Creative Story

The Mysterious Man

By Kaitlin Bates

It was a windy day when the man crossed the road and went into the bus station. He wore a black cloak, with a gray top hat. I could see him through all the people who were entering the bus station. He was staring at me. I knew this guy. He looked familiar. I wondered why the bus hadn’t got here to pick me up and bring me home. Then, out of the corner of my eye I saw a poster. I turned around and looked very closely at it. I gasped. The poster read: Criminal Wanted: Wanted for Robbery. Then, after the writing, it showed a picture of the man in the black cloak.

I just stood there staring at the poster thinking what I should do. Should I run home and call the police? Should I tell someone?  I didn’t know. So I ran into the bus station and followed him. I stayed a good distance from him to make sure he didn’t see me. He got on the bus. I didn’t want to go on the bus with him so I just stayed in the bus station. Then the man came back out of the bus. He got off the last step of the bus and started nonchalantly walking toward me. I just stood in one spot waiting for him to approach me. Then, as if I did not see this coming, the criminal grabbed me with one and hand, and flung me over his shoulder.

                When I woke up I was in a van. It was one of the vans you saw in horror movies. I was terrified, so as any person would, I screamed! The man was right next to me in the driver’s seat. I looked down. I was in the passenger’s seat with my seat belt on. I looked at the man.

“Who are you?” I said. The man stared at me and then whispered” Roger.” I stared at him. Roger. That name. Who was that? It sounded so familiar? “Where are you taking me?” My voice cracking as I said this. “Home.”  Roger replied.

 I recognized the street we were on which led to my house. “How do you know where I live?” I responded. “Ugh. Anna don’t you get it?” He said with an annoyed tone. “Get what?” I whispered “Anna, I’m your father.” 

My mouth came right now to my chin. “You are not!” I screamed, but then I noticed it. He had the same eyes as me and the same nose. He had the same lip line and cheek bones. “Oh, you’re right.”

He looked at me. “Yes, I am. Do you remember me? When you were a little girl I left because of important reasons.”He sighed.

“Yes, I know. I remember mom telling me that. She said you left because you needed some time off.” I replied “Well that is true but now I have come back.” He said. “What about the posters and you being a criminal?” He inhaled a breath. “I know, I know that is true but I’m okay now. They were supposed to take those down, but if you don’t believe me then I hope you can forgive me.”

 I looked at him. “Maybe.”  I responded.

When we got home, my mom was in the kitchen baking something that smelled appetizing. When she saw dad she dropped a plate that was in her hand.

 “Roger… It’s been a long time.”  I stared at the two of them. “Yes, it has been a long time, but now I’m back, and for good this time,” Dad said, as he walked over to my mom and hugged her.

 She let him hug her and then stepped back. “I’ve seen you have done some pretty bad things.” Dad sighed. “Yes, yes I have but now I’m off the hook, they are taking those posters down today.” And then he looked right at me. I blushed, he knew. “I hope both of you guys can forgive me for what I have done. Hopefully we can go back to what kind of family we were when Anna was 6.” I smiled.

 Please, please, say something that’s positive Mom, I thought. My mom grinned “Sure, but tonight your doing the dishes.” We all laughed, our family was back.