I listened to the girl explain the rules of the game. I knew how to play so I pretended to listen and observed the little girl instead. She didn’t look like anyone’s kid in my neighborhood or my boyfriend’s. The sundress was badly burned and barely hung together.

“And you can’t stop playing. No matter what,” her voice’s pleading tone brought me to the present. I shrugged it off. I needed to find her parents. I tried to lead the conversation in their direction.

“Do your parents know you’re out looking for Kitty?”

“No. They don’t care now, though. I just have to finish the game. Someone needs to find me. But I want Kitty, now. She wasn’t in my room…” I could see crying in my near future if I didn’t do something.

“Will I hide or seek?”

“Seek. I’ll give you a hint as to where I hide,” she leaned in and acted secretive, “No one’s found me yet but nature; and nature hurt me. She hid me good.” She ran before I could look up and when I did she was gone.

‘Odd,’ I thought as I stood.