Adult chiller
"Calli knew there were many phrases used to describe her--mentally challenged, autistic, on the spectrum, oppositional defiant, a selective mute. She was, in fact, quite bright. She could read and understand books several grade levels above her own."
Calli (7) has street smarts as well as book smarts. When she wakes up one summer morning and discovers that her alcoholic, abusive father hasn't yet left on a fishing trip she tries desperately to not let him know she's awake. It's only when a stretched to its limits bladder forces her to go downstairs to the bathroom that he grabs her and takes off for the forest that borders their home.
"'I've been meaning to help Calli, like I always do, by sayin' stuff for her, but Mrs. Hample won't let me. Calli tried to tell her she had to go to the bathroom, but Mrs. Hample said, 'If you can't tell me yourself, you can't go!' Petra said in a remarkable likeness of Mrs. Hample."
Ever since they met at the beginning of first grade classmate Petra has been Calli's voice and loyal protector. Somehow she can totally understand her chum. The two are inseparable.
The same morning Calli is snatched Petra looks out her bedroom window. She sees a man accompanied by a smaller being and tells them to wait for her. She can't get in trouble. There is an adult present.
When the girls are discovered missing they are thought to have sneaked out to play in the forest that is their every day play place. Ben, Calli's big brother, goes there to search while the adults start checking out places like the library and contacting parents of their girls' friends...
...all to no avail. Time is ticking away. The adults can't put the recent unsolved abduction and brutal murder of another child out of their minds. And nobody wants the very young girls to be alone in the deep, predator populated forest when darkness falls.
Experts on child abduction are called in. A rift quickly develops between these outsiders who are determined to do everything by the book and the families and their friends who, desperately aware of time flying by, want to do something, anything to rescue the girls before it's too late even if it means striking out on own in defiance of police orders.
On a purrrsonal note, looking back on 2022, I'd say it was a mostly good year for me. The bad thing was my kidney stone which hopefully will be removed this February. It could have been a lot worse. The doctors are confident it's a one off, not a chronic condition. And despite its repeatedly flaring up I was able to keep up with all my responsibilities. On the good side I was able to not only pass my internship class, but get a lot out of it; I rediscovered my passion and gift for planning and facilitating events; I made some wonderful new friends who are able and willing to help me with that; and I have gained the insights that have me once again working on my memoir. Beyond continued progress toward my degree and on my manuscript and continued good health I have no clue what I hope 2023 will usher in. (Jules)
2022 was a great year for me. Food, shelter, love and attention from my family and friends...what more can a cat ask for? (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to our readers with hopes that 2023 holds good things for you.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway
Sent from my U.S.Cellular© Smartphone
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