A child pants into a phone receiver, scared out of her young mind. "Hello?! Is anyone there?!"946Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHTbcyqCMg
To her relief there's an adult on the other end of the line. "911, what's your emergency, sweetheart?"
"Th-they're g-gonna get me. The monsters, like on the TV."
"What monsters? What's your name, sweetheart?"
"I-I'm Cindy. I-I-I'm 5, I just started school. Please, please help me!" she sobbed.
"Ssh. It's okay, sweetheart, tell me what's wrong. Who are the monsters?"
"The...the Mad-ri-ols. The ones on the news my daddy says bad words about. I saw them outside my house! They're gonna get me! Please help!"
"Cindy, I'm sending someone over now. Can you stay with me until the police come to the door?"
"Uh-huh," Cindy says, nodding. "I'm scared."
"Don't worry, sweetheart. The Madriolis will only hurt you if they think you hurt them. They're just harmless people whose planet was destroyed by bad men, and they came here to build a new home. Where's your daddy?"
Cindy shivered. The adult seemed so nice, she almost believed everything was gonna be okay. "My daddy went outside, said he was gonna make 'em all leave. There was a lot of yelling, and I saw a bunch of red on the window all of a sudden. I'm scared, there's a lots of banging on the doors, I think they wanna eat me!"
"No, sweetheart, it's all right, okay? The police are right around the corner, and they should be there any minute, all right?...Cindy?"
"I nodded, Mr. Phone Man," Cindy whispered. "I thought I heard the door open."
"Did anyone say 'Police'?" the adult asked.
"Nuh-uh. I think it's the Mad-ri-ols. Wha-what do I do?!" she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "I don't want to die!"
"Cindy, you're not gonna die, all right? The police should be there in less than a minute. Just be quiet for me, all right? Quiet as a mouse."
Cindy didn't reply. There were noises coming from in the hallway, and she dropped the phone still hanging from the wall by its cord and scrambled under the kitchen sink. She was going to be eaten!
There was a loud noise, followed by several more loud noises, and Cindy opened her eyes slowly. There, in front of her, was a Madriolis. She screamed. "Don't eat me!" she cried.
"Oh my gosh. He kept the little one," it said. "I'm so sorry, honey."946Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMPjPUIsLY
Cindy looked up at it, still crying. "Wh-where's my daddy! I want my daddy!" she cried.946Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJHUJJiyOo
"Your father..." the Madriolis covered its face with a gooey appendage. "Your daddy is dead. I'm so sorry, little one."946Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjc98r9aBk
Cindy sat back, not understanding. "No, Daddy was right outside. He was just scared! He wanted our p'ivacy! I saw him go outside!" she cried, harder than her little body could stand, and she started to throw up from the sheer force of her sobs.946Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡohtL413JfT
The Madriolis patted her back. "I'm so sorry, little one. But I can take care of you now, if you want."946Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIh9ySsuld6
Cindy wiped the puke from her mouth on her pajama sleeve. "You can be my daddy now?"946Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1Iqw8sYQX
The Madriolis did something next that Cindy never thought she would see...it smiled. "Of course, little one. What's your name."946Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1CqsuDBoRP
"Cindy. Cindy Holmes."946Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRjM18u1uV
"Well, then, Cindy Holmes," the Madriolis said, "Let me show you where you'll live with me from now on. Sound good?"946Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgiChug6ub
Cindy nodded. The Madriolis took her away into the woods behind her house, and she could faintly hear people talking in the side of the yard, shining flashlights on her daddy, who she thought was probably sleeping, though his head looked funny. "...Looks like those beasts killed another one."946Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡucF2uCBYm8
"Didn't he have a daughter?"946Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbWupyreh1
Cindy poked the Madriolis. "The po'ice prob'ly want to know that I'm going with you," she said.946Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQegQ8Ex8q
"The police don't like me," the Madriolis said. "It's better if we just go home now, love."946Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhcK1xo4td
"Okay," Cindy said, looking at the Madriolis. "You have eyes like mine!" she said in surprise.946Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtUQ7fhAgi
"Of course, we're family, aren't we?" the Madriolis said.946Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCnCkSi2DH9
Cindy frowned. "Mommy?"946Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHW6quj3f0
The Madriolis smiled. "I knew you'd recognize me," she said happily. "Come now, Cindy. I need to show you the rest of your new family."946Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7jJwgc6qXd
As Cindy fell asleep, her mother chuckled. "Stupid human couldn't even care for a half-breed properly. But don't worry. Now, you'll be with your people once more."946Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqbiH9jhZo
Cindy nuzzled into her mother's touch, and her mother chuckled. "Pity he had to die, but it's the only way. Only he knew how dangerous we could actually be."946Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFxPHK6oIi
