FicWad

Aleena walked her three year old triplets (Sonia, Sonic, and Manic) into the local hospital. “Now, please behave so we can bring Uncle Chuck home.”
“Okay.” The triplets replied.
Aleena led the kids to the receptionist desk.
The receptionist, a mobian tenrec, looked up from her computer. “May I help you?” She asked.
Aleena nodded. “Yes, I’m-”
Manic started drumming on the side of the desk.
“Can we get chili dogs after this?” Sonic asked.
“Boys, behave.” Sonia said, raising her voice.
Sonic smirked. “Okay, Mom.”
The receptionist tried to stifle her laughter.
Aleena glanced out the window, seeing the little playground in the fenced area right beside the hospital. “Excuse me for a minute.”
“Of course.” The receptionist replied.
Aleena walked the triplets to the sidewalk. “Go play in that fenced in garden until I come get you,” She said. “Please don’t bother me unless it’s an emergency.”
“Yes, Mother.” Sonia replied.
“Okay.” Sonic and Manic said.
Aleena let the kids go. “Now play in the playground.”
The triplets hurried off as Aleena walked back inside the hospital.
Sonia pointed at a worm on the sidewalk. “Eew!” She shrieked.
Sonic picked up the worm. “It’s just a little worm, sis.” He said, holding it out to Sonia.
Sonia backed away. “Ugh! Get it away from me!”
Sonic laughed and chased Sonia in a circle with the worm.
Manic watched his siblings and laughed.
The triplets were blissfully unaware of a gray car pulling up beside them.
Manic flinched as someone grabbed him from behind. He looked over his shoulder and saw a strange pink female tenrec. “Sonic!” He screamed. “H-”
The female tenrec slapped her hand over Manic’s mouth and pushed him into the car. She got in behind Manic and closed the door.
Sonic and Sonia stopped playing and saw a gray car speeding away, but no sign of their little brother.
Sonic ran after the gray car that was speeding away.
“Mother!” Sonia cried. She ran back inside the hospital.
Sonic caught up to the car’s rear door on the driver’s side.
Manic was pressed against the glass, banging his little fists against the glass of the window.
“Hold on, bro.” Sonic said, reaching for the door handle. He tripped over a pothole in the street.
“Ow!” Sonic cried. He looked up to see the car speeding away.
A bunch of cars started honking their horns.
Sonic turned to look at them.
“Get out of the street, brat!” One driver yelled.
Sonic scrambled to his feet and raced off.
He skidded to a stop at a red light.
The gray car was nowhere to be seen.
Sonic ran over to the sidewalk to try to find a place to call the police.
He saw a police car and his mom’s car pulling into the parking spaces near the sidewalk.
Sonic sat on the sidewalk, his little knees scraped up. His eyes filled with tears.
Aleena and a male walrus officer approached Sonic.
Aleena knelt down. “Sonic, what happened?”
“I tripped and fell.” Sonic cried. “When I looked up the car was gone.”
“Where’s Manic?” Aleena asked.
Sonic wiped his eyes. “Whoever’s in the car took him.”
“What kind of car, Sonic?” Aleena asked.
“A gray one.” Sonic replied. “I can draw the logo.”
“That’s great, Sonic.” The officer said. “That’ll help us find your brother.”
Sonic looked down at the dust on the sidewalk and drew the logo with his fingers. “It looked like that.”
“A Toyota.” The officer said. “You’ll have to come into the station and see if you can tell us the tag number and identify the exact car.”
Sonic nodded. “Yes, sir.”
*
Aleena sat on the couch and held Sonic and Sonia as the two finally stopped crying. “I have an idea that might help you two.”
“What is it?” Sonia asked.
“We can write letters to Manic and save them so we can give them to him whenever we find him.” Aleena replied. “I’ll help you write them.”
“How does that help?” Sonic asked.
“You can say whatever you’d like to tell Manic if he was here.” Aleena replied. “It just helps you cope. You’ll miss him, but (hopefully) we’ll find him soon.”
“Can we draw him pictures?” Sonia asked.
“Of course.” Aleena replied.
“Then let’s do it.” Sonic said, grinning.
*
Aleena sat on the couch, staring at her phone as if that would somehow make the call that her son was found safely happen faster.
Uncle Chuck walked in and sat down next to her. “Still haven’t heard anything?”
Aleena shook her head. “It’s not a good sign, is it?”
“Sometimes a missing child was found alive years after they were kidnapped.” Uncle Chuck said. “Don’t immediately assume the worst just yet.”
Aleena nodded. “You’re right.” She replied. She picked up the remote and turned on the tv. “Let’s see if they mention it on the news.”
Aleena turned the channel to one of the local news stations. “They're talking about him.”
“What kind of mom lets her three-year-olds wander around outside, near a street, while she is inside?” The anchorman questioned.
“They were supposed to play in the fenced in playground.” Aleena said, looking at Uncle Chuck.
Uncle Chuck turned off the tv as Manic’s description was being announced.
Aleena buried her face in her hands as she sobbed.
Uncle Chuck put his arm around Aleena’s shoulders. “You didn’t know that would happen.” He said softly. “It’s a small town and everybody lets their kids do the same thing you let them do. You would’ve been able to keep an eye on them if they had made it to the playground.”
“But I should’ve walked them to the playground.” Aleena said, voice shaking. “It’s my fault.”
Uncle Chuck shook his head. “No, it’s not.”
Aleena started crying. “I could’ve gotten my baby killed.”
“I’m sure he’ll be fine.” Uncle Chuck replied.
Aleena wiped her eyes. “I hope so.”
Sonic ran in. “Mom?”
Aleena wiped her eyes. “You can’t sleep?”
“No.” Sonic said, sitting down between Aleena and Uncle Chuck. “Manic always plays his music to help him sleep. He’s not here and I miss him.”
Aleena stroked Sonic’s head spines. “You can play his CDs if you want.”
Sonic hung his head. “But it’s not the same.”
“We’ll find him.” Aleena said. “I promise.”