"One you like"

[Andrea Vestrand]

"Pick whichever one you like", she said to the four year old princess leaning precariously over the shallow pool. Decked out in little pick converse and a matching news boy cap the child's innocent eyes look up towards the aging woman as she speaks to no one in particular, "She would have been the same age as Sophie... Or little Marcus... Never did find out which". "Pardon me?", said the young women standing beside the child, "How did you know my daughter's name?". Shaking loose the chills, the woman who's bright red name tag reads Patti, simply bends down, eye to eye with the little girl. "Whichever one you like", she said as the child's little fingers wrap around the ugliest duckling amongst the plastic bunch and hands it to the woman. Rejecting the offer, Patti's sorrow reflects from the pool below and she whispers, "No winning mark on that one but you keep it...", taking a soft breath, "... Just be sure not to throw it away for it might be the only one you get".

[Sissy Anderson]

Powerful message, good character creation with Patti.

[Debbie Black]

Unsettling, well told tale.