Camille’s hands trembled as she dialed her mother’s number. Her breath was ragged, heart pounding in her chest as she pressed the phone to her ear, listening to the endless ringing on the other end.
No answer.
She hung up and dialed again, her pulse quickening with each unanswered ring. “Come on, pick up… please…” she whispered, voice breaking under the weight of her growing fear.
Still nothing.
The boys hovered around her, their faces tense with concern. Noah placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch warm but unable to calm the rising panic gnawing at her insides.
“She’s not picking up,” Camille said, her voice barely a whisper. She could barely process what was happening—the ransacked house, her father’s disappearance. Now her mom wasn’t answering either.
“Let’s go to her work,” Leo suggested, his voice steady but his eyes betraying his worry. “She might be there. Maybe she’s just busy.”
Camille nodded, but dread twisted inside her like a vice. Something was terribly wrong.
Noah took the keys and they all piled into the car. As they sped through the quiet streets, the weight of silence pressed down on them. Camille stared out the window, her mind racing with every possible worst-case scenario. Her mother worked at a local gallery, a place she had always been so proud of. It was supposed to be her safe space—an escape from the chaos of the world. But now, even that felt tainted by the darkness creeping into their lives.
They pulled up to the gallery. Camille’s stomach dropped at the sight. The large glass windows were shattered, shards glinting under the streetlights. Inside, artwork was strewn across the floor, papers scattered, and chairs overturned. The place was in complete disarray—just like her house.
“No…” Camille whispered, her legs suddenly weak. She staggered toward the entrance, but Matthew caught her, steadying her before she could fall.
“Camille, wait,” he said, his voice soft but firm. “We don’t know what’s inside. Let us go first.”
Leo and Noah rushed ahead, carefully stepping over the broken glass as they entered the gallery. Camille watched in stunned silence, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps. This couldn’t be happening. Not her mom. Not both of them.
She followed after the boys, her heart pounding in her ears as she scanned the chaotic scene inside. The gallery was eerily quiet, the only sound being their footsteps crunching over the debris. There was no sign of her mother. No sign of anyone.
“Mom!” Camille called, her voice breaking.
Nothing.
Leo shook his head. “She’s not here.”
Camille’s legs finally gave out. She sank to the floor, her hands clutching the edge of a broken chair. “What is happening?” she choked, tears blurring her vision. “First my dad, now my mom… Why is this happening?”
Noah knelt beside her, his expression filled with guilt and frustration. “We’re going to find them, Camille. I promise we’ll find them.”
“But what if we don’t?” she sobbed, her voice barely audible. “What if they’re already…?” She couldn’t finish the sentence. The thought was too unbearable.
Matthew crouched next to her, his hand gripping hers tightly. “We won’t let that happen. Whoever took them—whatever this is, we’ll get them back.”
Camille buried her face in her hands, the weight of it all crashing down on her. This was all too much. Too fast. Her life had spiraled into a nightmare, and she couldn’t find a way out.
As the boys stood by, uncertain of how to comfort her, Camille’s phone buzzed.
She jumped at the sound, fumbling to pull it from her pocket. Her fingers shook as she unlocked it, expecting it to be another missed call or useless notification.
But what she saw made her blood run cold.
“Stop searching or they die. Your next move will decide their fate.”
There was no name, no number—just the chilling message staring back at her from the screen.
Camille’s breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding wildly. The words burned into her mind, each one like a knife twisting deeper into her chest.
“No…” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
“What is it?” Noah asked, kneeling beside her.
Camille held out the phone, her hand trembling as they all read the message. The boys exchanged dark, worried looks.
Leo’s face hardened. “Whoever this is, they’re watching us.”
“They know where we are,” Matthew added, his jaw clenched. “This isn’t random. They’re targeting you, Camille. Your family.”
Tears welled in her eyes again. “Why? What do they want from me?”
Noah’s voice was steady, though there was a storm in his eyes. “It’s not just you, Camille. This is bigger than we think. They’re playing a game, and we don’t know the rules.”
Camille stared down at the cryptic message, fear and confusion swirling in her mind. Her parents were missing—possibly taken by whoever sent this threat. And now, every decision she made could put their lives at risk.
“What do we do?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Matthew stood, his fists clenched. “We find out who’s behind this. And we stop them before they hurt anyone else.”
Leo nodded, determination etched into his features. “We’re not going to sit here and wait for them to come after us.”