The police officer continues to look Laura over thoughtfully. She speaks into her radio.
“Hey, George, were you sure this kid is actually a toddler? He really looks like he should be in kindergarten.” The radio crackles with static for a moment.
“He wet himself when he saw me,” says the voice of the first police officer.
“He could’ve just been scared of seeing a cop.”
“Kindergarteners don’t wear diapers.”
“Some wear them to bed,” retorts the woman. Laura’s stomach churns. She’s about to be found out. What should she do? She can’t run away like this. She’d get caught immediately. Just then, Laura feels a growing pressure in her bowels.
Laura sucks on the pacifier for some semblance of courage as she prepares to do the unthinkable. She pushes. The officer looks at her. Messing herself on purpose would be difficult enough to do. Messing herself on purpose in front of someone is even worse. Laura begins to grunt with effort as she forces out a thick log into her diaper. The officer’s eyes widen.
“Okay, I think I believe that he’s a toddler now,” the officer says into her radio. “He’s pooping. On purpose, it looks like.”
“Well, you better take him to the daycare, then,” comes the response over the radio.
“Roger that. Let them know I’m coming. Once he finishes pooping.” With a final grunt and push, Laura finishes messing herself. Tears spring to the corners of her eyes. Her ruse was successful, but she’s no better off than before. The officer picks Laura up and brings her to a nearby patrol car, where Laura is buckled into a car seat in the back.
Within a few minutes, they arrive at the police station. The officer carries in Laura, whose thoroughly soiled diaper sags and smells. They go past the front desk, through the bullpen, and over to a door with a sign reading “Childcare Center”. The officer opens the door.
“Got another abandoned toddler for you,” the officer says to the daycare worker at the front desk. The daycare worker looks up. “Before you ask, we don’t have any leads on his parents and he hasn’t said his name.”
“We’re pretty good at getting that information out of kids,” the daycare worker chirps. The officer hands Laura over. “Ooh, you’re a big boy!” Her nose twitches. “A big stinky boy!”
“Yeah, he needs a change.”
“Not a problem. We’ll take good care of him. Keep us updated on his case,” the daycare worker says. The officer nods and leaves. Laura is carried over to a changing table. The worker removes Laura’s clothes and diaper. Her eyes widen. “Oh! A tomboy!” Laura sucks on the pacifier in response. “Don’t worry, we won’t make you wear dresses. You can keep wearing what you’ve got on.” The worker wipes Laura down, tapes on a fresh diaper, and redresses her. “All right! Why don’t you go play with the others?” The worker sets Laura down on the floor by some toddlers and walks away.
Laura looks at the other children wearing diapers. One, a boy about three, looks back at her. Something about his gaze seems older than a toddler. He lets out a loud fart. The daycare worker comes back over.
“Looks like I’ve got another poopy diapy to change!” The daycare worker picks the boy up and carries him over to the changing tables. Laura gets to her feet and toddles to wear the boy was sitting. Just before he was picked up, she thought she saw him hide something in a pile of stuffed animals. She inspects the toys. Her eyes widen. Underneath a plush giraffe is a pair of dice identical to hers. The boy must be in the same situation she is.
Laura needs to talk to him. Maybe they can come up with an escape plan together. But when will she get the chance?