Сops Can’t Find Boy Who Didn’t Return from School, Week Later Dog Brings Mom His Backpack – Story of the Day

It was every parent's nightmare when Kate and Justin's 8-year-old son Tommy mysteriously disappeared from school. A week passed, yet cops couldn't find any successful leads. On day seven, the couple's dog brought Tommy's school bag with his clothes, shoes, and a bone-chilling note: 'FIND HIM IF YOU CAN!'

"Max, where is he? What happened to our Tommy? Where did he go?" Kate's eyes welled up with tears as she sat on the front porch and looked down at her Golden Retriever curled up beside her.

Max, though unable to provide answers, nuzzled Kate's head and pawed her hands. He whined while fixing his gaze on the gate, waiting for his 8-year-old best friend, Tommy, to come home.

But it was already half past seven in the evening. Little Tommy was supposed to have been home four hours ago.

Earlier that afternoon, Max had gone to the bus stop outside their home to fetch Tommy and carry his backpack in his mouth, like he always did. But Tommy was not there on the bus, which sent shivers down Kate's spine when she saw only Max returning home moments later…

Initially, she had assumed Tommy's father, Justin, would have gone to school to pick him up. He did that occasionally, sometimes without telling Kate. So her unease wore thin, hoping her son would be home in a while.

However, an hour passed, and her anxiety deepened as there was no sign of Tommy or Justin.

Kate called the school, and her blood ran cold when she learned that Tommy had already left the campus. Panicking, she immediately called Justin, only to discover he was still at work and had never gone to pick Tommy up from school.

The silence around was deafening, broken by the creaking of the swing in the yard—Tommy's favorite play spot where he usually played with Max and his neighboring friends who went to the same school.

The emptiness around was haunting.

Kate clutched her little son's teddy bear, Mr. Brown, his most cherished possession, close to her chest and silently cried. The plushie soaked her tears as she gazed at the main gate, praying for a miracle to bring her son back.

Just as minutes mercilessly fleeted by, the silence was shattered by the distant rumble of an approaching car that pulled into the driveway.

Kate's heart pounded wildly as she bolted toward the black SUV. Max followed her, wagging his tail and barking at seeing Justin, who arrived from the police station.

Kate nervously looked up at her husband. His face was etched with worry that immediately put all of her hopes on hold.

"Justin...wha-what happened? Did they find Tommy?" Kate whispered, forcing words out of her mouth. "What did the police say?"

Justin exhaled deeply. He could not find the right words or look Kate in the eye. "Kate, they're still looking. They don't have any information yet...but they're doing everything they can to find him...We just have to hold on a little longer. We are in this together, okay? Tommy will be back soon…I promise."

"A little longer?" Kate cried. "Justin, he's our son. He's just eight years old. God, why is this happening to us? Where did he go? I'm so worried."

"Kate, calm down. I won't let anything happen to our son. I promise...I'll do all it takes to bring him back. You have to trust me. Please. Just calm down."

Justin was dealing with an explosion of emotions inside. He pulled himself together and quietly led Kate inside the house as she clung to Tommy's teddy bear and wept bitterly.

"I miss him so much, Justin. I just want our boy back safe and sound. What if…what if something happened to him? God, I'm freaking out...Please do something. Find our boy. Please..."

Max disappointedly followed them inside the house and curled up on the doormat, keeping vigil for any signs of Tommy.

"Kate, we'll find him. We won't give up until he's home with us...okay? The cops are on their way for investigation," Justin wrapped Kate into a hug at the dining table.

As the night wore on, the couple called all their friends and family to find out if they had seen Tommy. But all they got were a string of shocked responses, sympathies, and reassuring words that Tommy would be home soon.

Justin then hurriedly called Tommy's grandparents to inform them of his son's mysterious disappearance. After a few rings, Tommy's grandmother, Barbara, answered the phone. Her voice brimmed with concern when she heard Justin sounding so anxious.

"Mom...yeah, yeah...I'm fine. Listen, I called for something else. Tommy has been missing...since afternoon. He hasn't returned from school...and we're so worried."

"What in the world are you telling me, Justin? Tommy's missing? How did this happen? Where was Kate in all of this? You're telling me now? God, how could you two be so careless?"

"Mom, please, not now, okay? I'm already worried. We're doing everything we can to find him. I filed an Amber Alert at the local police station. We need all the help we can to find Tommy."

"Jesus...I can't believe you two can be such awful and irresponsible parents. This is why I wanted to move in with you. Had I been there, we wouldn't have had to see this horrible day. I long knew your wife was a mess...God, how could she be such an irresponsible mother? This is so overwhelming—"

"Mom...Mom...please, this isn't the time," Justin cut through Barbara's speech. "We need to focus on finding Tommy first. I really don't know what I'm going to do. It's been eight hours since he's missing. We're really worried. Please tell Dad, okay? I'll call you later."

Justin hung up, frustrated by his Mom's heated accusations against Kate and their parenting. On the other end, Barbara and her husband, Frank, immediately drove to the town where Justin lived with his family.

They could no longer hold themselves back because the missing boy in question was their precious grandson. Moreover, they knew this was such an emotionally delicate moment for their son and his family.

When they arrived, Barbara noticed Kate sobbing on the couch. She was furious and couldn't help but feel frustrated with Kate for not being more vigilant about Tommy's safety.

"Kate, how could you let this happen? You were supposed to take care of our grandson! How can you be so careless?"

Barbara's words rubbed salt into Kate's wounds as she glanced at Justin. "What is this, Justin? Please tell your mother to stop blaming me...I'm already broken. Please, tell her this isn't the time."

"Don't ask me to stop, Kate! Tommy is our only grandson...and if something happens to him, I'll never forgive you, do you hear me? It's all your fault."

"I didn't let this happen, Barbara," Kate snapped at her mother-in-law. "I can't believe you're blaming me. I thought we were all in this together. We need to focus on finding Tommy. Please, just leave me alone."

Barbara mumbled under her breath and stormed to the guest room while Kate slumped onto the couch and sobbed bitterly. The house was filled with tension and worry, leaving the family with more questions than answers.

"God, Where did Tommy go? He's an adventurous little boy. But he's never been gone for so long all alone like this. Did he...did he go exploring after school and lose his way back home?" Kate whispered to Justin, her mind racing with several theories.

Just as the couple were comforting each other that Tommy would be found soon, Max ferociously barked at the front door. Mere seconds later, the doorbell buzzed as Kate raced to the door, hoping to see her little son on the other side.

But when the door swung open, Kate's hopes came crashing down, and she turned pale.

"Good evening, Mrs. Turner," a police officer greeted Kate. "We're here to inquire about the missing child, Tommy. Are you his mother?"

Kate swallowed hard. "Yes, I'm Kate...and that's my husband, Justin. Thank you for coming, Officer. Any updates about our son? We're so worried. Please help us...It's been nine hours since he disappeared. We are so scared. We hope he's alright."

"Of course, we understand your concern, Mrs. Turner," Officer Fredrick said. "Can you please provide us with some additional information about Tommy? When was the last time you saw him?"

As Officer Fredrick and another cop sat in the living room across from Justin, Kate opened up about everything that had happened prior to Tommy's disappearance.

"He wanted chicken rolls for lunch...he was so happy when I packed two extra for his friends," Kate said, tears brimming in the rim of her eyes. "He wanted candy, but I refused, saying he'd end up with a terrible tummy ache. He was upset."

"Our dog Max and I walked Tommy to the bus stop where he usually boards his school bus every day. He got into the bus…peeped out the window, and blew flying kisses...that's the last time I..." Kate paused, bursting into tears.

"I understand, Mrs. Turner," the cop said sympathetically. "We'll do everything we can to help. First, may we take a look at his room to see if there's anything that might provide a clue?"

"Sure, Officer, please come this way. Tommy's room is upstairs," Justin led the cops upstairs.

As the police officers searched Tommy's room, they came across a drawing depicting a little boy, his parents, and a big, brown dog standing together, silhouetted against a beautiful sunset.

'I Love You Daddy & Mommy & Max' read a caption scribbled in dark blue and red crayons next to colorful stick figures. Kate and Justin's hearts raced with emotions at seeing that drawing.

"Do you have a recent photograph of your son...and can you tell me what he was wearing when he left for school?" The cop broke the silence, snapping the couple to the moment.

"Yes, Officer, here's a picture of him," Justin handed Officer Fredrick Tommy's latest photograph.

"He was wearing a brown hoodie...blue pants...a red backpack, and green sneakers," Kate sniffled.

"Thank you. We'll send this picture across to our officers and start searching the area. We'll have to investigate Tommy's school first thing in the morning. In the meantime, can you think of any possible places Tommy might have gone to? Or any friends' houses he might visit?"

"Tommy has a few friends in the neighborhood, Officer," Kate said. "We can provide you with their names and addresses. They live just a few blocks away."

The search for the missing boy was in full swing that night. Law enforcement, neighbors, and volunteers all worked tirelessly to find any trace of Tommy.

The streets were filled with concerned folk. Flashlights pierced the darkness, and worried discussions shattered the stillness of the night as people scoured every nook and cranny of the streets, hopeful of bringing the little boy back home safely.

Meanwhile, Officer Fredrick and his team knocked on the door of a neighbor whose son was one of Tommy's classmates.

"Good evening, Ma'am...we're looking for an 8-year-old boy named Tommy. He's been missing since afternoon. We heard your son is Tommy's classmate. Can we please have a word with him?"

"We were in class," Tommy's classmate, Jake, told the cops.

"Alright, champ. Look, this is very important. Did you notice anything odd today? Was Tommy worried about something? Did he tell you anything...about going somewhere...or meeting someone?"

"No. He was happy...told me he was excited about something…"

"Did he tell you what he was excited about?"

"No. The bell rang before that...and we all were excited to go home. Tommy was the first one to run out of class."

The cops knocked on another door. Then another. And another. But none of Tommy's friends had any breakthrough to deliver that could help the cops find the boy's whereabouts until they arrived at one last house.

"Are you sure, kiddo?" Officer Fredrick pressed a little boy, the last on the list of Tommy's friends.

"Look, don't be scared. We're just cops, and we're here to protect our town...so there's nothing to be frightened of, alright? Please tell us if you know something. Your friend might be in a little trouble, and anything you tell us might help in finding him, okay?"

The Officer knew Tommy's friend was anxious and eased him a little before pressing him for more details. "Think again...did he tell you anything?"

"He told me he was happy about meeting 'Candyman,' his imaginary friend who gave him candy," the boy finally revealed.

"Jesus, there's nobody called 'Candyman,' Officer...it's a fictional character Justin and I created..." Kate gasped. "Whenever Tommy threw tantrums, we'd tell him that 'Candyman' would not bring him any more candies…to get him to behave."

"God, what's happening?" Justin exclaimed in shock, as he finally broke down after hours of keeping his emotions locked in.

"Mr. and Mrs. Turner, please calm down. We'll look into the case as a top priority."

The night's investigation led to a dead end, and it worried the parents. Their hopes hung by a thread, and at this point, some unknown fears took shape in their hearts.

The following morning, Justin, Kate, and the police officers headed to Tommy's school. As they pulled over at the premises, the parents marched with determination to uncover any lead that might shed light on their son's disappearance.

Justin and Kate followed the cops to the principal's room. "Good morning, Mr. Theodore. I hope you know a pupil has been missing from your school since last afternoon," Officer Fredrick sat across from the principal.

"Good morning, Officer. Yes. I got a call from the station this morning. Mr. and Mrs. Turner, my deepest sympathies. We'll do our best to find your son."

"Sorry? Is that all you've got to tell? Children here are your responsibility. How can you be so careless? My son just vanished from your school in broad daylight…" Kate snapped at the principal.

"And to top it off, your staff gave me false information that Tommy was already on the school bus when I called yesterday! How can you let something like this happen?"

"Kate, please, calm down," Justin tried calming Kate down.

"Mr. Theodore, we are hoping to check if anyone at the school saw Tommy yesterday while he was leaving...or if there's any information that might help. Can we please check the CCTV footage?" the cop chimed in.

"Of course. Please come with me to the security room."

As they reviewed the previous day's footage in the security room, a loud cry blared, shattering the stillness around. Kate could not hold herself back as she watched Tommy running across the corridor.

"It's him...it's him! That's our Tommy!" Kate stuttered, pointing at the footage.

The parents' hearts pounded with hope and fear. It was an emotionally charged moment that rekindled their determination to bring their son back home safely.

But their hopes led to another tight knot as they watched Tommy enter the gymnasium and leave through the back door instead of boarding his school bus.

"Wh-where is he going?" Justin gasped.

"Mr. Theodore, do you have any idea where that door leads?" The cop turned to the principal.

"That door leads to the rear courtyard and playground area. It's mostly locked after school hours...after all the kids and janitors leave. I think he might have gone there to play. But we've temporarily closed that area due to the ongoing construction of a wall."

The next thing they knew, Justin and Kate were in the playground, their eyes darting around for any clue that could take them to their missing son.

"Where could he have gone? God...where is our son?" Kate cried, looking around in circles.

As they kept looking, the cops noticed something unusual—a partially constructed wall with a small gate was situated in the corner of the playground.

Officer Fredrick rushed to the gate, only to realize that it led straight to the main road, bustling with vehicles.

"Do you have CCTV footage of the playground?" the cop asked the principal.

"I'm afraid not, Officer. The camera here is currently under repair. The senior kids broke it long back while playing football."

The cops then approached the construction workers with Tommy's picture.

"Excuse me, gentlemen...we're looking for a missing boy named Tommy. He's 8-years-old...and we suspect he might have passed through this gate yesterday. Have any of you seen this boy around?"

The workers jogged their memory, but none of them had seen little Tommy.

"We've been working here morning through evening yesterday, Officer. But we don't remember seeing this boy."

"Are you sure? Please try to recall anything that might help. Any little clue could be crucial."

"We're sorry, Officer. We don't remember seeing him."

Kate's and Justin's hopes of finding their son shattered until another construction worker, a young man, emerged through the gate and approached the cops.

"Excuse me, Officer...can I please take a look at the picture?"

"Yes, we're looking for this little boy. Have you seen him around yesterday afternoon? We suspect he might have passed through this construction site," Officer Fredrick asked the guy.

The man thought for a while and raised his brows.

"I think I saw this boy walking through this gate...we were having our lunch in the cafeteria. I came here to collect my phone from my bag when I saw him, Officer."

A sliver of hope sprang into Kate's and Justin's eyes. They rushed to the worker and pleaded with him for more information.

"Mr. and Mrs. Turner, please let us do our job. We're investigating. Please calm down," Officer Fredrick interrupted them.

"Thanks for the information. Is there anything else you remember seeing? Was the boy with someone?"

Kate and Justin trembled with hope when the worker continued: "No, he was alone. I thought it was weird because the boy looked a little nervous. I wanted to stop him and ask but decided it was not my business...

...He was waiting on the road for a while. And then, I saw him walking towards a car. He was smiling and waving as he approached the car. He got in...and the vehicle drove away in the opposite direction."

The information struck Kate and Justin like a thunderbolt.

"Do you remember anything about the car? Any details? The color of the car or something...anything...Did you see the driver? Please...please tell us..." Justin pleaded.

"No! I didn't pay much attention to the car. I think it's a white car...but I'm not sure as it happened so quickly. I got a call from a friend and just turned around. That's all."

The construction worker's revelation brought a mixture of hope and unease to the parents. They now had a lead to follow in their search for Tommy, and the race to find their missing son intensified with each fleeting minute.

"Could it be a kidnap?" Justin whispered to Kate. Justin was an affluent realtor in the city, and he thought maybe somebody had abducted his son for a ransom.

But the part the construction worker revealed—about seeing Tommy smiling and waving while approaching the car—didn't make any sense to Kate and Justin.

Why would Tommy smile at his kidnapper? Why would he approach a stranger who meant harm to him? Nothing made any sense.

"Wait, what if our son knew this person? Justin...that's it! That's it! Maybe it's someone he knew...someone we all know who took him? But who?"

However, Officer Fredrick decided not to jump to any hasty conclusions yet, although Kate's assumptions made sense. The cops assured the couple about continuing to search for their son and left for the department to investigate further.

"We're doing everything we can to find your son. We'll keep you updated on any developments," Officer Fredrick shook hands with Justin and left in the cruiser.

It had been 24 hours since Tommy went missing. Soon, those hours turned into days.

The cops checked the street CCTV cameras near the school but found no leads, as most of the cameras were not functioning. Whoever took Tommy was a mastermind who knew about the malfunctioning cameras.

Hope dwindled in Kate's and Justin's hearts. It was day seven since Tommy had gone missing, but the cops could not find anything about his whereabouts.

"Is he at least alive?" Kate clung to Tommy's shirt and cried. The faint scent of his body odor was a painful reminder that pushed poor Kate into a highly emotional state.

"Kate, stop!" Justin snapped at her. "Nothing will happen to our son, okay? He's alright...he'll be home soon."

Although Justin put on a brave face, his heart raced as he knew anything could have happened to his son. The chances of finding him turned slim with each passing minute.

"It's like sitting in a funeral without Tommy. I miss him so much, Justin. Can you please do something...anything...and bring him back? I think I'll die soon without him. Please...find our boy...please."

As Kate's sobs echoed in the dimly lit living room, she felt a hard press on her shoulder.

"Kate, I'm so sorry for everything I said before," Barbara and her husband gathered around Kate. "I was wrong. I shouldn't have blamed you. I just wanted my grandson back. I'm sorry if I hurt you."

Kate squeezed Barbara's hand and hugged her, sobbing bitterly.

"Barbara, will he be alright? Tommy...he...he is afraid of darkness...and thunder. Whenever the lights would go off or if it thundered, he'd hug me and wouldn't calm down until I told him a story. I hope my sweetie is fine wherever he is…Will he be alright?"

Grave silence and raw emotions filled the living room as the family clung to their hopes of finding Tommy soon.

Just as Kate snapped her tears away, she noticed their dog Max was not around. The doormat where Max usually slept was empty. Panic set in as the family desperately searched for their dog.

"Max? Hey, boy...Max?" Justin called out to his dog.

Kate and her in-laws ran across the neighborhood, searching for Max in his usual spots like the maple trees, lawn, and playground.

"God, why is this happening to us? He can't be gone, too, Justin. Max is all we have left," Kate dropped to her knees on the lawn and cried.

Suddenly, she turned to her side and saw Max approaching them — a red bag clutched tightly in his mouth.

The sight left Kate and Justin stunned, and their eyes widened in disbelief as they realized it was their son Tommy's backpack.

The couple bolted to Max and carefully took the bag from him with trembling hands. Tommy's books, lunchbox, and favorite crayon box were missing.

They steeled themselves as Justin dug deeper into the bag and nervously pulled out Tommy's clothes and shoes. As Justin delved deeper into the backpack, he and Kate froze in horror when a mutilated doll's head with a horrific appearance fell out.

Its hair was unevenly cut, and its face was marred with deep red scratch marks. A note pinned to the doll's head sent shivers down the couple's spines as Justin shakily opened it and read the words:

"FIND HIM IF YOU CAN!"

Kate's blood ran cold. Her leg gave way, and she dropped to her knees. Justin carried Kate inside and laid her on the sofa before calling the cops.

"I'm going to the station," he frantically said.

"I'm going with you."

"Kate, please, stay home. I'll call you if there's something."

But Kate was not in the spot to listen to her husband. She sprang to her feet and ran to the car. The couple drove to the police station with the shocking discovery that left them with more questions than answers.

"Officer, you won't believe what our dog Max found," Justin hurried to Officer Fredrick. "We found our son's clothes and shoes…and this mutilated doll with this creepy note in Tommy's school bag."

The cop examined the items and arched his brows in disbelief as he turned to his team. "Hurry up…we need more backup. We need to investigate this immediately."

The police rushed to the neighborhood where the couple lived, hoping to uncover any leads from the CCTV footage.

"I'm afraid there's minimal camera coverage in this area," a cop approached Officer Fredrick. "Only Max bringing the bag from behind that dilapidated building is recorded. It's as if someone is intentionally taunting us by leaving these clues, Officer."

Soon, K9 units arrived and started sniffing the ground as the officers combed through the area. But nothing turned up.

"Please, officers, do something. You have to find our son. It's been so long...and we're terrified for Tommy's life after seeing the note and that...doll. Please help us," Justin broke down.

Meanwhile, Kate grew numb with shock. Earlier, she at least cried. But it felt as if she had no more tears left to cry. She was so heartbroken, and her mind raced with several horrifying thoughts.

Her only hope was for Tommy to be alive wherever he was.

But the note and mutilated doll's head, coupled with the boy's clothes and shoes they had discovered, destroyed all her hopes. Kate was a mess. She did not talk to anyone and shut herself inside the room back home.

The clock was ticking, and with each passing minute, the fear of their son's safety grew more agonizing.

"Kate, come out of the room...Kate?" Justin banged on their bedroom door. Kate had locked herself inside and refused to open the door.

"Leave me alone. Please, all of you...just leave me alone. I want my son back, and you...and those cops...you can't even find him!"

"Kate, please come out. The cops are doing everything they can. Please, we have to wait. Please, trust me. Come out. Open the door..."

Moments later, Kate suddenly burst out of the room and rushed to the spot where Max had found Tommy's bag.

"Kate, what...where are you going? Kate?"

But Kate refused to answer and bolted out of the house. She slowed down near the crumbled building. A shiver ran down her spine. Something about this place felt oddly familiar, yet out of place.

"Kate, what's wrong?" Justin and his parents gathered around Kate.

She closed her eyes and tried to piece her memories together. Then, it hit her like a bolt of lightning. "This building...I remember this place...Justin, do you remember that terrible accident that happened last year?"

Justin thought deeply. He did not understand what it had to do with Tommy's disappearance and Max finding his backpack there.

"Yeah, I remember. Some neighboring kids and parents were playing here...under this building. And the wall crumbled, injuring so many. Our Tommy was also hurt," he said. "You think it's something to do with this, Kate?"

"I don't know, Justin. But how did Tommy's backpack end up here...in the same spot and around the same time he was injured last year? It makes no sense. It's like someone is trying to tell us something...something about that day...we're missing something that's in plain sight. But what?"

Justin walked Kate home. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was a connection between the accident from a year ago and their son's sudden disappearance.

As the night wore on and as Justin was on the phone, talking to a cop about any progress, Kate connected the dots and sprang to her feet with a sudden realization that cut through her like a sharp knife.

"Oh my God...why didn't I think about this earlier?" she gasped.

"Justin, Oh my God...I remember now…It's GRACE! She was also among those injured when the wall came down, remember?" Kate squeezed Justin's shoulder.

"Yes...but, wait...what are you implying? What does Grace have to do with this? She was such a sweet woman. And she's not our neighbor anymore. She moved out after the tragedy, right?"

"Justin, listen…you don't understand. That day, all I could think of was saving our son, okay? He...he was hurt. When I carried Tommy out, I was the only one there when another section of the wall collapsed on Grace. She was stuck under it, crying and pleading for help...but I...I left her behind."

"I still don't see any connection, Kate. The paramedics arrived shortly and took all those injured to the hospital. Even Grace was among them. I don't understand what you're trying to say..."

"Justin, what if this is connected to what's happening now? What if it's some sort of...revenge? Remember how she stared at me and refused to talk when she was leaving our neighborhood? What if she's after our son only because I didn't help her?"

As Kate pieced the puzzle together, her suspicions led to something haunting and unexpected. "Remember the construction worker telling us about seeing Tommy smiling and waving at someone in the mysterious car? What if...what if that someone was none other than Grace??"

"Oh my God...I think we should call the cops," Justin gasped in shock. Whatever Kate had been telling him made sense to him now.

In twenty minutes, the Turner property was once again filled with cops and K9 units. The officers immediately launched a search for the Turner family's former neighbor, Grace.

An hour later, Officer Fredrick received a call. "We found Grace's new address. She'd been living on the same street, just in a different apartment," a cop informed.

In no time, cruisers pulled over outside Grace's address. But when they got there, they found only an empty house devoid of any signs of inhabitation. An inquiry with the landlord revealed that Grace had evacuated the house a week ago.

"See, I told you...I told you," Kate cried. "She took our son! She took our son, Justin. She's seeking revenge."

As they faced another dead end, desperation loomed.

"We need to track her phone's location…we might have a lead," Officer Fredrick spoke into the radio after getting Grace's phone number from the landlord.

Unsurprisingly, her phone was switched off, and the only possible lead would be to track down the phone's last active location.

A ray of hope burst through the darkest hour when Officer Fredrick grabbed his radio again. "We've got a lead. Grace's phone was last active near the woods on the outskirts of town. We're heading there right now. We need more backup. I repeat, we need more backup."

Tension hung in the air as Kate and Justin sped behind the cruisers towards the thick woods. As they inched closer, their hearts raced, fearing things far more sinister than they had ever imagined.

"Mr. and Mrs. Turner, please stay right here while we look," Officer Fredrick told the couple.

But Kate's desperation to find her son pushed her to the edge. While Justin and the cops were busy checking for updates, Kate ventured into the thick woods, ignoring the warnings from the police.

"Tommy...Tom....Tommy, where are you, honey? It's Mommy. TOMMY…are you out there? Please show me a sign. Tommy??" she cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted out loud.

Her shrill voice pierced through the tall, dark spruces and pines.

As Kate shouted and walked further, she found herself in the heart of the woods. The shrill cries of crickets filled the chill air. A stream nearby gurgled softly as Kate cautiously pressed forward.

"TOMMY? WHERE ARE YOU??"

Just as Kate decided to look in another direction, a sharp blow to her head caused her to fall to the ground with a heavy thud. She wriggled in pain, and before she could turn around, another blow rendered her unconscious.

When Kate finally regained consciousness and opened her eyes, she found herself bound and trapped in a dark cabin in the woods. Fear and anxiety gripped her like icy fingers.

"Where am I? Wh-what is this place?" she whispered when the wooden door burst open. The creaking hinges echoed in the dimly lit room, and the sound of heavy footsteps drew closer.

"Oh, Kate, dear! You've finally woken up!" said a familiar voice as Kate looked up, her eyes bulging in fright.

"GRACE??"

"What did you think?" Grace laughed. "Oh, by the way, I've finished him!"

"NO...No, no, please, no...where's Tommy?" Kate trembled and burst into tears. "What have you done to my son?"

Grace continued to laugh and walked around Kate in circles, staring daggers at her. Her chilling laughter filled the cabin, and her eyes seethed with rage.

"Oh, how you cry, Kate! Cry some more for me! CRY...just like I cried for help that day when you carried away your sweet, little son in your arms while ignoring me..."

"Grace, please, let me go. Leave my son alone. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry for not helping you that day. My son was hurt. I wanted to save him. Please..."

"SHUT UP, you freak!" Grace yelled. "You don't remember, do you? That day, when the wall crumbled over me, I cried for help, Kate. I begged you to save me. But you left me to die to save your precious little son…

"And you never looked back. You never saw me suffering a miscarriage. Had you taken a moment to consider my pain and removed that heavy wall panel off me, my baby would've been alive today."

"What? Y-Your baby? Oh my God, Grace, I didn't know you were..." Kate gasped.

"I was three months pregnant, Kate! You were the one who stole my happiness. You ignored my cries for help. You killed my baby. My husband divorced me because I could not conceive again after that tragedy. I lost everyone I loved in a wink...because of YOU! Because of your ignorance and selfishness…

"You were living a perfect life with your family while I lost everything. Oh, how could I stand watching you smile every time you walked your little son to the bus stand…to the grocery…to the park? How could I stand that joy on your face while I suffered?"

"Grace, I'm so sorry for your loss. I didn't mean to turn my back on you. My son was severely injured…so I had to rush him to the hospital. Please…let us go. Why did you take Tommy? I was the one who wronged you. Do whatever you want to me. Please, leave my son."

"I lost my child, Kate. Do you have any idea how that pain feels? He was a tiny boy who was happily growing inside me…I was so thrilled to bring him into the world. But you ruined everything by not helping me. I waited for a year for this moment. Now, you'll know what it's like to lose a child."

"Grace, please, where's my son? Did you kill him?" Kate cried.

"I'm not so heartless to kill that innocent little boy. Tommy is a sweet kid, I must say! He believed me when I told him about buying him candy…

"He thought I was some stupid 'Candyman' and agreed to sneak out of school through the back gate, just like I had instructed him that morning outside the school gate...at the spot where CCTV cameras couldn't capture us together! What a naive little boy you've raised, Kate!" Grace laughed.

"Your son was easy to lure! And you know what, Kate? I left his backpack near that crumbled building. Oh, did you get the creepy doll's head? How did you feel after seeing that? You thought the same horrific thing would happen to your precious little boy, didn't you? Oh, Kate, I wish I could've seen your face that time! My bad, I missed it!"

"But never mind! I'm gonna kill you now. I want to see the fear of death in your eyes! And then, I'm going to fly with your sweet little son somewhere far away where nobody would find us…and raise him as mine!"

"Get ready to say GOODBYE, Kate!"

"Grace...No! Please, don't kill me. Please, stop..." Kate's eyes bulged in horror. Grace aimed a gun at Kate, her finger on the trigger, ready to fire.

As Grace stood on the brink of pulling the trigger, a sudden intrusion shattered the chilling silence. The cabin's door burst open, and a squad of police officers surrounded Grace, their guns drawn and ready.

"Drop the weapon!" Officer Fredrick commanded.

Anxiety and shock washed over Grace. In another room of the cabin, the cops discovered little Tommy tied and with duct tape over his mouth.

The relief that engulfed Justin and Kate was immeasurable as they bolted to their son and hugged him, showering him with hugs and kisses.

Meanwhile, Grace was handcuffed and driven to the station.

"Thank you, Officer! We'll never forget your help," Justin thanked Officer Fredrick and his team.

"You should thank your wife, Mr. Turner. And Mrs. Turner, you had shared your location with your husband's phone before venturing into the woods. I must say...that was a smart move!"

Justin and Kate hugged Tommy and drove back home. Upon arriving, Max bolted toward Tommy and pinned him down with joyful licks and paws.

Laughter and tears of joy filled the yard as neighbors, and Kate's in-laws congratulated the couple on bringing Tommy home safe and sound.

"We missed you so much, Tommy," Justin and Kate chorused.

"I missed you too, Daddy...Mommy. I'm so sorry. I'll not sneak out of school, especially through that back gate. And I'm never talking to Candyman ever again!"

A roar of warm laughter broke out in the air. The nightmare had finally ended with Justin and Kate promising each other to trust their instincts and stay strong together, no matter what came their way.

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Single mom Amber suspects something's wrong when her little son Johnny suddenly starts losing weight. One day, she follows him to school and sees Johnny's new teacher grabbing his lunch. When Amber reports the issue to the principal, her son reveals something more heartbreaking. Here's the full story.

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