The morning sun rose like any other… but something was wrong.
Deeply wrong.
Mrs. Grace hadn't seen Joy since she left to follow her to the school gate two days ago.
At first, she thought maybe Joy was hiding — scared after the confrontation with Luna and her sisters.
But now?
Now her hands were shaking as she stood outside the principal's office, clutching a photo of her daughter.
> "Please," she whispered to the staff. "Have you seen her? My Joy. She's this small… she always wears pink. I haven't seen her in two days."
They gave her blank stares. Some shrugged. Some shook their heads.
But one cleaner whispered quietly to her when no one was listening.
> "I saw Luna talking to some strange boys behind the school yesterday."
Mrs. Grace's eyes widened.
---
LATER THAT DAY – BEHIND THE BOYS' HALL
Nelly ran down the corridor, breathless, the recording phone stuffed in her shoe.
She found Jimmy sitting under the stairwell, nursing a headache with a cold can of soda.
> "Jimmy," she gasped. "She's missing. Joy's missing."
He stood quickly. "Wait — what?!"
> "She hasn't been home in two days. Her mom hasn't seen her. Mrs. Grace is talking to the police now."
> "Are you sure—?"
> "I know it's them, Jimmy. Luna. Kylie. The others. They threatened Grace. They warned her."
Jimmy's face darkened. "Where are they now?"
> "I don't know."
But Jimmy did.
He dropped the can and stormed down the hallway.
---
MEANWHILE – IN AN ABANDONED STORAGE SHED NEAR THE FIELD
Two rough-looking boys leaned against the wall, checking their phones.
One of them — Malik — looked down at little Joy sitting on the floor, her wrists lightly tied with school rope, her eyes puffy from crying.
> "What now?" he asked, impatient.
The second one — Tanko — scoffed. "We wait for the call."
Malik glanced at Joy.
> "What if she screams?"
> "Then we shut her up."
Suddenly, Malik's phone buzzed. It was Luna.
He picked it up on speaker.
> "She's still not talking," he grunted.
> "Fine. Then scare her. Not too much. Just a warning shot — somewhere close. Let her know what'll happen if her mom doesn't back off."
> "And if someone finds her before then?"
> "Then shoot the girl and vanish. I'll clean it up."
The line went dead.
Joy gasped softly, and Malik turned slowly toward her.
---
MEANWHILE – OUTSIDE THE ADMIN BLOCK
Jimmy grabbed Luna by the wrist as she laughed with Kylie.
> "Where is she?!"
> "Ow, psycho! Let me go!"
> "Where is Joy?!" he growled, eyes burning.
Luna rolled her eyes. "Why would I know?"
Nelly arrived right behind them, out of breath again. "She's gone, Luna. Missing. Her mother's with the police already."
> "Well maybe she ran away from her beggar life," Kylie muttered.
> "You're sick," Nelly snapped. "You're not just bullies anymore. You're criminals."
Jimmy stepped closer to Luna.
> "I know what you did. This isn't some prank. This is a child. If anything happens to her—"
> "What?" Luna sneered. "You'll cry to Daddy?"
Jimmy's voice dropped low.
> "Try me."
> "You're so soft now," Luna said, smiling. "Is it because Nelly's holding your hand these days?"
> "You're disgusting."
> "And you're weak."
They glared at each other.
> "We're going to find her," Nelly said. "And when we do — every word, every call, every name you gave — is going to bury you."
Luna's smile twitched.
> "Good luck."
---
LATER THAT NIGHT – MRS. GRACE'S HOME
The police sat in her small living room, asking questions. She was holding Joy's dress to her chest, sobbing quietly.
> "I told them," she whispered. "I told them to leave us alone."
> "We'll find her," the officer said. "But if you have any proof someone was behind this—"
Mrs. Grace paused… then looked at the recording phone Nelly gave her.
> "I think… we do."
********
The sky had darkened, and the school field was eerily quiet.
Nelly and Jimmy had searched every hallway, every block, and every inch of the compound — until Jimmy suddenly stopped.
> "Wait…" he whispered.
He held up his hand.
From somewhere far behind the trees, near the abandoned storage shed, they heard it — a faint voice.
> "Help… please…"
Jimmy's eyes widened. "That's her. That's Joy!"
They both broke into a sprint, heartbeats racing.
But halfway across the field — BANG!
A loud gunshot echoed into the night sky.
Nelly screamed and collapsed to her knees.
> "No… no… they killed her… they shot her!"
Her body shook as she cried, hands gripping the dirt, wailing like her soul had been torn apart.
> "She was just a child…" she choked. "Oh my God, they shot her…"
Jimmy knelt beside her, grabbing her shoulders.
> "Look at me, Nelly. We don't know that. We don't know—"
> "I can't lose her too!" she cried.
> "Then come on," he whispered. "We fight. We finish this."
He helped her to her feet.
They followed the sound, heart in throat, around the old mango tree, past the broken benches…
And there she was.
Joy.
Tied up. Shaking. Crying. But alive.
Nelly gasped, falling beside her and hugging her tightly.
> "Oh thank God… Oh my God… Joy… baby, I thought I lost you."
Joy sobbed in her arms. "They said… they'd shoot me… if I spoke…"
Jimmy looked around — and the thugs were there.
Two boys. One standing near the shed door. The other — Malik — holding the gun.
> "We didn't shoot her," he muttered. "We just fired into the air."
> "Let her go," Jimmy warned, stepping forward.
> "And who are you to command us?" Malik sneered.
> "You're done," Jimmy said. "We won't call the police. Just let us go."
Nelly added quickly, "Please… we won't say a word. Just let her go."
The second thug hesitated, then walked over and cut Joy's ropes.
She scrambled back into Nelly's arms.
But suddenly, Malik raised his gun again — pointing it straight at Nelly.
> "You talk too much, girl. I think I'll shut you up myself."
> "No!" Jimmy shouted, stepping in front of her.
Malik's finger tensed over the trigger—
WAILING POLICE SIRENS.
Screeching tires.
A group of officers burst into the clearing with flashlights and guns raised. Behind them — Mrs. Grace, barefoot, eyes wild with terror.
> "JOY!!!"
She ran forward, scooping her daughter into her arms.
The two thugs dropped their weapons instantly and raised their hands, surrendering.
> "We didn't hurt her! We didn't—"
> "You shut up!" barked one of the officers, cuffing them.
Jimmy stepped back in shock. Nelly dropped to the ground again, crying — this time out of relief.
Mrs. Grace hugged her too, sobbing.
> "You saved her… You saved my daughter…"
---
Later That Night – Police Station Parking Lot
Jimmy sat beside Nelly on the curb, both of them silent, drained, but alive.
> "You were brave tonight," he said.
> "You were braver," she replied.
> "Do you still hate me?" he asked quietly.
Nelly looked at him.
> "Not today."
Jimmy smiled softly.
> "We're not done, are we?"
> "Not even close," Nelly replied. "Luna's still out there. And so is the truth."
They looked up at the stars — not with peace, but with purpose.
Tomorrow would be war.