It was a normal night unlike any other. At least, at this point it was. We had family dinner, watched a movie, and my mother helped me with my 1st grade math homework. We also went over my spelling words.
I complained, “Momma! I already know these!”
My mom replied, “One more time, then go get your shower and we’ll lay down and watch a movie. How’s that sound?”
Reluctantly, I agreed. I went to take my long shower. I never took one shorter than 30 minutes. This would always cause me to get yelled at for “running up the hot water bill.” I personally never saw it as a problem. Then, as I was right in the middle of washing my hair, I heard my mother’s stern voice.
“Kasie Jo Smith. I told you not to run up the hot water bill. Now, hurry up!” I could just imagine the image of my mom standing outside the closed door with her hands on her hops. I “hurried” and finished washing my hair, and got out. I grabbed the towel my mom had laid out for me, and wrapped it around my tiny body, and walked up the stairs to get clothes. I for dressed, and grabbed my softest pillow, and ran down the stairs just as fast as my little legs would take me. My mom had the popcorn ready and let me pick the movie. I had the choice between Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty. I chose Sleeping Beauty (it was my all-time favorite). My mo put it in the VHS player since we didn’t have it on DVD. I must have fallen asleep quickly because the next thing I knew I was waking up to the sound of the front doorbell ringing. Since I had fallen asleep on the couch, I could see perfectly out the front windows. But all I could see was the blinding red, blue, and white flashing lights. I then, turned over to see the front door wide open, my mom and step-dad, and two uniformed police officers standing there. I was too terrified to say a word, so I just laid there and listened.
“Hello Dr. and Mrs. Blaise,” said the first cop. He was tall and slender with a deep, raspy voice, kind of like he had a bad cold.
“Good evening officers,” said my mom, “can I ask what the problem is?”
“Yes ma’am. We got a 9-1-1 call from this residence no more than ten minutes ago,” said the second officer. He was shorter, but no less slender with a very deep, gruff voice.
Shocked, both my parents’ jaws dropped. My step-dad was the first to speak.
“What?! I’m sorry officer but my family and I have been sleeping for hours. No one would’ve called 9-1-1.”
“Are there any children in the house?”
My mom spoke up, but her voice cracked. She must have still been shocked. She regained composure and choked out, “my daughter Kasie. She’s six and asleep.”
By this time I was off the couch and on my way to the door. While in the process I whispered “No, I’m not.” She spun around, asking me when I had woken up. Innocently, I replied, “When the doorbell rang, I just didn’t say anything.”
The taller officer spoke up, “Hey sweetie. How are you?”
“Well, I was fine until I was woken up.”
“Did you call 9-1-1? You know if it was a prank you can get in serious trouble?”
“Yes, I know, but I didn’t do it. I was sleeping.”
My mom cut in, “She sleepwalks on occasion, but it always wakes me up, and I was awake until you arrived.”
We had a serious case on our hands, what or who dialed 9-1-1 from within our house? As I was thinking, another cop car pulled up. This time I recognized the cop that stepped out of the driver’s side door. It was my Aunt Kim. I was happy to see her, but I knew it wasn’t good; she was only sent out when there was a serious problem that needed detective work. She walked up to the front door where everyone else was already standing and said, “David, Kali, Kasie, do you mind if we take a look around?”
“No, go right ahead,” both my parents said, “we have nothing to hide.”
They walked in and found nothing on the main floor. My aunt walked upstairs to look around and reports back to the other two officers that she had found nothing as well. They turned and asked if there was another floor. My aunt spoke before anyone else, “Yes, there is. Right this way.” She led them to the basement door. After this the first two officers opened the door, and walked down the stairs. We flipped on the light switch and saw nothing out of the ordinary. We stepped down onto the hard wood floor after walking down the flight of stairs. The wood was cool and slick. I would know, I had eaten the dust a couple times before on the same floor we were now walking on. Everyone walked around, the officers with the mag-lites shining around on everything. Then I heard the distinct sound of the beeping of the phone off the hook. This was suspicious and frightening, because no one goes downstairs. I turned to tell everyone when I saw the back door of the basement sitting wide open letting in the cool night’s breeze. By this time, I was so frightened, that it caused me to take a step back. I stepped back only to feel a slimy warm liquid touch the bottom of my tiny bare foot. My blood-curdling scream rang throughout the neighborhood. The officers rushed over and shined their flashlights on the ground where I stood. The Light shone upon red footprints, better known as bloody footprints. I didn’t know what to do. By now, I was crying inconsolably. My mom picked me up, making sure my feet didn’t touch her.
The first officer spoke, “I’m sorry, but we’re going to have to conduct a full investigation.”
My mom spoke next, “That’s fine, but can we please take our daughter to a relative’s house? This is too much for a child to handle, and I’m sure she has been traumatized enough for one night. We’ll promise to come back and sort this entire thing out.” I could hear the emotion in my mom’s voice. This had been enough to traumatize her too.
The second officer said, “That’s fine. But only one of you takes her.”
My mom, still holding me close, walked up the stairs, and went to the garage. She started the car, and opened the garage door. As we backed down the driveway, my crying had come to a halt. I was shocked, to see the face of a lady, standing in the tree line next to our house. I was too scared to make out any words.
I stuttered, “Ma-ma-ma-MOM! LOOK!” as I was point out the car window, in a near panic. She turned to the side, and slammed on the breaks, almost sending me flying into the front seat. She saw the same ghostly figure I did. By this time the figure was on the run, across the road, and through the yard of our neighbor. We were frozen in panic and didn’t know what to do. We ran back into the house to tell everyone what we had seen. But it was no use, the person was gone, and the case would soon be cold. If only they had found the girl with the bloody feet.