first and looked unhappily up at Hugo when a small drop of ice cream fell on her dress.

“It doesn’t matter, Sandy. I have some napkins to clean it off. Nobody will see. You like the ice cream.”

“Yes, I love it. I will be very careful not to spill again. Are you going to punish me?”

“No, Sandy. I will not punish you. Why do you think that?”

Sandy looked at him. Her eyes were calm, and he felt a chill running down his back as he looked into her eyes.

“Hank told me that if I’m like a baby, it’s his job to teach me. Hank helped me when he punished me.”

“I don’t think I like Hank very much. I don’t think any adult should ever touch a child to punish them.”

“But then I will never learn to behave and to look pretty. Hank says that it’s important when I grow up. A girl should always look pretty and smile.”

The hairs on Hugo’s arms stood up.

“I think it is a good thing Hank has moved away, don’t you think so?”

“Mom was so sad. She cried in bed.”

“Can you remember where your home is, Sandy?”

“It’s the red house. The one with the blue plastic on the roof. I always have one toy in the garden, so I can see when I get home.”

“Can you tell me about what is around the house? Can you remember any shops?”

Sandy's shoulders had come up again.

“I think you should hold my hand again.” Sandy pushed her hand towards Hugo, who took it.

“It’s nice sitting here holding hands. You know, that’s the one thing I love the most to do.”

Sandy laughed, “No, that’s not true. I think Mom and Hank do more.”

“But Hank left you, so now it’s only you and your Mom?” Hugo asked.

“Hank came back. When Mom had cried, he came back and said he would be a good man. I remember he lifted me on his lap and held me. He told me he wanted to be my Daddy.”

“Hank only wants to punish Mom and me. I heard her cry in her room. She screamed a lot before she stopped.” Sandy’s ice cream was dripping. Shortly, she forgot all about the ice cream.

“When I woke up, only Hank was there. He helped me get dressed.”

“Where is Hank now, Sandy?”

“Hank is home,” she whispered, as if saying his name too loudly would make him appear. “I don’t want to go home to Hank. I’ll wait for Mom here.”

“You’re a very special girl, and all you need is your mother. I will not take you to the police, but I really think I need to talk with them so they can ask Hank about your mother.”

Hugo looked at Sandy and saw how frightened she was because of his words.

“Sandy, I will not take you to the police, but maybe I could walk over and talk with them. They could try to find your mother and maybe bring her to the park. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

Sandy nodded, but she was scared.

“Maybe I could just hide?”

So Hugo walked over to the police and explained all he knew. Hugo told them about a mother with a 6-year-old daughter and a boyfriend called Hank living in a red house.

Hugo gave the information he had, knowing that he didn’t have much. Lucky for him, the police had a missing persons report for a 6-year-old girl, Sandy.

“Officer Hank reported the mother missing this morning, and shortly after, also the girl. He’s really worried. If you know where they are, please let us know.”

Hugo froze, and his eyes started to flicker nervously.

“It seems you know more than you’re saying, Sir. Could I get your name one more time?”

Hugo turned around and was out of the building as fast as he was able to. He ran down the pavement and quickly turned some corners. It didn’t seem like anyone was following him.

Sandy watched Hugo run from the police station. A tiny tear rolled down her cheek before she wiped it away.

She didn’t really know the man, and now he was running away. She felt alone again.

Hugo made sure no police were following him before he took a long way around to get back to the park.

Sandy was hiding by a large tree with bushes around it. It made a perfect hiding place, and looking at the ground, others had found it before her. Cans and colourful wrapping papers floated on the ground.

Hugo walked by the paths in the city park and could not find Sandy. Sandy had almost given up on Hugo and wasn’t watching for him.

Hugo stopped and glanced over the park one more time when he heard her tiny voice, “You ran away from me. I saw you.”

He quickly turned around but only saw some bushes and a large tree. “I didn’t. I ran away from the police because I wouldn’t want to talk with them.”

Sandy stood up, and Hugo felt immense relief seeing her.

“We really need to get away from here, Sandy. I know you’re waiting on your mother, but so are the police, and they are also looking for you. Hank told them all about you.”

“Hank’s home.”

“Sandy, I would love to take you to my place. To hide you until I can figure out what has happened. Will you trust me and come with me? My car is right over there.”

Sandy looked at Hugo. She was not allowed to go with a stranger, but he did come back to her.

Sandy reached out for Hugo's hand and slowly came out from behind the bush. They walked to the car hand in hand.

“Now, what do we have here? I’m Cindy.” The grown woman pushed out her hand towards Sandy as she entered the house.

“Sandy,” said Hugo, “this is my sister, Cindy. She’s the sweetest girl in the world, and she will help us find your mother.”

“Hello, I’m Sandy.” Her voice was very low, but she did reach out her hand.

Cindy soon made Sandy relax. Pancakes and sugar paved the way to trust.

Hugo got behind the computer and looked up the policeman Hank.

“Policeman released from duty after misfire.”

“Policeman on leave for now while the police are investigating an incident at the man's home where his gun went off. He says it was a mistake, but his girlfriend originally reported the policeman for violence, but later retracted that accusation.”

Sandy had fallen asleep on the couch, and Hugo decided to drive past her home. From the picture in the newspaper, he knew where the house was.

It was getting darker when Hugo finally reached the small street.

The light from the car swept over the house as he turned into the street, and for a few seconds, the man in the garage was lit, and you could see him struggle with a large, heavy object, trying to get it into the trunk of his car.

Shortly after, Hank drove off in his car.

As a reflex, Hugo started following him. He called his sister, asking her to look up the license plate. The vehicle was owned by Hank Hanpoke.

Hank stopped at one of the old bridges crossing the river. Hugo saw how he disposed of the heavy black item by pushing it over the railing.

Hank didn’t look, just quickly got in his car and drove off.

Hugo called the police, “I just saw a man throw a body in the water at the Overpass Bridge. I know there’s a body inside it.”

Soon after, the police arrived together with a fire truck and heavy lights.

Hugo had also alerted the news, who showed up on the bridge with more light and their cameras.

Hugo watched the live coverage on his mobile from the car.

As the police peeled off the plastic around the package, it became clear it wasn’t a human body, just some old fabric.

Hugo drove back towards the city.

By a sudden thought, he decided to pass the red house one more time, where he saw Hank yet again pulling a very heavy bag out behind his car. The trunk was open.

The TV channel had left the bridge and was back in the studio.

“I wonder what that was all about. Did you see all the linen? It looked like it was very dirty.”

“I shouldn’t say this, as some might get nervous, but it could be blood. It turns dark when it dries up.”

Hugo turned off the phone and looked at the red house.

He screamed out loud when there was a knock on the window.

Hank was standing next to his door.

He pulled the window down.

“Good evening. Would you be so kind as to tell me why you are following me and watching my house?”

“Sorry about that. I know your girlfriend and understand she is missing, so I’m just worried about her and her little girl.”

“I never heard about you as far as I know. Be my guest, follow me to the house. I will accept all the help I can get. I miss her so much and have been searching all day.”

Both men walked towards the red house.

“I knew something bad would happen. That little girl is evil,” Hank said as they turned into the driveway and walked beside his car.

“You mean the daughter?”

“She is not her daughter. They just pretend.”

At that moment, a police car turned into the driveway and switched on the blinking light, scaring both men.

A policeman yelled over the speaker system, “Hank, we saw you. Come out with your hands up.”

Hank looked surprised at Hugo, “Did you call them?”

Hugo just shook his head, and Hank moved his hands in the air and walked out in front of the police car.

A policeman came up to him, “I’m sorry, Hank, but I have to arrest you. We think you’re involved in the disappearance of your girlfriend and maybe also her daughter. Please turn around.”

All Hugo heard was Hank's voice, “I didn’t touch her. I loved her — she was all I had. But the girl… the girl scares me.”

His voice disappeared as the car door closed and locked him in the police car.

The policemen walked up to Hugo, “And who are you?”

After a short discussion, Hugo was allowed to go when the policemen realised that he was the one who had called them in the first place. “Don’t leave town,” was the last thing he said.

In the following days, the police investigated and gave a short press briefing.

We have arrested a male in our search for the missing mother and daughter. We fear this male has harmed the two female victims, but we have not located either of them at this stage.

We know that he later threw evidence out into the river and are still investigating this incident.

The suspect is part of the local police force and has been suspended while we are investigating. He firmly denies any wrongdoing and says he is innocent.

We fear both females are dead, but if they are alive, we urge them to come forward.

Hugo and Cindy laughed and gave each other a high five as they looked at the house they just signed the lease for.

Hugo looked at Cindy, “Who would have thought we would ever move so far away from home?”

“Nobody. I'm confident we are doing the right thing. I promised Sandy not to give up on her.”

“Wow, I’m getting my own room, and it’s so big, I will always live here,” Sandy shouted as she stormed out of the house.

“Sandy, I bought vanilla ice cream for you tonight.”

“Dad, I’m Emily. You really need to remember it.”

Later, Hugo put up their names on the mailbox.

Emily watched her new Daddy carefully through the window in her room, making sure he remembered this time.

Would you have helped the little girl?

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Wishing you sweet dreams.