The Trilogy of the Perfect Child

What a perfect day!  What a perfect evening!  Only one thing could top it now.  A nice chilled glass of ice tea.  I grabbed my camp cup and went to the edge of the stream where my tea was now the same temperature as the icy water.  I poured a first cup and savored the taste.  It was one of my favorite evening teas, Celestial Seasons "Sleepy time".  A pleasant tea for such a serene evening.  Again I filled my cup and turned to the campfire.  I almost dropped my cup in the sand when I saw standing by the campfire, a child.  Maybe five.  She stood there in a dirty white dress, missing a shoe, one thumb in her mouth and her other hand hanging by her side clutching a small dirty stuffed bear.

"Hello," I said to her.  She stared at me sucking her thumb like it was a steak dinner.  "Are you camping here honey?" I asked.  I noticed she had blonde, almost white hair, now matted and dirty, and the deepest blue eyes I had ever seen.  I realized this was my skittish critter.  "Are you hungry?"  I slowly started to approach her, but she turned and ran behind the boulder.  I waited for her to appear on the other side, but when she didn't, I decided to continue to talk to her.  Surely this child must be starving, and if she was lost, very likely terrified as well.  "I have some cookies here.  I wonder if some little girl might want one.  Maybe I should just leave one out here on this big rock.  And you know what else?  I think I have some nice cold milk that would go nicely along with it."  I didn't walk around the edge of the rock for fear of scaring her again.  I knew that she must be starving and didn't want to risk running her off.  "Well,".. yawn...  "I think I will lie down for a short nap."  With that I went into my van and found my cellular.  As I next moved to my tent I said, "Well, I guess I'll just leave that milk and cookie out there so maybe some little girl might enjoy them."  I ducked into my tent and sat down inside.  Quietly I dialed 911.

"Hello, this is John Alford.  I am camped up here and all day long have been followed by a child.  She appears to be about five and from the looks of it, has been here for some time.  I know she must be hungry, she has been following me all day and unless she is a good hunter, there isn't anything up here for her to eat.  I'm sure she's terrified, and it gets really cold up here at night.  .. what?... yes, blonde, with blue eyes... yes, wearing a short white dress... yes, and a teddy bear.."  The next statement coming from the other end of the line sent chills down my spine.

"Sir, we have had reports of that child for the last 10 years.  We have had search party after search party up there, and have never turned up even the slightest evidence of a lost child.  I know it is disconcerting, but we think she is an apparition of some sort.  We can't explain it, but we know that she doesn't really exist."  I stared disbelieving at the phone.  "Sir?  Sir, are you still there?  Mr. Alford?", it rattled.