A little girl sat outside on a bench in front of a small, but expensive, watch store. She looked extremely clean. Her clothes were white from t-shirt to tennis shoes. Her white pants had side pockets and laces at the bottoms where you could pull them tighter if wanting to put them up in a Capri style. However they were let lose and just barely stayed off of the ground as she walked. Her blonde hair was on the lighter side and deep blue eyes could not be easily missed. One might wonder where the girl’s parents are. That was a mighty fine question. Not even Alyssa knew the answer to that. She couldn’t remember much of her life before she was seven. Perhaps something so violent or horrible happened that her mind instinctively flushed that type of memory away and into the back of the furthest corners of her mind.

Legs kicked back and forth silently as she sat on the bench. Finally she turned to look through the shop window. Inside was Gregory. He just couldn’t spend his scammed money quickly enough. The bastard was looking at Rolex’s. It sickened the girl to know she was using her gifts for such horrible deeds and yet she couldn’t do anything about it.

She turned away from the window and stared out at the street again. Cars whizzed by and people continued to walk casually going about their days. Sure some of them noticed the girl sitting alone, but none of them cared enough to get involved. They just assumed that she wasn’t alone and that her parents were somewhere nearby. After all, who would leave a kid that clean alone on a street?

A young woman walked leisurely along the sidewalk without a care in the world. She had a bag of potato chips in hand and was quite content chomping away on them. She was of average height, just over five and a half feet, and medium build with little defined muscle. Her light chestnut eyes were lined with dark mascara and seemed very bright and friendly. Her hair was a dark blonde and hung down a little past her shoulder blades. It was French braided with what looked like a rubber band holding it together. Her fringe was long and brushed against her eyelashes. Zoe noticed the young girl sitting along on a bench, her pace faltered momentarily as she studied the girl closely. As far as she could tell, she was alone and seemed quite sad. She began to walk forward again, however this time she had a purpose.

Zoe seemed quite normal, maybe in her mid to late twenties. She wore a plain brown leather jacket that seemed well worn. There was fading around the edges and elbows and a few patched tears in the hide. Apart from that, it was still in good condition. Beneath her coat was a dark navy-blue, short sleeved v-neck t-shirt. She wore a pair of dark khaki trousers that had many pockets and a pair of old, everyday trainers. Zoe sat down on the bench, approximately two feet from Alyssa. She continued to eat her chips slowly, crunching each one with odd delight.

“Want one?” Her voice was soft, compassionate, and yet strong. The usual, pleasant smile was across her glossy lips.
The bag of potato chips was extended towards Alyssa and Zoe glanced at her tenderly before facing forward once again. She didn’t want to scare the poor child.

Alyssa didn’t look up until she felt someone sit down next to her. Piercing blue eyes looked the woman over. Her eyes seemed dull though, as if a spirit had been broken long ago. She glanced at the bag that was offered towards her. Gregory told her not to talk to anyone so she just nodded a ‘no’ slightly and then scooted a bit away from her.

She looked back into the store. Gregory was taking his sweet time with looking at watches. Perhaps he would come out with a few. Feet kicked back and forth a little bit and she moved her hands underneath her to sort of sit on them.

Zoe simply shrugged and withdrew the salted snacks. By the young girl’s reaction, she wondered what her situation was and where her parents were. She noted Alyssa’s subtle shuffle away from her and smiled softly, she was very shy. She crunched another crisp before wiping her fingers in her trousers. She looked to either side, no one seemed to be looking at them, more importantly, towards Alyssa. Zoe was looking for her parents.
“You here with anyone?” She asked in the same soft tone after a few minutes of awkward silence.
Zoe looked towards Alyssa again and smiled quietly trying to befriend the young girl and help her. However she didn’t know the young girl wasn’t lost, but she was compassionate in that way.

She watched the bag of chips move away from here and eyes watched the lady with interest. What was Greg going to say if he came out here and saw her? She asked if she was here with anyone and once again eyes turned to the store.

Slowly one hand left the safety of underneath where she sat and she pointed at the window and behind the window was Greg trying on watches and figuring out which one was the most expensive and looked the best.

Zoe followed her finger towards the window and the only person in the shop. From what she could see from the glare of the window, he looked a little young to be her father and assumed he was her brother, or the like.
“Ah, I see.” She nodded slowly, chewing her bottom lip. “Your brother?”
She probably wouldn’t have been talking with Alyssa if she knew her circumstances and Gregory’s protectiveness over her. Even so, she was sitting outside where any weirdo could snatch her. Zoe decided to stay beside her until Gregory returned. She did think it rather irresponsible to leave such a young girl alone on the street.

She nodded ‘no’ to her question as she withdrew her pointing finger and placed her hands in her lap. Ally wanted to scream out that he was holding her hostage and making her use her gifts for selfish reasons, but she wouldn’t. After all, where would she go if she did get free of the tyrant? She didn’t know anyone nor knew of anything really before he found her.

Deciding she wanted to try and reach out to someone though about her predicament finally she reached out and took the ladies hand in her own gently. A calming feeling might come over the woman depending on how she reacted to the touch. Some felt calmer and some felt a little uneasy with the touch. It depended on the person spiritually. This was her way of screaming out to the lady that her life was not pleasant and she wanted to get away from him. Though how the woman interpreted was completely on how she took the situation.

Her eyes opened wider as Alyssa grasped hold of her hand. She slowly turned her head, gazing down at the sad girl. She looked more confused than anything. An odd sensation passed over her, it was like someone was watching her. Zoe didn’t put much more thought into this odd feeling and focused on the girl once again. She blinked momentarily and squeezed Alyssa’s hand reassuringly.
“You okay, hun?” She asked in a concerned, compassionate tone.

Her eyes darted around Alyssa, she didn’t seem physically unwell to the naked eye. She shifted from the bench, crouching down before her. Zoe was now staring her right in the eyes trying to figure out, if anything, what was the matter with her.

A split second feeling of being watched came over her and she withdrew her hand quickly. She looked behind her and Gregory had finally come out of the store and was looking at her. Alyssa got up off the bench and quickly headed over to him so as not to have him get angry at the woman.

”Good day. Who might you be and what are you doing with my daughter?” That was a lie. She was in no way related to her, but it was the gimmick he used to as not to raise eyebrows. He reached down and grabbed Alyssa’s hand to make sure she stayed next to him.

Gregory was a large man and his died black beard and mustache connecting up to his hair made him look more like a biker rather than a doctor. He had rather nice dress pants khaki’s on and a striped polo shirt on. In no way did the two look related. On his wrist was his new Rolex watch that he’d just spent a couple hundred dollars on.

Zoe glanced over her shoulder before standing up with the same smile, although it was slightly apologetic this time. She held her hands in front of her lap, watching the pair closely.
“Oh she’s yours? I’m sorry. She was sitting there all alone and looked lost. Well… I’m just glad she’s with her father now.” Her apology was genuine but she was still slightly concerned for Alyssa.
Even though she was holding her ‘father’s’ hand, she didn’t look in the least bit comfortable. Zoe was used to seeing fear in the eyes of others, both in her profession and her extra curricular activities. That was the look she saw on Alyssa’s face. Could it be she was just naturally shy and fearful of others?

She noted the dazzling watch on Gregory’s wrist and glanced down at her modest wrist watch.
“Hey, well I should be going. Don’t want to be late. It was nice meeting you…” Zoe realised she didn’t know the young girls name and simply smiled a caring smile.
She began to walk down the street in the same direction she was heading to begin with. She glanced back over her shoulder towards the pair and waved goodbye to Alyssa.

He didn’t smile back at her. He wasn’t at his job so he didn’t have to act polite. ”Well she’s not lost. No need for concern.” A straight expression was on his face showing no emotion in the least.

Alyssa cast a glance downward to the sidewalk, not wanting to know where this may lead. Just walk away.

”Good day he said.” And he began to lead the girl in the opposite direction in which the lady walked.

The little girl looked behind her as they walked away and saw the lady wave. She did not wave in return, but she did have a look of ‘help’ in her eyes. It was always present; it just didn’t seem like anyone was concerned and that it was just a phase she was going through. If only she could speak up for herself.

She turned to face forward when she felt Greg squeeze her hand. They continued walking down the street towards the richer side of town.

It was a small world. Zoe too was a doctor, however she had been in the medical field much longer than Gregory, much longer. She was actually on her way to the local hospital, it was her first day of work. Hospitals were always a grand meeting place for Zoe, and she was just looking for a special kind of person. The young girl’s desperate gaze hurt her deeply, but there really wasn’t anything that she could do without getting the authorities involved. And they wouldn’t believe her, Alyssa was just sad, they wouldn’t do anything for a depressed girl. Besides, Zoe didn’t want to go to the Authorities. That could have been very problematic for her.

She didn’t have any hope in ever seeing Alyssa again or helping her. There were so many people in this world, so many needed help in some way or another. She couldn’t help them all no matter how much she wanted to.