Emergency responders arrived minutes later.
They widened the opening safely and discovered a narrow hidden room behind the hallway wall.
Inside sat a young girl around Lily’s age.
Her clothes were dirty.
She held an old teddy bear tightly against her chest.
Snack wrappers were scattered near her feet.
Lily had been secretly feeding her through the vent.
Rachel knelt several feet away.
What’s your name?
The girl hesitated.
Emily.
Daniel looked around the hidden space.
There was an old mattress.
Several bottles of water.
And a small box of photographs.
This was not an accidental hiding place.
Someone had used this room.
Daniel asked gently.
How long have you been here?
Emily shook her head.
I don’t know.
Rachel looked horrified.
One officer carefully carried Emily out.
As she passed Daniel, she suddenly stared at him.
Her eyes widened.
Daniel noticed.
What is it?
Emily reached toward the box of photographs.
She pulled out one old picture.
Then she handed it to him.
Daniel looked down.
The photograph showed two children standing beside each other decades earlier.
One of them was Daniel.
The other was a little girl he had not seen since childhood.
Daniel whispered her name.
Sarah.
Rachel looked at him.
Who is Sarah?
Daniel could barely answer.
My sister.
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