When Sarah returned home late Sunday evening, exhausted, she found Emily already asleep, tucked in by Nathan’s wife, Melissa. A brief text from Melissa mentioned they’d had a wonderful but tiring day. Monday morning had been rushed. Emily seemed quieter than usual, but Sarah had attributed it to a big day out, never imagining the real reason for her daughter’s silence.

Now, as Sarah’s phone rang at the nurse’s station, a wave of premonition washed over her. The principal’s grave voice on the other end sent the world tilting beneath her feet. “An incident involving Emily… the police have been called… you need to come to the school immediately.”