“Anyone else happening upon the scene might have noticed an unusually composed eight-year-old boy,” Sheriff Darnell said. “But when Doc Hammond found the boy, he immediately knew something was wrong. The boy, we don’t know his name yet or where he came from – the boy,” Sheriff Darnell continued, “was in a state of shock. Catatonic.”

“Sheriff can you tell us what happened?” one reporter yelled out.

“The only thing I can say is that we don’t know what happened. We don’t know if anything happened. We don’t have a crime scene. We only have a little boy who was found by the lake and is non-verbal.

“Where’s he from?

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Sheriff Darnell paused. “We’re going to need y’alls help. Humph. Usually I’m trying to get y’all to keep quiet, but this time I’m asking y’all to put this out there. Radio. TV. Newspapers.

Milly’s headed over to the children’s hospital. And you know if anybody can get a kid to talk it’s Milly.”

Milly’s the town psychologist. She’s quiet and unassuming. She has this way of looking at you that melts your insides, forces you to lower your guard and bare your soul.

She arrived at the boy’s room armed with a notebook and her famous calming hypnotic smile.

“You’re not safe,” the boy says looking up at Milly when she enters the room…

Continue reading at The Ink Slinger