In my despair, I flung the backpack to the ground and burst into tears. As it hit the pavement, a small piece of paper fluttered out. With shaking hands, I picked it up and unfolded it. Two words stared back at me: “Green House.”
My breath caught in my throat. The Green House! How did Amber end up there? It was an old, abandoned house in the neighborhood, known for its peeling green paint and overgrown yard. I didn’t think anyone lived there anymore. I had to find her, and I had to find her now.
Adrenaline surged through my veins as I rushed to my car. The drive to the Green House was a blur, my mind overwhelmed with a thousand thoughts. What if she was hurt? What if I was too late? The mere thought of losing her was unbearable.
The Desperate Search
As I arrived at the Green House, its dark silhouette against the evening sky loomed ahead. I parked my car and ran towards the building, my heart pounding in my chest. The air was heavy with silence, only broken by the sound of my frantic footsteps.
“Amber!” I called out, my voice echoing through the empty corridors. “Amber, it’s Mom! Where are you?”
A faint whimpering sound reached my ears, leading me in the right direction. I weaved through the debris and broken walls, following the sound. Finally, in a small, dimly lit room, I found her. Amber was huddled in a corner, her tear-streaked face turned towards me.
“Mom!” she cried, and I rushed to her side, enveloping her in my arms. She was shaking, overwhelmed with fear.
“Oh, Amber,” I whispered, holding her close. “Thank God, I found you.”
The Truth Unveiled
Through her tears, Amber told me what had happened. She had been taken by a mentally ill woman who lived in the Green House. The woman believed Amber was her long-lost daughter, lost to her years ago. In her confused state, she had lured Amber inside with a story of needing help, then kept her there, convinced she was protecting her.
Amber assured me that the woman wasn’t violent, just deeply troubled. She provided food and shelter but wouldn’t let Amber leave, convinced that the outside world was too dangerous. Though Amber wasn’t physically harmed, she had been scared and confused, unable to comprehend why this was happening to her.
