It had been a long day in the Barrett household. I was six years old. My parents Clara and David, had been busy with work like usual. But when they finished they agreed to play hide and seek with me. I sat on the staircase in our home counting.

"Five, four, three, two, one... Ready or not, here I come!" I yelled uncovering my eyes.

I climbed off the stairs and began to look around with a big smile on my face. I walked into the living room and checked the couch cushion's, the back and underneath of the couch. I walked around looking for my parent's. I spotted a pair of my dad's boot's behind one of the curtains. Just the tips of his toes were hanging out. I giggled quietly and reached for the curtain.

"Ha!" I looked and there was no one there. Just a broom, boot's, and my father's hat. He was trying to trick me.

I walked around some more and checked in the closet, and in the kitchen. Still no sign of them. I went to check my father's study before I'd make my way upstairs. But when I opened the door, I found the room a mess. The glass window had been broken into and was open, paper's strewn all across the floor. I knew better that he always kept this room clean. I wasn't even supposed to be in here without him.

"Hey, Dad?" I called out. But no one came. "Dad!" I yelled louder.

My father David Barrett came hurriedly walking down the hall to the study. He opened the door fully and looked at me.

"Cate, what are you..." His voice trailed off as he looked around at the mess.

He ran over and picked me up quickly, moving me away from the open window. He walked back over and grabbed a drawer from his desk and pulled the entire thing out. I watched as he grabbed a pencil, opening a secret compartment on the drawer and when he reached inside it, he pulled out a folder, with two crossed out O's on it. My mom, Clara ran into the room and picked me up holding me in her arm's. I grabbed tightly around her neck, afraid.

"I'm calling the Parker's." My father said.

My mother nodded at him and took me out of the room. She gathered me a bag on my belongings, rushing around my little bedroom. Down in the study after he'd called his work partner, he began erasing his blackboard full of information on cross species genetics. To make sure no one would ever be able to see his work again.

They quickly put me in the car and told me they were taking me somewhere safe. That was all I knew. I was terrified. I didn't want my mommy and daddy to go away, but they said they had no choice. They pulled into my Aunt and Uncle's house and made me sit in the living room, while they gathered in the kitchen, speaking in hushed tones. I got up from my spot curiously and walked over to the wall and peaked around it. Seeing them all sitting there talking.

I had never been around them much. I knew who they were. My Aunt Mary and Uncle Bob. But not well. When I peaked my head around the corner I noticed my Aunt Mary was looking at me with a sweet and soft expression. She smiled at me and I lightly smiled back.

When the hushed conversation was over my father knelt down in front of me and held my little hands in his. I looked up into his big blue eye's.

"You're gonna stay with Aunt Mary and Uncle Bob for a little while." He said softly.

"But, I wanna go with you." I told him sadly. He tucked a piece on my long dirty blonde hair behind my ear.

"No." He said simply and kissed my forehead. He gave me a quick hug and then my mother kneeled in front of me. She squeezed me tightly and began fussing over my hair.

"She doesn't like crust on her sandwiches and she likes to sleep with a little light on at night." Her voice shook with every word as she explained it to my Aunt and Uncle. My father quickly came over to her and lifted her off the floor.

"Come on, Clara." He said softly.

"Oh, god." She whispered as she left me. Aunt Mary came up behind me and put her hand's on my shoulder's. I shrugged her off and followed them to the door.

"Dad..." I called out to him and he turned around.

"Be good." Those were his last word's to me as he and my mother took off in the pouring rain, away from me and away from the house.

I never saw them again. 

That very same night the Parker family, Richard and Mary took off too. Leaving behind their son, that I'd met a few times before. Peter.

We were lucky our aunt's and uncle's were friend's. We only lived a few house's away from each other and we depended on each other, cared for each other. After going through the same unknown explanation's as to why our parent's left us. He was my absolute best friend in the entire world.