Kiara's Light

Kiara’s Light                                               by Anita Johnson



Kiara heard the familiar sound of the door closing. A jingle from the bell that stood ready to alert everyone of its opening. Then the series of swipes and clicks that sealed the multiple locks that kept her from the sun. She began her daily tries to lift the locked blinds. Only a trickle of light was allowed to slide in from the afternoon sun. She quickly gave up and resigned herself to another sunless day in the quiet, empty cabin. She no longer remembered where the cabin was located. Aware of the need to start her daily chores, she had much to do before he returned but she was tired, and her heart hung like an iron anvil inside her chest making it hard to breathe. Just a few more moments of rest would help she thought as she crawled back under the covers and escaped behind her closed eyelids. 

__ __ __

Waking up to a ray of sunlight warming the side of her face while a soft breeze gently pushed the sheer white curtains into the room, Kiara realized she had left the window open again. Slowly she sat up, rubbed her eyes, and dragged herself out of the bed. She shuffled to the window to close it stopping the flow of cool morning air. She had the dream again, trapped in a cabin without access to sunlight. She spread the curtains wide open and felt the heat of the sunrays. After a few deep breaths she stumbled into the bathroom. She hated the dreams that seem to come almost every night now. She felt the need to shower to wash away whatever that heavy darkness was that hung around her neck sucking away her energy like a seductive and stealthy vampire. The dreams seemed so real, so true and yet she had no memory of the scary place.

The phone rang just as Kiara was coming out of the shower, rushing to get it she stood there still wet listening to her boss compel her to hurry. They were needed.

“What happen?” Kiara turned the speaker phone on while she quietly toweled off and began to get dressed.

“I’m not exactly sure. Ed called and said he was likely going to need us on a child kidnapping case they hoped to close soon. He didn’t have many details except the kids were young and as he said, ‘It’s a bad one’. Kiara felt the ache in the pit of her stomach that occurred when they got a bad case. It was usually heartbreaking and hard to shake. Ed was the Frasier County Sheriff and Police Chief. He was a gruff man, hardened by years of police work but he had a kind heart and the rough ones hit him hard as well. Kiara and her boss Derrick were in a special department in the Social Work agency that focused on children in police cases. Kiara had an MA in Social Work and while in school she had become interested in helping children through trauma. It was during her time at the university that she first started having disturbing dreams. It seemed her studies were infecting her psyche because they could not be memories.

“Kiara, Kiara are you there?” Derrick’s voice shook her from her thoughts.

“Yes, yes I’m here. How old?”

“He didn’t say.”

“Is the suspect in custody? Do they have the kids?” Kiara dressed faster and slipped on her shoes.

“No and no.”

“Then how can we work with them?”

“They have a tip and will be executing an intervention soon. They want us to be ready because if their info is right, these kids will need immediate support, medically and mentally.”

“How many are there?”

“He thinks three but he’s not sure. How soon can you get here?” Kiara glanced at her clock.

“I’ll be there by 8:30.”

“Great, I’ll give you the little bit more I know then.” Kiara took a deep breath. This was sure to be a tough day.

__ __ __

Kiara jolted up out of bed suddenly fearing she had slept too long. The cabin was eerily quiet. Unable to see outside she felt disoriented and unsure of how much time was left before his return. She quickly made her bed and ran into the kitchen. She would start the cooking first and then get to the sweeping and mopping. She’d dust the main room and hurry to clean the bathroom hopefully in time. Turning on the oven and then the faucet to clean the chicken he would have for dinner. The sound of the running water was a welcome sound as it sliced through the silence like her knife cut through the onions. The onions made her cry and she let herself cry for the onions and for the many layers locking her in. She thought she might be eleven by now although she did not know how long she had been trapped inside this place with a man that swore she had a severe sun allergy and any contact with the sun could possibly kill her. She did not know what to believe anymore. She had memories of playing at the beach and making sandcastles with her mom. She missed her more than she thought possible and the hole in her chest throbbed and hurt like a burn that keeps stinging. She did not remember saying goodbye. He said she was gone forever, and it was best to forget yet she still cried most nights wishing her mom were there, wishing she could stand with her in the sunlight.

After seasoning the chicken, chopping some onions, and cutting some potatoes she placed it all into a big pot and placed it in the oven. She turned on the timer which she hated because he used it sometimes to time her chores and if the buzzer went off before she finished, he’d pull out his belt. She would have to work hard not to pee on herself because he would blow his top screaming and hitting her like he would never stop. Sometimes she would wake up in the dark, on the floor sticky and smelling of her own waste and blood. Sometimes she woke in her own bed, in the dark hurting down there after his shadow had filled the doorway. She gave up fighting a while ago, it only made the night fight worse, and she never won. Catching her fall from the memory, she ran around finishing the rest of her chores.

__ __ __

“I’m glad you’re here, we gotta roll!” Derrick was striding out of his office with his keys and coffee in hand and trying to put on his suit coat.

“Here, let me hold your coffee.” Kiara grabbed his cup while he slid his suit coat on.

“I was going to text you the address but it’s better we roll together. I’ll give you the details in the car. You ready?” Taking back his cup he looked at Kiara indicating he was concerned by what they might see.

“Yea, yea I’m good. Let’s go.”

They sat indulging in their own silences for a bit as Derrick turned to head out of town toward the back country. Kiara had interned with Derrick in grad school, he said she was smart and told her that she had a great way with the kids in trauma. She understood them, felt their complicated mix of emotions and they seem to be drawn to her like fireflies to a flame. Derrick taught her how to stay calm but comforted her those first few cases when she had thrown up on scene. She thought she didn’t have what it took. Derrick just told her everyone vomits in the beginning. “You’ll build a tough skin, you’re a fighter I can tell.” Kiara was not so sure, but she took his offer and came to work with him at the social work agency after graduation. She was glad she did. He was a great mentor and she learned how to help. A child’s tentative smile and ease that came when safety was assured was worth it all. Although, they had worked together about a year, she did not remember any cases outside of the city. Baltimore was a big city, but Derrick was heading toward the state park.

“Where are we going?” Kiara was concerned when they got on I-40 heading out of the city. 

“The back woods behind Stony Valley State Park. They’ve identified a small cabin there.”

“A cabin?

“Yea, they got a tip from some hikers that has been watching the property for a bit. They discovered it on Saturday.”

“Why?”

“Apparently something seemed odd and so they kept coming back and then they heard sounds of children, maybe three. But the house has multiple locks, and the windows are bordered up. They alerted the police.”

“So, we don’t know what we are walking into, do we?” Kiara looked at Derrick intently while he focused on the road.

“We don’t and last night the curious hikers went by and they all heard an adult male voice, children screaming, crying and things crashing. They wanted to beat down the door, but their friend convinced them to call the police again. The hiker was panicked and thinks that something is really wrong.”

“It doesn’t sound good, Derrick. Do we have any possible missing children alerts?”

“I don’t really know what I’m looking for, so I don’t know yet. All I know is that Ed is sending several units. They’ll get there before us.” Derrick’s phone started ringing in his jacket pocket, he pulled it out glanced down and handed it to Kiara.

“Answer that for me, would you? I think it’s Ed.” Kiara clicked the phone and put it on speaker.

“Derrick, are you close? We’ve got a situation up here.”

“Yes, we’re about 10 mins out I believe.”

“Come around back via the access road it’s the easiest way in.”

“Chief, this is Kiara. What’s going on?”

“Oh good, we could use a female. We got a dead man and three silent children, two girls and a boy.”

“A dead man?”

“A bloody dead man.” Kiara glanced at Derrick who just nodded and focused on the road.

“How old are the kids?”

“Not exactly sure but I would estimate the boy at about five and the girls at seven and maybe ten. They won’t speak and they won’t let go of each other. The house is like a dungeon for lack of a better word. I gotta go folks. See you when you get here.” They rode the rest of the way in silence. As the silence fell over the car like the final red, heavy curtain that falls on the stage, Kiara found her mind wondering back to a different time and place. 

__ __ __

Kiara could hear the locks starting to turn and she glanced around frantically, running through the check list in her mind. She had just finished the bathroom cleaning and she believed everything was in order, but she knew even that did not insure a peaceful night. The locks suddenly stopped, and Kiara listened closely.

“What are you doing on my property?” He said.

“I’ve been by a couple of times and just wanted to see if you needed anything.”

“No Sheriff, we… I mean I don’t need anything.” Kiara could tell he was nervous. She wanted to scream but she was afraid the sunlight might kill her.

“Why are your windows all bordered up sir? The Sheriff was slow and steady as he spoke to him.

“I’m just not too fond of sunlight.”

“MmHm. Anybody else living here?”

“No, no one but me.” Kiara was so nervous she dropped the mop and bucket she was holding. It fell to the floor with a loud thud, and she just stood completely still with her eyes focused on the door she swallowed hard.

“Sure sounds like someone is there. You don’t mind if I take a look, right?”

“Actually, I do mind sir. This is my property and I’d like to ask you to leave. I’m a private man.” All was still for a moment as Kiara waited for the storm to enter and crash down on her like hot thunder.

“Open the door, sir. Don’t make this difficult, open the door.” The locks began turning again painstakingly slow. When the door opened a policeman stood in the doorway and seeing Kiara, he bent down a bit and said, “Hello there…” As the Sheriff spoke Kiara saw him hover over and strike the policeman and all Kiara could do was open her eyes wide as she watched. The two men struggled until the policeman reached for and pulled out his gun. He jumped up and nearly out of breath he yelled at him to get down on the ground and spread them. Kiara felt her feet were glued to the floor.

__ __ __

“Kiara, we’re here, let’s go.” Derrick tapped Kiara and she jumped as she shook out of her dream.   He paused a moment and looked at her closely before getting out of the car. “Hey, you okay?’

“Yea, yea, I’m ready.” She wiped her eyes in hopes of wiping away the dream.

The cops and investigators were swarming the house, yellow tape was going up, various officers were on phones and men dressed in white jumpers were collecting evidence. Three children sat on the porch wrapped in blankets.

“I’m heading in, why don’t you go ahead and meet the children.” Derrick nodded toward the kids, waved to Chief Ed, and went into the cabin.

“Sure, no problem.” She approached the children slowly. Slow and steady movement was usually best. No fast, loud talking, sporadic arm gestures and definitely no yelling. She glanced at the cabin and couldn’t shake the constant images from her nightmares. She knelt down by the kids. They just stared at her expressionless except for the tightening grip they had on each other. She started with the youngest they were usually the first to talk.

“Hi there, my name is Kiara. What’s your name?” The boy looked at his sisters for approval and the oldest girl nodded her head slowly. “Is this your house?” The young boy fidgeted and stared at Kiara wide-eyed not daring to speak. “Okay, how about some food? Are you hungry? Would you like a sandwich and a cookie?”

“Yes, yes ma’am I would.” The oldest shot a look of disapproval to the boy but the young girl spoke up as well.

“I would too, and Sara would like one please.”

“Shhh.” Sara looked at me with piercing black eyes.

“You got it; I’ll be right back.” Each child watched Kiara very closely. She motioned to an officer and spoke softly. “These smart kids need three sandwiches, multiple cookies and some juice boxes please.” He nodded and turned to complete the task.

Several men came out with a black body bag on a stretcher. The little boy saw them coming and jumped off the porch to grab a hold of Kiara’s leg. The sun beamed down through the trees and Sara jumped up to cover her young brother with a blanket. “Bobby, you know you can’t be in the sun.” Kiara felt the heat of the sun rise up her spine and fill her chest.

“What do you mean you can’t be in the sun?”

“None of us can, we have a sun allergy.” Sara covered herself and joined her sister back on the porch.

“Who told you that?” Sara pointed to the corpse being placed in an ambulance.

“He did.” 

“Have you always had one?” Kiara felt her insides shake like a volcano close to eruption.

“I don’t remember having one when I was Bobby’s age or Sienna’s age.”

“Did he always tell the truth?” Kiara questioned as a wash of clarity began cooling the bubbling inside.

“No.”

“Well, I always tell the truth. Will you walk with me?” Sara looked at the body bag and then back at Kiara.

__ __ __

This time the dream came like memory so close she could feel the fear and excitement, she could smell the air from the outside streaming into the room and she could hear the loud and demanding commands of the police officer. She could hear the squeaky disjointed sounds of his radio as he called for backup and confirmed it was on the way. He lay on the ground. The police officer glanced at her quickly while keeping his gun on him.

“What’s your name, sweetheart?” Not sure if her voice was still there, she mumbled,

“Kiara.”

“What now? Cara?”

“No sir, Kiara.”

“Okay Kiara, you wait here, and someone will be here in just a second to help you.” He turned all his focus on him. Sirens approached to the house. He handcuffed him and ordered him to get up. He glanced back at Kiara with fury, and she took a few steps back. 

__ __ __

“C’mon, Sara give me your hand.” Slowly Sara stood and reached for Kiara’s hand. “You are safe now I promise. Sara grabbed her sister’s hand and the young boy held onto Kiara’s pants leg. Kiara led them just a few steps away to an open place in the yard where the sun beams came down like a warm shower.

“Just stand with me and feel the sun on your face.” Kiara stood a moment and then slowly spread her arms out. Sara stared at her for a while and then slowly opened her arms as well. Bobby and Sienna followed. The four of them stood still absorbing the warmth of the sun seeping into shadows and darkness. Kiara remembered the first time she had done this and realized that it was memory that haunted her, but safety was in the light. She knew that for the four of them the darkness was slowly rolling away like giant moss-covered boulders and there was a promise of brighter days among the sunrays.