“Go outside, hun,” I said. “Go to my car and wait for me. I’ll be out in a second.”

“No!” she cried. “I don’t want to go out there alone! Please don’t make me!”

I sighed. I didn’t want her to go out there. But I thought it was the safest thing for her. “Please, babe. Go to my car, lock the doors and wait for me. I’ll be there in a second.”

She nodded and started to walk toward the front door. Then she turned back. “Aaron?”

I looked toward her. “Yeah?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart,” I said. I watched her walk out the door. Then I went to her bedroom and took her sleeping dog out of the kennel. The dog jumped as I picked her up. Then she started to lick my face relentlessly. I carried her in one arm and was about to walk out of the room when I saw something on the desk next to the window. I went over to the desk and picked up the object. I looked at it.

Then I heard a door slam. I jumped, almost dropping the object, whatever it was. Then I stuffed it into my pocket and hurried out to my car, holding the dog. I saw her in my car, but something was different. It was quieter than when I went inside.

The silence unnerved me. Something wasn’t right. But I couldn’t worry about that now. I went to my car and knocked on the driver’s side window. She jumped and then quickly unlocked the doors. She locked them again as soon as I opened the door.

“Here you go,” I said, handing her the dog.

She smiled and started to cry again. “You’re okay!” she exclaimed. “Oh, Aaron, thank you so much! You’re amazing!”

I didn’t look at her. I didn’t reply.

“Aaron?” she asked. Then, worriedly, “What is it?”

I still didn’t reply. But I turned a little so I could see her in the corner of my eye.

“Where are my parents?” she asked, as if reading my mind. “No. No! NO NO NO!” she screamed when I didn’t answer.

Again, tears rolled down her face. I wrapped my arms around her and she completely broke down. I tried to comfort her, but knew it was useless. “I’ll get the bastards that did this,” I told her as sirens wailed in the distance. “I promise.”

She nodded, but continued to cry.

“We have to go,” I said, taking my arms away from her. I could hold her when we got somewhere safe. I turned toward the steering wheel and just sat there. Didn’t I leave the car on?I thought worriedly. I tried to turn the ignition, but nothing happened. I tried again. Still nothing. I tried a third time, silently hoping and praying. But still nothing.

We were sitting ducks.

My car battery had died.