“Hi AURORA!” my little cousin’s leaptop toy rang out. I laughed as she said “Look Melody! It knows my name!” She bangs the orange button on the keyboard. “I’m checking my Email!”
“You have one new email from… me!” The toy sang. “Dear AURORA, did you have fun at the park? I love swinging on the swings and sliding on the slide! From, Violet!” I froze. How did it know that we were just at the park? I paused for a minute to think about it, and realized that kids go to parks often, and it was probably just an automated response, and random chance. It slipped my mind until the next day, when she was playing on it again.
“Hi AURORA! Are you excited to go shopping later?” I froze again. How did it know we were going shopping? That freaked me out, so I convinced her to stop playing with it for a bit, and do puzzles instead. After a little while, we went out to the store. When we got back, she went straight to the leaptop.
“Hi AURORA!” It said. “Hi MELODY!” Still shaken up from what it had said earlier, I was even more scared. How did it know my name? I mean, it used to be mine, 10 years ago, but it shouldn’t have mentioned me as well. What is going on with this toy? I tried to dismiss it as a glitch, and read a story on my phone, but it kept bugging me. But what I had never expected was what it said the next day.
It never even acknowledged my cousin as she turned it on, excited to play with her favourite toy. “Hi MELODY! Check your email!” Shaken up even worse, I took the toy from my cousin and pressed the orange button with a letter on it. “You have one new letter from… Me!” I waited, but it never said anything more. I then realized that it had said “letter” instead of email. I was absolutely certain it had always said email before, so that had confused me.
Wanting to get away from the creepy toy, I said “Come on, Aurora. Let’s go for a walk.”
I opened the door so we could get out of the house, and what I saw on the doorstep was a letter. It had my name in the center, but nothing else written. I open the letter and read it.
“Hi Melody! I have a fun question for you!” This freaks me out, and despite doing my best to seem calm, my fear must show on my face as my cousin asks what’s wrong.
“N-nothing…” I say, biting my cheek. I continue reading.
“Who’s your favourite member of your family? Your Mommy, your Daddy, or Juno? From, Violet!” What was going on? Who was this letter from? And how did it know my sister’s name?
Aurora realizes something’s wrong and starts crying. I pick her up and comfort her. “Shh, Aur, it’s okay… don’t cry!” We go on the walk and I try to forget about the letter. But, when we get back, there’s another letter addressed to me.
I open it and read it.
“Hi Melody! How’s your family doing? I hope they aren’t dead! From, Violet!” I drop the letter, and let go of Aurora’s hand before hurriedly grabbing my phone and calling my mother. Straight to voicemail. I call my father. Also straight to voicemail.
“Come on… Come on!” I say as I call my sister and it rings. “Pick up…!”
Someone answers the phone. It’s my sister. “Hi Melody! What’s up?”
“Oh thank god..” I sigh in relief. “Why aren’t mom or dad picking up?”
“I.. don’t know. I have no idea where they are. Why?” She replies.
But what was I supposed to say to that? Oh, Aurora’s toy spooked me and then I found a letter addressed to me from the cartoon dog from the toy, so I thought you guys died.
“I.. I just wanted to say hi.” I lied.
“Well, I’ll tell them when I see them next. I’ll let you know when I see them! I hope you’re enjoying your vacation at Aurora’s!”
I bring Aurora inside, and set her up with some toys, and I go down to my room. I sit anxiously and stare at the wall.
Hours later, Juno calls me back. “M-Melody….” She says, obviously distressed.
“What?” I say, concerned.
“M-mom… Mom and dad are…” Her voice gets caught in her throat. “Th-they’ve gone missing…”
I shriek. It’s a loud, piercing sound.
“M-Melody? What’s wrong?” Juno sounds frantic.
“Th-they’re missing?” I say, not believing it.
“Yes! I-I’m gonna go look for them… Wait for me to call you back, okay?”
This was five minutes ago. I’m pacing around my room right now, waiting for her to call me back.