Abby is in a better place now.
By
Updated 4 years ago,January 24, 2021
The search parties scoured the woods for weeks.
That if she is still out there, they would find her.
Caroline Hernandez
Somehow, some way, they would find my little girl.
I was grateful though for the trembling in his voice that meant that he cared.
He was just doing his job.
They couldnt continue to exhaust the resources anymore and the volunteers were getting fewer and fewer by the day.
The morning that Abby went missing wasnt the worst of the days.
I think the worst day was day two.
You see, on day one you are scared, but you are hopeful.
Nine-year-old kids can run away.
It isnt a common thing, especially not around these parts, but it can happen.
Looking back at it all now, I realize that was stupid.
Like I said, on day one, youre hopeful.
On day two, the realism sets in.
By day two the hopefulness is gone.
There are a lot of terrifying things that can happen in that amount of time.
Who could ever hurt a child?
The police were very kind.
Especially in the beginning.
They reported back with us daily and I couldnt be more thankful for that.
However, their searches always came up empty, with the exception of one time.
But the gown wasnt hers.
We looked at it immediately after the call came in.
We had never seen anything like it before on our Abby.
It was a false lead.
It is kind of like when you go fishing as a kid.
Just like those calls.
Those dozens of calls that meant nothing.
I understand where they were coming from, but it still hurt nonetheless to be suspected.
And yet they still continued to aid in the searches.
I assume it was more for our Abby than it was for either of us.
This was weeks ago.
The murmurs have begun to die down, though still very present and certainly not whispered with any shame.
My wife felt the same.
Abby wasnt coming back.
We will never see Abby again.
I would say to myself, holding back tears.
Abby is in a better place now.
It was 4:15 in the morning or so when the phone rang.
I was sleeping, as was my wife.
Caroline, who is calling you this early?
Caroline leaned over and picked up the phone.
The shine from it revealed a puzzled look on my wifes face.
Her head cocked to the side like a puppy waiting for its next direction.
Its an unknown number, she replied, still looking down at the screen.
Are you going to answer it?
Im sorry, Mark.
Go back to bed.
She laid down and in seconds was back to sleep, softly snoring.
She moved quickly and silenced the vibrations.
She held the phone up close to my pillow for me to inspect.
Its probably some shithead kid or something.
Or maybe someone in a different time zone or something trying to sell shit.
Just pick it up.
A phone call isnt going to hurt.
I felt Caroline shift once more as she held the phone to her ear.
Then I heard my wife scream.
Caroline, what the hell?!
All she could do was cry.
I stood up out of bed and shuffled over to where her phone had landed.
I picked the phone up and held it to my ear.
Caroline yelled at me.
Who the fuck do you think I started into the phone, but was abruptly cut off.
Daddy, why are you screaming at me?
I knew this had to be a joke.
Daddy, c’mon.
Daddy, its freezing here.
The sob I had heard with every scraped knee and with every lost dolly.
This was my little girl.
This was my Abby.
Where are you, sweetie?
I said sternly into the phone, now giving up the idea that this was a prank.
Sweetheart, I need you to tell me where you are!
I can come to get you!
I will come to get you!
What do you see, sweetie!
Its so dark, Daddy.
Mark, youre scaring me, Caroline said.
Hang up the phone, Tell them that this isnt funny and that they need to leave us alone!
I could hear the tremble in my wifes voice.
It shook, just like mine, and her eyes were filling up with tears.
Abigail, hey tell me something.
We are coming for you,!
We are going to find you, no matter what!
Do you see anything at all?
Anything that can tell us where you are?
yo look as hard you’re able to!
my wife repeated, the tremble in her voice even more pronounced than before.
Mark, this has got to be some stupid kids playing some stupid game.
yo hang up the phone.
This is too much.
Daddy, its dark.
the voice said again.
Daddy, its dark.
I know, sweetie, but
Daddy, its dark.
the girls voice repeated.
Daddy, its dark.
Daddy, its dark.
I asked into the receiver.
I hear you, honey, just
Daddy, its dark.
Daddy, its dark.
Daddy, its dark.
Daddy, its dark
The voice echoed itself over and over.
I stood there, my knees rattling, staring at my now sobbing wife.
The sound that was coming through the phone grew deeper, as it relayed its message over and over.
Gradually, almost like a record player slowing down, the voice deepened but kept to its phrase.
Daddy, its dark.
Daddy, its dark.
Leaping out of bed, Caroline grabbed the phone from my hand and threw it to the ground.
We didnt clean up the pieces of the phone.
I was the first to make a sound.
That was an awful thing to do.
What the hell was that, Mark?
That sounded almost…I dont know…demonic?
Who does that kind of shit?
You know there is no way that was Abby, right?
You know that couldnt have been her.
That wasnt our little
I know.
But damn, Caroline.
Damn…it sounded so much like her.
I know what it sounded like.
my wife said, coming to the side of the bed where I stood.
I know that it seemed like it could have been her, but its been months.
And her voice is going to live in your head forever you know that.
She is always going to be with us, Mark.
But that…that wasnt our girl.
The sound she made, I said.
And why was she saying that it was dark?
Mark, stop it.
Get it out of your head that it was Abigail.
You want it to be her so bad, and I get that, but Mark…shes gone.
That she is gone, I said back, whispering through the forming blockage in my throat.
That she likely gone.
That she is likely dead.
Its hard, Caroline said, reaching for my hand.
There isnt anything that we can do at this point.
There isnt anything that we can
Her reassurance was interrupted abruptly by a stiff knocking at the front door.
No, I said.
This has gone too far.
Now, if ever, was the right time to claim it from its resting place.
It loaded with a loud clack as my wife said nothing.
I could sense she was now sharing my rage, but couldnt find the right move to make.
I stormed out of the bedroom door and made my way towards the front of the house.
I held my breath as I stood in the foyer, shotgun in hand, waiting for another sound.
I could hear my heart racing inside of my own head, but it left me unbothered.
I had a goal and I was ready to teach these punks a lesson.
The next bang on the door didnt take long to arrive.
I leaped forward, grabbing the handle and pulled the knob as hard as I could towards me.
I shouldered my weapon, finger on the trigger and took one step to the threshold of the house.
This isnt something in our heads.
Officer Brown said, placing a hand on my shoulder.
We all know you and Caroline have been through a lot.
We know that this isnt something people just work their way through or get over.
And Ill even go as far as to say maybe you did hear something knock against the door.
But I dont think someone is messing with you two.
These houses creak and rattle.
The bang could have been the wind or maybe the house is settling or something like that.
But people dont just… You know thats not what I meant, Mark, Brown replied.
Maybe you two need a vacation.
When was the last time you guys got out?
Maybe attempt to leave this town this house for a week or two.
It might do you some good.
A little rest and relaxation certainly never hurt anyone.
Id appreciate that, I said back, feeling more defeated than dismissed.
I shut the door behind him.
They think were crazy, you know that, right?
They think we are fucking nuts.
I dont think so, I said.
I think they dont know what to do.
He pities us, she said.
Nobody takes us seriously, Mark.
He pities us like children.
We worked so hard and tried so hard and we did everything we could.
She was starting to break down again.
Caroline, its going to be ok. Maybe he was right about getting away.
Maybe we should get out and give a shot to go somewhere nice for once.
Im not going anywhere.
Caroline snapped back at me.
Im not leaving until I find out who the hell is pulling this shit!
What does it matter?
If it happens again, we can hopefully trace the call back to a number.
Ill call the phone company.
Ill get hold of somebody.
They might not even have my number and we can change yours when we get you a new phone.
They wont be able to reach us.
Except through the front fucking door, Mark!
Caroline said, her voice getting louder.
Except when they show up at our house at four-thirty in the morning!
Hiding under our bed?
How far are you willing to let this go, Mark?
Calm down, I said.
Slow down for just a moment.
Or am I saying things that are scaring you just as much as they scare me?
How do we know that the banging wasnt a distraction?
How do we know that there isnt someone in the house now?
How can you be so damn sure, Mark?!
No one is in our house, Caroline!.
You dont think that maybe we would have heard them?
And none of the windows are open or broken or anything of the sort.
The house is secure.
Do you think they just came through the walls?
Trust me, I looked.
You think Im crazy too, dont you?
You think Im just as crazy as the cops do.
What are we doing, Mark?
What is happening here?
If you dont want to go anywhere, we dont have to.
I wont let anything get to you.
Caroline stayed on the couch most of the day, looking up to the ceiling, blankly.
Are you ready for bed?
I turn to the couch and ask again, but in a tone as not to sound intrusive.
Caroline mumbled quietly, almost under her breath.
I couldnt make out what she was saying, so I stepped closer, still behind the couch.
Im sorry, dear.
Could you say that again?
She mumbled, but still too soft for my ears to pick up.
Lets go to bed, Caroline.
Itll be
Daddy, its dark, said Caroline, cutting me off.
I asked, my heart beating slightly faster.
Daddy, its dark, she repeated.
Daddy, its dark.
Her repetition sped up as she spoke these same words, over and over and over.
I started calling out her name but she wasnt listening.
From behind the couch, I screamed for her to stop, but she didnt.
I pleaded, now terrified.
Daddy, its dark!
Daddy, its dark!
Daddy, its dark!
She sounded almost amused at this point, but I could still hear her voice giving out.
I had never heard Caroline get so loud in the years we had been together.
I finally lost it and hollered one last time.
That same eerie silence that loomed after the knocking the night before had returned.
I wanted to speak up but I couldnt find the words.
I couldnt even hear Caroline breathing on the other side of the couch, but I could feel it.
I could feel her smiling.
Then there was movement.
I heard the shuffling on the cushions, slow, but light.
I asked, my voice shaking and hushed.
There lay Caroline, her eyes still staring, her mouth wide open as if screaming.
As if the townspeople didnt think I was a monster before, I am sure they do now.
I had called the police immediately after I realized that Caroline was dead.
She had died of a heart attack.
I never told them about the screaming or my daughters hand.
They would never have believed me anyway.
I said that I found her lying there, just as she was.
And I never told them about last night.
I never told them that a small tap came to my window.
This time there was a calm.
But again, there was only calm.
Its ok, Daddy.
the voice said softly.
Its not dark anymore.
Did she do this to you?
I asked, still looking into the pit.
How could I have not known?
Abigail, Im so sorry.
I wish I could have done something.
I wish I would have known.
Daddy, its ok. Its not dark anymore.
I looked down and started to push the dirt back in the hole.
