We’re almost at the playground kids.” Grandma Renee said as she glanced at the twins in her rearview mirror.
“About time,” seven year old Tyler replied.
“Get smart again and I’ll turn this car around.” Grandma Renee said, pulling into the parking lot.
“He didn't mean it Grandma,” Taylor said as she punched her twin brother in the arm.
After putting the car in park and turning off the ignition Grandma Renee tucked her purse under the drivers’ seat. Hitting the automatic locks she and her best friend Tonya got out of the front seats and opened up the back doors for the twins. Grandma Renee still had the child locks on the back doors because sometimes the twins liked to pull the handles while the car was in motion.
“Make sure you two stay where we can see you.” Tonya yelled to the twins as they took off for the playscape.
Grandma Renee and Tonya went to their favorite bench and sat down. This had been a routine of theirs since the twins were born. At first they would sit at the bench with the babies in a stroller and watch the other kids play. As the twins got older they also joined the other kids but eventually the only time they could come to the park was when it was completely empty, today she made an exception.
“They’re getting bigger by the day aren’t they?” Tonya asked as she watched the kids go up the playscape stairs.
“Yes they are, you should see the things they get into at home.” Renee replied laughing.
Renee and Tonya talked for maybe an hour and a half as the twins played around. Things seemed to be going good, but then Renee got this feeling in the pit of her stomach that she just couldn't shake. Tonya, noticing the unease on her best friend's face leaned over to her and whispered.
“You don't look so great, is everything alright?”
I'm not sure, keep your eyes on Tyler and Taylor though.” Renee replied while scanning the playground.
The sky started to take on a pitch black tint which made Tonya and Renee really nervous. Renee jumped up off the bench to find Tyler and Taylor before something could go wrong. It seemed to be too late though, a dark cloud was hovering over the playground with lines of lightning flashing throughout it.
“We have to find the twins now!” Renee yelled to Tonya as she ran at full speed.
The dark clouds disappeared just as suddenly as they had come. The screams that began let Renee know that she hadn’t been fast enough. When Renee and Tonya arrived at the sandbox, they pushed through the crowd of people so they could find the twins. The gruesome display inside of the sandbox was a surprise to the onlookers but not to Renee and Tonya.
“Who could do something so terrible?” one of the mothers’ cried out as she held her baby close to her chest.
In the sandbox was a little boy with severe cuts and a broken leg, the little screams that came from his mouth would shatter any parents heart. The sand under his broken leg had begun to turn red. Mothers and Fathers started to pull their crying children away from the scene in an effort to console them. Renee reached into her pocket, pulled out her cell phone and dialed the police. Tonya pulled Tyler and Taylor to the side to ask them what happened.
“What did you two do?” Tonya whispered to them as she crouched down to their eye level.
“It was an accident, Ms. Tonya we swear.” they said together.
Renee walked over to Tonya and the twins. “What happened and don’t you two dare lie to me either.”
“Taylor and I were building a sand castle when that boy came over to us and started being a bully.” Tyler started.
“He started to say mean things about me and then he kicked over our sand castle.” Taylor continued.
“When we told him to stop, he pushed Taylor over the edge of the sandbox,” Tyler added.
“I tried to get up but he kept pushing me back down and I hurt myself.” Taylor said, showing her grandmother and Tonya her scratches.
“When Taylor started to cry I got mad and then.....” Tyler finished letting his voice trail off.
“So you were defending your sister?” Tonya asked him.
“Yes ma’am, he wouldn't stop pushing her.” Tyler replied, looking at his feet.
We can't leave until the police get here and tell us it’s okay. Everybody saw the twins in the sandbox with the little boy, so I'm pretty sure they will be questioned.
Renee, Tony, Taylor and Tyler sat at one of the empty picnic tables waiting for the police to arrive. The paramedics had already come and had taken the little boy to the nearest childrens’ hospital. Ten minutes later the police had arrived and the channel two news was also on the scene.
“Can anybody give us an idea of exactly what happened here?” one of the officers said looking at the group of adults that were scattered around still trying to calm their children down.
Four officers went around to the parents and children asking what they had seen. After about twenty minutes two officers approached the picnic table.
“Did you two ladies see anything?” a female officer asked, glancing between them and the twins.
“We were sitting too far back to see anything.” Tonya replied.
“Can you show us where you were?” The officer asked.
“Right over there on that park bench, it's our favorite spot. Been sitting there since the kids were babies.” Renee said, pointing to the bench across the way.
“Before you leave I need to get your contact information just in case me or another officer has any follow up questions that may need answering.” the female officer replied, flipping to a fresh page in her notebook.
Tonya took the twins over to the car as Renee recited her cell number and address to the officer. Tonya opened the back door for the twins and let them in, she then went around to the passengers’ side and sat down. They watched Renee talk to the officer for a few more moments and then walk in the opposite direction of the car.
“Where is grandma going?” Taylor asked, staring out the window at her grandmother.
“I don’t know Taylor, let's just watch.” Tonya replied, also staring at Renee.
Five minutes passed, then ten minutes passed. After about forty five minutes of waiting Tyler asked Tonya if she could call their grandmother to check on her. Tonya called Renee but the call went to voicemail making Tonya worry a little but she had to keep a brave face for the twins.
“If she isn't back in twenty minutes then we are getting out and going to look for her,” Tonya said looking in the backseat at them.
Ten minutes passed before Renee appeared in the distance walking back over to the car. It took her another five minutes before she reached the car and got in.
“Grandma, where were you?! We were starting to worry.” Tyler and Taylor asked at the same time.
“I'm sorry kids, I just had to go and clear some things up that’s all.” Renee replied, taking the car out of park and pulling out of the parking lot.
“We were getting ready to come looking for you if you had been any longer.” Tonya replied.
The car sat at a red light and they could see the parents starting to pack up their kids and leave the park. Police officers had taped off the sandbox with caution tape and kept the onlookers from getting too close. Channel two news was reporting live from the scene about the incident. The light turned green and Renee drove off, trying to get her grandkids away from the park.
“What happened grandma?” Taylor asked, looking at the side of her grandmothers’ face.
“Nothing, I just went to the bathroom and walked around trying to see if I could hear what people were saying about the whole thing.” Renee replied to her granddaughter.
They rode in silence for about an hour and then Tyler asked “Are we in trouble grandma?”
“I'm not sure, all I know is the police are still investigating and they are focused on the two of you.” Renee replied honestly, holding tight to the steering wheel.
“But why us? Did you tell them it was self defense? I didn't mean to hurt him, I swear?” Tyler rambled off.
“All of the parents that the officers questioned stated that you two were the only ones in the sandbox with that boy when the dark cloud suddenly appeared.”
“Are we going to be taken away?” Taylor asked with a slight tremble in her voice.
“No, no one will ever take you guys away from me, not if I can help it.” Renee said through clenched teeth.
“Well what's' next Renee, where are we going?” Tonya asked, looking at her best friend.
Instead of answering the question Renee pushed down on the gas pedal and drove the car over a cliff. The screams of her grandchildren and her best friend was the last thing she heard before everything went black.
