Page 89 of Girl Lost
The rhythmic slap of their shoes against polished floors seemed to echo Luna’s frantic pulse as they rounded a corner. Another corridor stretched before them. This place was a seemingly endless tunnel of white walls and fluorescent lights. A shadow flickered at the far end of the hallway.
“Someone’s coming.” Summer pushed Luna and Corbin into a nearby alcove, concealing them in the shadows.
A security guard’s boxy frame filled the hallway.
“Corn nuts,” Summer whispered. “He’s searching for whoever set off the alarm.”
They were trapped. Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.
Luna stepped forward. She had to do something. She had to create a distraction. “Sir? I’m so sorry. The alarm is my fault.”
The guard turned, his gaze narrowing. “Who are you?”
“I’m Mrs. Sinclair. We’re here for my husband’s consultation.” She gestured to Corbin, who was still pale faced, clutching his chest. “We were just leaving, and I think I accidentally tripped the alarm.”
The guard studied them for a moment.
“It was my fault,” Luna forced a nervous laugh. “I’m so clumsy. I bumped into a door, and...” She trailed off, letting the implication hang.
“Yeah, my wife’s a bit of a klutz.” Corbin managed a weak smile.
The guard grunted, his gaze flicking between them. He punched a code into the keypad. The red light above the panel blinked green. “All right, folks. False alarm. But try to be more careful, okay?”
He turned and continued down the corridor, his footsteps fading into the distance.
Summer emerged from the alcove, her eyes wide. “That was close. Too close. We need to get out of here.”
They reached a stairwell, the air growing colder, damper, thesterile scent of the upper floors replaced by a musty odor of disuse. Summer led them down a flight of stairs. Her small frame navigated the stairwell with the agility of a seasoned operative.
She swiped a security badge at the next door. A green light flashed above the keypad. They hurried through, entering another long corridor. White walls. Linoleum floors. The relentless buzz of fluorescent lights overhead. The same sterile, impersonal atmosphere that pervaded every inch of this place.
“How does your badge work on all these doors?” Corbin asked.
“Like I said, I’ve been getting suspicious about what’s going on around here,” she explained as they hurried through. “So I’ve been carrying my Flipper to work every day. When Dr. Forest wasn’t looking, I cloned his badge onto the device and used it to reprogram mine. I’ve been poking around.”
“I don’t get it,” Corbin said. “That little device can do all that?”
Summer nodded. “It hacks radio protocols, Wi-Fi networks, and ... oh, access control systems like the ones on these doors.”
“Impressive.” Luna admired the girl’s audacity. She’d always had a soft spot for those who dared to defy authority.
Summer swiped her badge at the next two doors. They entered a wing that felt different, quieter. A place where secrets were kept.
“This section has always been highly restricted, and I saw that some patients were brought down here to these rooms for treatments no one discussed,” Summer said. “If Trinity is anywhere in the facility, she would be here.”
They reached a room at the end of the corridor. The door was ajar, a sliver of light spilling out. Luna’s heart pounded against her ribs.My daughter. In there.
She stepped forward. Pushed the door open.
Trinity lay in a hospital bed, her wrists and ankles restrained, her gaze fixed on the television playing reruns of a TV show Luna watched back when it was originally broadcast. The familiar theme song was a jarring juxtaposition against the sterile white walls and the scent of antiseptic.
“Who are you? What are you doing here?” Trinity’s eyes widened. Luna saw a flicker of fear.
She was beautiful. Dark, wavy hair, just like Luna’s. Corbin’s eyes, warm and expressive. A small, delicate nose, just like Luna’s.
But something was missing. That instant, overwhelming connection, the rush of maternal love. She hadn’t felt it. Not the tidal wave she’d imagined. But maybe it didn’t always come like that. Maybe some connections didn’t crash. They gathered.
“Don’t be afraid. We’re here to help you.” Luna moved toward the bed, her gaze lingering on Trinity’s face, searching for a glimmer of recognition, a spark of connection.
