Essentials of fiction writing, The kidnapped baby, homework, written by Louise Grammatico
In the quiet evening of the cold winter day in the midst of January when returning at home after work Nathan found his partner Cynthia changing nappies of an unknown baby at their lounge. From the standard entrance, he entered into a large living room with a wide staircase leading to the second floor. A pair of beautifully furnished chairs and sofa created a welcoming and homey atmosphere surrounding a table. The brown carpet and snow-white net curtains added taste to the place. They were together two years already and she still and not produced a child, so the appearance of the small beautiful white baby extremely surprised him. When Nathan noticed the little girl he did not have any idea that his life was about to totally change in a new way.
Nathan was of average height, with black hair and brown eyes. He had a cruel streak and his face was as wide as the nearest valley. When at work he wore sportive type trousers, a jumper beneath the brown jacket and sports shoes.
Astonished from the baby’s presence he asked Cynthia:
‘Who is this baby? Who are the parents?’
Cynthia carefully accomplished the fig out of the infant and answered with a little retard:
‘This is a Fernanda, the daughter of Frederica,’ the child laid completely awake with her eyes widely opened.
Still not comprehending the situation he asked:
‘Where is Frederica? When she will get back her child?’
‘I don’t know,’ replied Cynthia without to watch him in the eyes help, somehow uncertain in her help. His penetrating glimpse fixed over her face and pounced on her fairly blue eyes.
‘Honey, does she will pay for the babysitting?’ he inquired, stopped for a while and added: ‘She is quite wealthy,’
‘She has to pay me a lot more than only for babysitting,’ Cynthia stated calmly. Then she raised her eyes, grinned, traced her finger over his big palm of hands and told to Nathan:
‘I theft the child today from her house. I suggest you both we later on to contact her and to ask her for a ransom,’ she glanced again at his face, but it gave no sign of his reaction. Reflecting on her words Nathan questioned her:
‘Cynthia, has someone saw you with this child today?’ The face of Cynthia suddenly burned; she turned her head away from him when answered not very assured in her words:
‘I suppose not,’
‘But she can complain to the police, Cynthia,’ Nathan stated worrying and his searching eyes ran over her face again.
She quickly responded with assuring tone:
‘No, she will not,’ her eyes widened as she stared at him.
‘How you know that?’ Nathan asked Cynthia and a slow smile worked its way across his face and into her eyes.
‘She is afraid for the child. She wants to avoid danger for her health or security as she loves the small girl. Certainly, she will not contact the police, one hundred percent,’ confidently explained Cynthia.
‘I am not sure what if she complains to any of her friends or the father of the child,’ he increased his rotund voice, ‘It is not what I want,’ he slowly shook his head and created a grimace.
Cynthia replied:
‘Nobody is there now. They are away. One of them is in the sea, one other is locked,’
‘Cynthia, don’t bet on it. She could find someone else,’
‘No, she will not. I want this money. I want a new car, or almost new. And nice clothes to get. She will not complain. Listen of what I am saying,’
‘How you will contact her? By phone?’
‘No by phone. My cousin gave me this bug. The other part is in her bedroom.’ She paused and smiled, then continued:’ When she goes to slip, we will give her a call. Then you will see. We need to go there and to obtain the money.’ She stopped for a short moment, ’She isn’t gonna get away with any more of five thousand,’ she nodded her head.
‘You are so organized’ exclaimed Nathan thrilled obviously impressed by the idea of Cynthia,’ How you chew over that plan?’ He was a crumpy man, always in need of money as he was drinking a lot, was feeding several children and was not quite a lot of workable.
‘See, she is awaking. If she starts to cry and the neighbor heard, what we can do?’ Cynthia glanced at Nathan’s face. He responded:
’We need to hide her somewhere,’
Cynthia said to him:
Nathan, don’t be silly! She is so small. She is only a child and that’s it. Now she will sleep till the midst of the night,’
‘But if someone asks, what we can say about her presence here?’ continued to wonder Nathan.
Cynthia replied:
‘I will tell that she is my granddaughter and that her mother who is my daughter will come next month to bring her back home,’
Nathan wanted to clarify for himself the particularities and asked:
‘And why the girl is now here with us?’
‘If someone asks I will tell that her mother is now too busy and that’s it’ answered Cynthia.
‘And nothing more?’ questioned Nathan. She replied:
‘Nothing more,’
Nathan had a good feeling inside him, and a big smile appeared on his face but continued to reflect on the premediating of Cynthia’s plan and asked her:
‘What if someone from the police asks for the infant?’
She responded confidently:
‘Leave this to me! I will explain to them,’
At this moment someone knocked on the window’s glass. Cynthia took the girl into her hands and said:
‘I will go with the infant on the second floor,’ and headed for the staircase.
It was one of the neighbors asking for the grass streamer. Nathan explained to the man that the streamer is broken and that it needs some repair. The neighbor got away. Cynthia injected the child with a soporific liquid to prevent noise and to force the toddler to sleep longer. The couple has watched some TV shows all along became the time for supper. Whilst Cynthia washed the plates after the dinner, Nathan drunk some whiskey before she contacted Frederica by the commutative appliances. It was a little after midnight.
‘Frederica, are you sleeping?’ asked Cynthia.
‘What?’ Frederica was at her home waiting for the police to find her very recent kidnapped daughter.
‘Tell me, do you have some money,’ said Cynthia.
‘Who is there?’ a little confused asked Frederica.
‘Frederica, do you love your daughter?’ continued Cynthia with her questions. Frederica quickly recovered her wit and asked:
‘Where is my girl? Who is there?’
‘Frederica doesn’t ask anything! Take some money with you and come in the garden to bring then to us!’ ordered to her Cynthia grinning to Nathan.
‘How much money you want?’ inquired Frederica.
‘Five thousand are okay,’ said Cynthia.
‘Five thousand! I don’t have so much money,’ responded Frederica.
‘Frederica don’t be silly! If you don’t find five thousand to tomorrow afternoon, I will kill the child. Listen to me, I will ring you at three o’clock in the afternoon. You have to be on the line to speak!’ said Cynthia and terminated the conversation.
Cynthia has stayed all day in the house occupying herself with some housework. In the morning, after Nathan went out for some shopping. She fed the child one time and watched an episode from one of the multi-serial TV productions.
Frederica could not sleep all night as she worried about her daughter. She was unaware that the girl stayed in one of the houses in her neighborhood. She knew that if she finds the required amount and pays it to the kidnappers, it is very probably they to kill the child. In further, she had not to access such an amount in her bank account. Her business was not very successful at that time as a big volume of the products were stolen by the workers. Frederica knew that all the surrounded people jealous of her and her family and theft everything that they can without any scruples’. The incomes in the bank were not enough to cover the thefts.
In the morning she went to the factory to unlock it and to organize the shift. At 1,30 pm she left the factory and returned at home to wait the expected call from the kidnappers. From the factory, she gave a call to the police officer and narrated to him for the call by the offenders. The officer instructed Frederica to keep the contact but not to pay the ransom.
Author: Louise Grammatico