I Promise I'll Go As Far As I Can

 Griffin's POV.

 "Aren't you hungry, Griffin?" Hailey asked while eating snacks.

 I shook my head. "No, but I feel like drinking milk. Can you make it for me? I can't make it myself because mommy put powdered milk on the top shelf."

 "Oh, why is that?"

 "In the past, I often ate powdered milk in secret while it was still on the table, so the milk ran out quickly and my mother scolded me. She said I shouldn't eat powdered milk directly, powdered milk should be brewed with boiling water and drunk." I explained long.

 With that explanation, Hailey actually chuckled. "Okay, okay, I'll make milk for you, Griffin." She said, then got up from the sofa.

 I didn't say a word in response to her sentence, I just nodded my head. My throat feels thirsty, that's why I'm uncomfortable talking. Even though I usually always make noise when I'm playing, now I'm always silent. I wanted to drink something sweet and that was milk, it felt like drinking milk this morning wasn't enough for me.

 Mom is working, that's why I'm with Hailey now, she's mom's close friend. One thing I know, Hailey and mom have been friends since they were both in school. It's amazing how long a friendship lasts. I hope that when I grow up, I have friends like Hailey.

 Unlike mom, Hailey took quite a long time to make a glass of milk for me. I don't know what she was doing behind my back, I felt like I couldn't wait to immediately drink milk to get my throat wet again. When I was about to follow Hailey into the kitchen, I heard the sound of a bell. I decided to turn around and walk towards the door.

 "Just let me open the door, Hailey." I said, half shouting.

 "Okay, Griffin." Hailey replied to me too by half shouting.

 My two feet walked towards the door, my hand grabbed the door handle and opened it. "H-hi." I said to someone I didn't recognize at all.

 "Hi." She said with a friendly smile. "I'm Gloria, one of your mom's work friends."

 My forehead frowned. "I never saw you in the boutique, sorry." I stepped back a little and was about to close the door.

 "W-wait." She said holding me back. "I'm not usually in the boutique because I work in the back. Isn't your mother's name Amelie?"

 I nodded my head. If she is someone unfamiliar, shouldn't she not know my mother's name? "Yeah, why?"

 "Well, she's waiting for us. Come with me."

 My forehead frowned even more. "What for? Why didn't mom pick me up herself?"

 "Uhm, geez. Why do you ask so many questions?!" She sighed. "If you don't believe it then listen to this." She took something out of his pocket.

 "Griffin, it's mom. I told Gloria to pick you up, come with her." I heard mom's voice clearly.

 "Is there anything else you want to ask?"

 I shook my head without saying anything.

 "Okay then, now come with me before it's too late."

 She took my hand and we got into the elevator. There is no one here besides me and Gloria. I was still silent while Gloria was busy with her smartphone, I didn't know what she was doing there.

 Like Hailey, she continues to focus on the smartphone in her hand. I think it's the only mom in this world who isn't constantly busy with her smartphone and chooses to give me play time, even though she's feeling tired after work.

 When the elevator doors opened, Gloria took my hand again. The fast pace of her two feet made it a little difficult for her to adjust. Until finally we were in the parking lot and Gloria opened the door of an old black car.

 "Come in," said Gloria then.

 I looked to the right and left, as if I felt something strange was happening. "Where is mom? You said she was waiting for me."

 "Yeah." She exhaled. "She was going to the convenience store for a moment to buy something, I think it would be better if we waited for him inside, don't you think?"

 Her hand pushed me to get into the car. Her stronger strength made it difficult for me to resist and I sat in the middle seat. She closed the car door and stepped into the driver's seat. From inside the car I was still watching her. Her face didn't look friendly at all, not like Hailey or even Delvia, who was Mama's boss. They are always friendly when they meet you. She doesn't look like mom's friend.

 Her movements were so rough when she closed the car door. Without saying anything she started the car engine and drove away. Along with it I saw mom walking towards the apartment. For a few moments I looked at mom and Gloria alternately. It seemed Gloria was unaware of Mom's presence.

 "Stop ...!" I said after a while and could speak. "That's it mom, why don't we go with mom?!"

 She laughed heartily. "We'll just go together, Griffin."

 "No, I don't want to go with you!" I looked back. "Mama ... Mama, help me. Mama ...!"

 "Scream ... scream as loud as you can, Griffin. She won't hear you."

 Mama entered the apartment and the car Gloria was driving was driving away. I sat down and tried to calm down, my eyes looked around, maybe there was something I could use to save myself. I really regret that I believed and accepted her invitation, she was so cunning! She used my mommy voice to get me to come with her. Gloria is really evil!

 It cannot be denied, this is also my fault. I shouldn't trust other people, especially those I just met for the first time. Sitting in the middle seat, I silently watched Gloria who was driving the car. My mind was trying to figure out how to get out of the car and get back to the apartment. Should I disturb her while driving? What happens if an accident occurs? That's scary. For a while I still couldn't find a way.

 The car suddenly stopped, turning to the right and left I only saw darkness here. The road in front of the car that was hit by the headlights couldn't even be seen in its entirety. I could only see a straight road and dark left and right. There's nothing I can see.

 Gloria sighed as she looked back. "Earlier you were very talkative and asked a lot of questions, now suddenly you have become quiet. Is it because now you know what is going on?"

 "You're so mean, Gloria."

 She laughed. "Everyone says that and I don't care."

 Seeing her ugly face, I felt annoyed and didn't want to stay here any longer. The car stopping seemed like an opportunity for me. I can get out of the car now and leave, although I don't know where I am now the most important thing is that I am no longer with her.

 Gloria's eyes weren't looking at me. Slowly my hand reached for the car handle and tried to open it. Before my hand could reach the handle, Gloria raised her eyes and looked at me. Suddenly I immediately accelerated my movements but found the door was locked.

 Gloria's eyes stared at me sharply. "Are you trying to save yourself? It's useless, your action won't work." Gloria burst into laughter.

 "What do you really want?!"

 "You don't need to know that, Griffin, the most important thing right now is that you stay here with me."