“No, no, wait,” I said quickly. “You’re not in trouble. I just need to understand what’s happening.”
Static.
Then a shaky voice.
“It’s Leo. Please help me.”
The name hit instantly.
A shaky voice.
Leo.
The boy Mark used to play with at the park.
He’d stopped coming months ago.
“Leo, are you safe right now?”
The boy Mark used to play with at the park.
No answer.
Static. Silence.
“Leo? Hey, buddy. I’m still here. Please, talk to me.”
Nothing.
I sat there for hours, staring at the bear, wondering if Leo was okay.
Leo didn’t reply.
The next morning, Mark came into the kitchen.
“Where’s Bear?”
“He’s okay. I’ll give him back, but we need to talk first.”
Mark climbed into his chair.
“Do you remember Leo?”
“From the park?”
“Where’s Bear?”
“Yeah. Did he seem… different the last time you saw him?”
Mark frowned. “He didn’t want to play tag. He just sat there. He said his house was loud now.”
“Did he say why?”
“He said his mom was busy. And that grown-ups don’t listen.”
“Did he seem… different the last time you saw him?”
“Did he tell you where he lives?”
Mark nodded. “The blue house near the park.”
“The one with white flowers by the mailbox?”
He nodded again.
I knew what I had to do.
“Did he tell you where he lives?”
After dropping Mark at school, I drove to that house.
I told myself I was just checking.
When I knocked, it took a while.
I heard movement inside.
Finally, Leo’s mom opened the door.
“Oh, hi. You’re Mark’s dad, right?”
“Yes. Sorry to bother you.”
She looked surprised.
“I wanted to ask about Leo.”
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