Elephant in the Sky by Heather A. Clark Page B

is my mommy?
    I’m lying on my back. The big sky is grey. I wanted Noah to stay with me but he got scared when I fell. So he left. He said his mom would kill him for sneaking out of his house so early.
    I know Noah is sorry for leaving me by myself when I am hurt. He was just scared. Like I am now. Because now there is no one to help me. And I am all alone. And I am lonely.
    I’m cold. And my ankle is killing me. Where is my mommy ?
    The swing keeps swinging over my head. It creaks every time it goes back and forth. Back, creak . Forth, creeak . Back, creeeak . Forth, creeeeak .
    I can’t breathe. Where is my mommy?
    There is no one at the park. I need help. Where is MY MOMMY?
    I’m scared. Freaking out. And my ankle hurts so bad. It really, really hurts.
    I need help. I want my mommy.

14
    Ashley
    After forty minutes, I couldn’t take it any longer. I called Tay, desperate for someone to calm me down.
    â€œAshley? Slow down. What’s wrong?” Behind Tay’s voice were the shrieks of four children, likely eating breakfast.
    â€œIt’s Nate. He’s gone.”
    â€œGone? What do you mean gone ?”
    â€œI … I woke up and he wasn’t there. Not in his bed. Not in our house. Not anywhere!”
    â€œOkay, Ash, listen to me. We’ll figure this out. But just hang on one sec.” I could hear the muffled sound of Tay covering the phone, instructing her eldest daughter, Julia, to take over and watch her younger siblings.
    â€œOkay, I’m back. Now tell me. And start from the beginning,” Tay demanded, her typical bossy demeanour emerging. Although she had stopped practising as a physical therapist so she could stay at home with her children, her ability to use words to control a situation and get someone to do something had always stayed with her. In better times, I had often joked it was because she needed to retain the skill in order to keep her house running smoothly.
    â€œWell … Nate … he, uh, he isn’t doing too well these days. He isn’t himself. I don’t know … he’s just different. Yesterday he acted really weird in school and ended up whacking his head.”
    â€œHe did? Is he okay?” Tay asked.
    â€œYeah, he’s fine. Just a bump. No concussion. But his behaviour is still so odd.” I took a big breath and dove into the story.
    â€œSo, you slept in his bed, and he just wasn’t there when you woke up? When’s the last time you saw him there? Did you wake up through the night?”
    â€œNo, I was exhausted. I must have fallen asleep right after he did, and the next thing I knew it was morning and he was gone.”
    â€œ Mom? It’s eight-thirty. I have gymnastics in half an hour. Aren’t we going?” Grace’s voice startled me and I wiped away my tears before turning around to face her. I was still on the porch, shivering and talking into my iPhone.
    I put my phone down and looked at my daughter. “Oh, right. Yeah, we’re going. Just give me one minute to finish up my call with Aunty Tay, okay?” I returned my attention to the phone.
    â€œAsh? You can’t take Grace to gymnastics now. You have to stay there. I’ll get Braeden to run my crew around to their activities, and I’ll come pick up Grace and take her myself. You just stay there and wait for Pete to come home with Nate.”
    â€œAre you sure?” I hated to take advantage of Tay and her husband, but I needed her help.
    â€œYes, of course I’m sure. I’ll be there in ten minutes. Tell Grace to be ready because I won’t have time to come inside to get her.”
    â€œOkay. And Tay? Thank you.”
    â€œI’m here to help you, my friend. And it’s going to be okay. You know that, right?”
    I nodded my head at the phone. I clicked off and told Grace that Tay would be taking her to gymnastics because I wasn’t feeling well.
    â€œBut why ?I want Daddy to take