STORM - (Intersex)

CHAPTER 16

CLARA

He's gone. My son's gone. My girlfriend's not answering her phone, the police can't do anything, and I'm just sitting here... alone.

"Ma'am, is there anyone else who could be with your son right now? His father or a family member?" one of the officers asks gently.

"His father isn't answering, and my family is abroad," I manage, my voice shaky as the tears start to well up. I'm trying so hard to hold them back. Lee has been pacing up and down the room, but I don't even have the strength to stop her.

"How could this have happened?" I whisper, the weight of it all crashing down on me.

"That fucking daycare! I'm going to sue it for every penny!" Lee yells, her anger spilling over. I stand and rub her shoulders, trying to calm her down.

"He's a psycho, but he's my psycho," she adds, her voicecracking as tears start to fall. She sniffles, struggling to hold it together. Seeing my best friend like this is tearing me apart, but I can't break down—not yet. The officers keep checking the rooms, talking to Lee, while I pace restlessly.

Suddenly, we all whip our heads toward the front door as we hear it open and close. In walks Tyler and Fran, smiling—until they see the police. The smiles fade immediately.

"What's going on?" Tyler asks, concern etched on her face as she steps closer. But I can't even answer. I just rush into her arms, the dam breaking as all the tears I've been holding back pour out.

"He—he's missing..." I choke out between sobs.

"What do you mean? Who's missing? Where's Eli?" Tyler's voice trembles as she holds me tighter, her own fear rising.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry to inform you, but your son was taken from daycare by someone claiming to be his uncle," the officer says, his voice steady but heavy with the weight of the news.

"Marco isn't even in town! WHERE IS HE?!" Tyler yells, her voice cracking as she turns to Lee, desperate for answers.

"He's gone, Tyler... we don't know where he is," Lee whispers, her voice barely audible, filled with anguish.

I still have my arms wrapped around Tyler, but I feel her body go limp, her knees buckling beneath her as she crumples to the floor. She clings to me, her sobs filling the room, and soon we're both crying, the weight of the situation crushing us.

The entire room falls into a suffocating silence, broken only by the sound of our grief.

This can't be happening. It just can't be real.

TYLER

It feels like I've been ripped apart and left for dead. My son. Our son. It's been twenty-seven hours, and we've received no phone calls, no ransom demands—nothing. It's been hell. Sleeping is impossible, eating feels pointless, and thinking clearly is a struggle. Clara's gone silent, her once stone-cold demeanour now ten times colder, with all her walls rebuilt. But when the house is empty, she falls apart in my arms, and I must be the strong one. I've cried more in the past few hours than I ever thought possible.

I just want him safe, out of danger. He's so young—too young—for this.

"Baby..." I hear Clara's voice, and I turn around to see her, tears streaming down her face.

"It's okay," I whisper, pulling her closer. "He's a strong boy. We won't stop until we find him." She nods, cuddling into me, soft sniffles escaping her. We're all huddled on the sofa, the same position we've been in for hours. Just waiting. Waiting for anything.