Boy In The Basement

"The Cleaning"

"Grab that broom in the hallway love, I need to finish up this sweeping then I'll call it for the night." The dusty cabin is two floors with a small basement. A twenty five feet by thirty five feet yardage and a garden bed. "Two hours later, a mother a son share a small pizza in front of a furnace enjoying the peaceful night" No! Damnit! Why can't anything go right for five minutes. The TV is broke! Whines Ricky. "Can you fix it?" He innocently asks. "Mommy needs a moment. Love go flip that switch in the kitchen, the box just open it. I think there is a button labeled living room. Turn it off and back on. Maybe that will help." I can do that! He shouts as he eagerly leaps up to feel important. Passing the basement stairs to the kitchen, he notices a sparkle at the bottom of the stairs. Just faint in the corner of his eye as he passes by. "What was that? Let me go see before I press the button thing." This is his thoughts just before he realizes it was not a sparkle that he has barely seen. It was eyes! "Aghghh! Mom, a boy! A boy! Here right here come look! Startled the mother leaps to go see and of course there was nothing to be seen. "Ricky, I know this move has been hard on all of us. Dad leaving, you switching schools. I love you and I need you to be on your best behavior. No more stories, no more mean words. Look mommy will go down there and show you it is empty. Deal?" She sternly asks. "Okay" the scared boy replies. Creaks of old wood can be heard as Mindy steps one by one down the spiral stair case leading to the basement. "Nothing! See baby? Nothing but old books, a dirty stinky table with old papers." One sticks out particularly to Mindy. "What is this? "7 year old boy missing for 3 weeks now, police have now called off the search and resort to F.B.I. The Governer reports they are place this in the cold case files." That is so sad, Mindy whispers. "What is?" Ricky seems concerned. "Nothing baby. Let's go back up and see if we can fix the TV." I wonder why that article was on papa's desk. He had nothing to do with that boy." Mindys mind was questioning this for the rest of the night.