The sun rose on a crisp autumn morning as Ella stood in the kitchen, packing the children’s lunchboxes. Leo and Liam were bubbling with excitement about their upcoming school project, while Grace, ever the quiet observer, doodled on the counter with a crayon. Ethan rushed in, straightening his tie as he grabbed a piece of toast.
“Big meeting today?” Ella asked, glancing up at him.
“Yeah, and I don’t want to be late,” Ethan replied. He crouched to give each child a quick hug, ruffling Leo’s hair and planting a kiss on Grace’s forehead. “You all behave, okay?”
“We will!” the kids chorused.
Ella smiled softly as Ethan turned to her. “I’ll see you later,” he said.
“Good luck,” she replied, her tone warm.
After dropping the children off at school, Ella waved at them as they disappeared into the building. She watched their small figures until they were out of sight, a familiar wave of love and protectiveness washing over her. If only she knew it might be the last time she saw them.
Back at home, Ella spent the morning catching up on work, her laptop humming as she typed furiously. Her to-do list seemed endless, but she relished the productivity. Around noon, she decided to run to the grocery store, jotting down a list of essentials before heading out.
At the same time, in the bustling playground of the school, Leo, Liam, and Grace played their favorite game of hide-and-seek during lunch break. The twins laughed and chased each other, their joyful voices blending with the sounds of other children. Grace, the youngest and most cautious of the group, stayed near the edge of the playground, sipping water from a bottle she’d fetched from inside.
Unbeknownst to anyone, a pair of calculating eyes watched from a distance. Tania stood near the perimeter fence, her lips curling into a sinister smile. She had waited for weeks, carefully planning her move. Today, she decided, was the perfect moment.
Her pulse quickened as she saw Grace wander indoors, leaving Liam and Leo engrossed in their game. “Now’s the time,” Tania murmured under her breath.
Moving with purpose, she slipped past the distracted teachers supervising the children. Tania had spent days observing their routines, knowing exactly when their attention would falter. She approached the twins quickly, her movements precise and deliberate.
“Hey there, boys,” she said, her voice honeyed yet firm.
Leo looked up, his brow furrowing. “Who are you?”
“Your mom’s friend,” Tania lied smoothly, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket. Before Liam could question her further, she grabbed their collars, her movements swift and practiced. The boys struggled, their cries muffled as the chloroform-soaked cloth pressed against their noses. Within seconds, their small bodies went limp.
Tania glanced around, ensuring no one had noticed. She hoisted the unconscious boys over her shoulders, her heart racing as she carried them to her car parked just beyond the fence. She slid them into the backseat, securing them with straps she’d prepared in advance.
“Finally,” she muttered, slamming the door and speeding away.
Grace returned to the playground moments later, clutching her water bottle. She scanned the area, expecting to see her brothers, but they were nowhere in sight. A pang of unease struck her small chest as she wandered around, calling out their names.
“Liam? Leo? Where are you?”
Her eyes darted toward the road, just in time to see a car speeding away. Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the driver. “Mommy?” she whispered, her voice trembling. It wasn’t her real mother, but Tania-an adult she feared more than she could understand.
Panic set in as she ran to the supervising teachers. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she tugged at one of their sleeves. “My brothers! Liam and Leo! I can’t find them!”
The teacher, Ms. Daniels, knelt to Grace’s level, her expression concerned. “Calm down, sweetie. Where did you see them last?”
“They were playing here,” Grace sobbed, pointing to the playground. “But they’re gone! And… and I saw Mommy driving away!”
Ms. Daniels frowned. “Driving away? Are you sure?”
Grace nodded, hiccuping through her tears. The teacher’s concern deepened as she stood and alerted the other staff. Within minutes, the playground was in chaos as teachers searched every corner of the school grounds, calling out the twins’ names.
Grace clung to Ms. Daniels, her small body shaking as the realization sank in. Liam and Leo weren’t just hiding-they were gone.
At the grocery store, Ella was in the checkout line, idly scrolling through her phone when her screen lit up with an incoming call. It was the school. A cold chill ran down her spine as she answered.
“Hello?”
“Miss Ella, this is Ms. Daniels from the school. We need you to come here immediately.”
Ella’s heart sank. “What happened? Are the kids okay?”
“There’s been an incident. Your sons, Liam and Leo… we can’t find them.”
The words hit her like a freight train. “What do you mean you can’t find them?!”
“We’re searching everywhere,” Ms. Daniels assured her, though her voice betrayed her own panic. “But we need you here.”
“I’m on my way,” Ella said, abandoning her groceries and sprinting to her car.
The drive to the school was a blur. Ella’s hands trembled on the wheel as worst-case scenarios flooded her mind. By the time she arrived, the parking lot was swarming with concerned parents and teachers.
Grace ran to her the moment she stepped out of the car, tears streaking her red face. “Auntie! Liam and Leo are gone!” she wailed, clutching Ella tightly.
Ella knelt, holding Grace close as she fought to keep her own composure. “It’s okay, sweetheart. We’ll find them.”
Ms. Daniels approached, her expression grim. “We’ve alerted the authorities. They’re on their way.”
Ella nodded, her mind racing. “Grace said she saw someone driving away. Did anyone else see anything?”
“No one reported anything unusual,” Ms. Daniels admitted. “But we’re reviewing security footage now.”
Ella’s blood ran cold. Deep down, she had a sinking feeling about who was responsible. “Tania,” she whispered, her jaw tightening.
“Who?”
“Tania,” Ella repeated, her voice firm. “She’s their… She’s Grace’s mother.”
Before Ms. Daniels could respond, a police cruiser pulled into the lot. Ella stood, her protective instincts kicking into overdrive. Whatever it took, she would bring her boys back.
The officer approached, taking her statement as other officers began canvassing the area. Ella clung to Grace, her heart pounding with fear and fury.
Wherever Tania had taken Liam and Leo, Ella vowed she would find them. Nothing else mattered.