A. H. Wong

Chapter Twelve

 

Janelle's Book of No Importance

 

June 5th, 1997

 

I'm cold. I'm still cold. I don't like the cold. Make the cold go away. 

 

Make....Make the cold go away.

 

Big Bro always made the cold go away. When the heat turned off, Big Bro would always cuddle me. He'd always make me warm. He'd always, always, always make me warm. But....Then, Big Bro got cold.

 

I didn't know people got cold when they died.

 

I'm sorry he got cold. Big Bro would've been so nice to cuddle in the cold.

 

I miss Big Bro now....

 

But, uh....Something new happened.

 

There's another girl around here.

 

I don't know who that girl is, but she seems to be hanging around here a lot. She runs away from adults, too. So....Maybe she ran away from home, too?

 

She won't talk to me. Mommy always told me to try and make friends with people, so I know she'd be sad if I couldn't make friends with this girl.

 

I'm going to try and talk to her again, Diary.

 

Wish me luck!

 

~

 

Maverick's Bad Diary

 

June 8th, 1997

 

This girl talked to me, Mommy! I think she wants to be my friend. She's a little weird, though, Diary. I don't know if she's safe. I don't know who she is.

 

But she seems nice! She gave me some of this sandwich she found. 

 

The bread was a bit green and fuzzy, but the rest of it was okay!

 

I don't know where he got the sandwich.

 

Do you think she stole it?

 

~

 

Janelle's Book of No Importance

 

June 8th, 1997

 

I gave her all my food, Diary. I gave that girl all my food. She said thank you. Diary, I think I made a friend! I really, really think I made a friend!

 

It was worth giving her the sandwich.

 

She's so, so pretty. Diary, I'm so glad I met her! I hope she'll be my friend forever!

 

~

 

Janelle’s Book of No Importance

 

June 10th, 1997

 

I think we're being followed. There's this big blond man. He's always around us now. I think I'm scared. No, I AM scared. I'm scared of the blond man.

 

I think he's going to take me away from Maverick.

 

She needs me, though, Diary! I can't leave her. I can't....Can't leave her.

 

~

 

Maverick's Bad Diary

 

June 14th, 1997

 

She's a good person! Her name's Janelle. She and I are hanging out now! She's faster than I am, so she's better at 'picking things'!

 

That's what she calls stealing, Mommy. 'Picking things'.

 

She's picked a lot of things.

 

Including more pens!

 

I was really running low on pens....

 

~

 

Janelle’s Book of No Importance

 

June 20th, 1997

 

The bad man is coming. The blond bad, bad man. He’s coming to take me away. I can’t run anymore. I can’t run anymore. I don’t know where to go, I don’t know where to go…..

 

Help me, help me!

 

I-I know he’s nearby. I know he wants to take me. He keeps saying he’ll help me, he’ll feed me….But he won’t, he won’t, he won’t!

 

The blond man’s near me now.

 

I can hear him.

 

Oh, please….Let Maverick be okay!

 

~

 

Maverick's Bad Diary

 

June 28th, 1997

 

I don't know where I am. I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared. Mommy told me to leave, Diary, mommy told me to leave. I don't know where I am.

 

Help me, Mommy. It's cold at night. I hear things at night. I think somebody's following me, Mommy....

 

I didn't mean to kill Unkie, Diary. I just didn't want him to touch me anymore. I just didn't want him to hurt me anymore.

 

I didn't mean to kill him. I just wanted him to stop. I just wanted him to stop.

 

Mommy, who is he?

 

He's been following me for a while.

 

He just found me again.

 

Mommy, who is the blond man?

 

I don't know where Janelle is, Diary. Will Janelle find me if the blond man takes me away?

 

~

 

Maverick's Bad Diary

 

June 29th, 1997

 

Blond man's name is John, Diary. John, John, John. John looks nice, Diary. He doesn't look like Unkie. Unkie had red hair like me. I didn't like Unkie.

 

John says he's gonna bring me some food soon! I want food. My tummy's all rumbly. Mommy, you always said it was like an earth-thingy....

 

I can't remember the word Mommy used, Diary.

 

Am I starting to forget Mommy?

 

Is Mommy starting to forget me?

 

Where’s Janelle? She usually…she usually gets me food….

 

Is Janelle okay?

 

~

 

Maverick's Bad Diary

 

June 30th, 1997

 

John bought me a burger! I like burgers. Mommy never let me have burgers, but Unkie always did.

 

Unkie was good, when burgers were there. I miss burger-Unkie. Burger-Unkie made me happy.

 

John says he's going to be better to me than Unkie. He also told me I could go someplace warm with him, if I wanted. Diary, should I go with him? Would Mommy be okay with it?

 

I know Mommy told me about 'stranger danger', but is John a stranger? He bought me a burger. He talks to me.

 

So, John isn't a stranger!

 

I think I like him, Diary. He looks sweet.

 

I'm gonna go with him, as long as he gives me more burgers.

 

I….I just hope I can find Janelle.