Claire lowered her voice until it almost became a lullaby.
—Hey, tell me your name.
The microphone picked up a crackling sound.
Like an old ladder.
Then, the name came out like a thread.
—Emily.
—Emily, are you free now?
His breathing quickened.
—No… he’s at home.
An image of children, a telephone, and a message could be seen: “Dangerous snake enclosure Danger Snake enclosure Danger MOM”.
Claire felt a dull sensation of adrenaline.
His screen was already open.
His hand had already left the keyboard.
But I needed to anchor Emily to something simple.
A place.
One action.
—Emily, I want you to listen to me carefully, okay?
-Yes…
—Where are you right now?
On a step.
Other.
As if someone were walking slowly, intentionally.
Emily held her breath.
—Dad said… not to talk to you.
Fear did not resemble a molehill.
It looked more like a betrayal.
Like a role repeated so many times that it had already become a part of her.
Claire looked at the address that the system was completing.
