I’m taking a creative nonfiction class from one of the masters in the field, Lee Gutkind. Here is my first assignment: A scene. That’s it. Those were our instructions. Write a scene about something that happened between the times our class met, maximum 250 words. Here’s what I came up with. Enjoy.

Han Solo disappeared at approximately 6:15 a.m. Mountain Time. Considering he was encased in plastic carbonite at the time, it seemed unlikely he vacated the home under his own power.

The father figure in this tragic scenario was visibly more shaken than the youngster to whom Mr. Solo belonged.

“When’s the last time you saw it?” Dad asked, teeth grinding. The Lego set had been a birthday gift to Toby, five years old for no longer than a week.

“I don’t know,” replied Toby.

“Did you play with him with Grandma last night?”

“No.”

“With Mommy?”

“No!”

“Well then where did you—okay. Let’s start over.”

“He’s gone,” Toby explained patiently.

“Yes,” said Dad. “I see that. But I highly doubt someone broke into the house undetected for the sole purpose of stealing Lego Han Solo.”

“He’s gone.”

Dad rubbed his face, held up his hands, and announced, “You know what? We’ll look again tonight after sch—”

“Here he is!” said Toby, reaching under a cabinet and proudly displaying Mr. Solo, still encased in his plastic carbonite.

Problem solved. And yet, Dad’s relief was slow in coming; how had Solo managed to get himself under there in the first place, and how to prevent it in the future?

Suspicion for the kidnapping currently rests on the dog.