Chapter 2: The Boy in the Basement
Chapter 2: The Boy in the Basement
The basement light flickered as I stumbled down the wooden stairs two at a time.
"Noah!"
My voice echoed against the concrete walls.
No answer.
Only another weak, raspy breath.
Emily rushed behind me, her hands trembling so violently she had to grip the railing just to stay upright.
Then I saw him.
My little boy was curled into a tight ball on the freezing concrete floor beside a stack of broken cardboard boxes. His blue hoodie was soaked with sweat, and fresh vomit stained the front of his shirt.
His emergency backpack sat on a shelf six feet away.
His phone was gone.
"Noah..."
I dropped to my knees so hard they slammed against the concrete.
His skin burned beneath my hand.
His lips were pale.
His body shook uncontrollably.
When he finally opened his eyes, they barely focused on me.
"Dad..."
It was almost too quiet to hear.
"I called..."
Those two words shattered me.
Emily collapsed beside him, wrapping him in her arms while sobbing into his hair.
"Oh, sweetheart... Mommy's here."
Noah tried to smile.
"I wasn't bad..."
My chest tightened so hard I couldn't breathe.
"You were never bad," I whispered.
"Never."
I scooped him into my arms.
He was frighteningly light.
His head rested against my shoulder without any strength at all.
As I carried him upstairs, Sarah stood frozen near the kitchen doorway.
"I didn't know he was actually sick," she stammered.
"I thought he was faking."
I walked past her without looking.
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For the first time in my life...
My sister no longer existed.
