1 |01|

"Smoke! Run for your life!" A young girl screamed and ran in circles and paused breathing heavily, paused and continued to scream. "Mamaaaaa!!" Little Esme called and jumped onto the couch and squeezed her eyes shut and hugged her small body afraid to open them.

"Mamaaa!" She sniffed and jumped away and continued to run through out the living room stopping in front of her door, standing in my tippy toes and gently opening the door. I peeped with widened eyes into the room. "The coast is clear!" I whispered behind me and gestured for my imaginary friend to move ahead. I nodded and tip toed inside.

"Come out, come out wherever you are!" Esme shouted bouncing her way in. The little corridor leading to her room was dark and so she shielded for cover behind the closet door. I placed my finger on my lips shushing my partner. Who in reality is invisible.

"I'll go check if they're still held captive or not. You'll distract them while I go in and save them. Understood?" Young esme whispered while holding her ear the same way mama always do when warning her something. "Alright! go! Go! Go!" She scurried away and blithely slide into the room, exaggerating..

"Drrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Boom! Boom! Dashhhh! Drrrrrrrr" With deep frowns and pouty lips, Little Esme continuously kept shooting the goons Like the way soldiers in TV do. "Owwwww!" Suddenly, she groaned and fell to the side as one of the opponent shot the little girl in the abdomen. She fell and hit her arm which scratched.

"Ouch! Mama! I'm injured!" She dropped the act and scratched the already scratched area. Mama looked up from her phone and glanced at her, With a shook of her head she stood up from the bed and walked towards her for checkups.

"Oh no!" She exclaimed and Immediately she snapped her head to meet her eyes which stared at the small injury with a deep frown. "This is bad! We need to rush you do the hospital fast!" She looked panicked which scared me. Tears well up my eyes and I shook my head. "Why mama? Is it that bad?" I scratched it again but she stopped me nodding her head and staring at me.

"Uhumm. Does pesky soldiers didn't protect my little Esme and now we have to take you to the doctor to stop the bleeding." She explained and a tear raced it's way down her cheek.

"No mama! I have to kill all those goons before they run away!" Esme tilted her head behind her mother while pointing her little finger to them and mama shook her head with a smile. "You're injured we need to treat you first" She said and I widened my eyes remembering something.

"Mama?" I asked her and she hummed looking at me. "You said first! Are you going to apply First Aid?"

"Yes, come little munchy. Let's clean the wound." Mama carried me which I laughed and swiveled me around the room and placing me down on the kitchen island once we reached the kitchen. While she was picking the box I snapped my head towards the back door with a glare. "Agent George! You're late! Go upstairs, the door to your left after the second corridor. You'll meet Kevin there. Go! Go! Go! Fast" I pointed to him while directing orders which he nodded and marched upstairs and I sighed face palming myself. "Soldiers are not supposed to me tardy"

"Show me your arm Esme" Mama said and I gave it to her. I winced when she placed the cotton onto the wound and even snatched my hands. "Mama! It hurts!"

"Soldiers don't complain when they injure." she gasped "Unless you're not a real soldier." She dropped the cotton and I shook my head in negative. "General Esmerey!" She exclaimed showing respect jumping onto her feet and standing straight on the table. "That's my Esme. Now get down, you go change after I clean your wound okay? I don't want you wasting any more tissues as protectors or any of my scarf." There we go again. Mama frowning at me while giving me lectures. Oh great, she's pinching her ear for me to listen. I nodded repeatedly otherwise and chuckled. "Are you listening at all Esme?" Mama frowned and I gasped.

"Yes mama." Little Esme nodded. I placed my hand on my chest noting how it's vibrating in a fast pace. "Esme.." Soon enough cute laughter surrounded the kitchen. "Mama looks funny." I covered my eyes and tried to stop smiling but I couldn't.

"Alright Esme... It's late now let's give you a shower." Esme nodded and her mother picked her up taking her to the tub in her room.

"Mama! The bubbles are drowning me." Little Esme pouted when her mum left to get the shampoo. "Bubbled can't frown you Esme. The water isn't stiff." Her mother replied her back facing the little girl who had a frown laced on her face. "Mama!" Esme called again when she felt herself dipping further into the tub. "Esme-" Her mother called turning around but it was too late. Little Esme was pulled from beneath the tub and successfully drowned.

"ESME!!" Her mother rushed to the tub where only her hair was floating on the water. Her mother reached into the water and in a blink of an eye her hair disappeared leaving bubbles bubbling onto the surface.

~~