Despite being free from the terror of the studio, Ryan grapples with the knowledge that while he retains his adult mind, the outside world sees the sweet, diminutive Kaylee. An unaccompanied six year old girl on the streets of one of the most populated cities in the US also brings plenty of unwanted attention, and as such, it is clear he will need help. Whether he seeks out his mother or his small group of trusted friends, Ryan will have to act quickly as the longer he remains alone the greater the chance that the unwanted attention brings the authorities, and with it, a host of unanswerable questions.
Excerpt: “Are you waiting for your mommy, sweetie?” The old woman smiled, and while I felt safe in her presence, internally- it was like great swathes of barbed wire had nested in my brain. Each word and gesture from the woman, from her kindly expression to the way she sat, it echoed what I already knew- the world would see Kaylee, and they would treat her accordingly.
There was no surprise in this. Ryan Sullivan wasn’t sitting at the bus stop, his legs dangling from the bench, unable to touch the ground. He wasn’t wearing a t-shirt with a glittery butterfly on it, or a pair of pink running shoes that lit up in the dark.
I answered snidely, “No, I’m waiting for a bus.”
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