"Ms. Kelly!" Rachael’s voice trembled as it left her throat, louder than she intended. Panic was already creeping into her chest, winding tighter with every second that passed. She hurried across the playground, her eyes scanning every inch. Where is he? She kept thinking, her pulse racing faster than her feet could carry her. "Have you seen Jamal? He’s not where we usually meet!"
Ms. Kelly looked up from her clipboard, her face tightening with concern. "Jamal? I thought he was with you," she said, her brow furrowing. "He left the classroom right after the bell with his backpack. I assumed he went straight to you."
The ground beneath Rachael seemed to tilt, as if reality had suddenly shifted in a way that made no sense. "No," her voice cracked, an unsettling tremor shaking the words. "No
