James lifted the rug further. The outline of the trapdoor was undeniable now. Rusted nails. Uneven grain. A cover-up job, done years ago but not well enough.<\/p>\n
He turned toward the young assistant standing by the door\u2014a girl barely out of high school. She was holding a paper cup, her hands trembling so badly orange juice sloshed over the rim.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou okay?\u201d James asked gently.<\/p>\n
She nodded too quickly. \u201cY-yeah. Just startled. That dog\u2019s bark is\u2026 loud.\u201d<\/p>\n
But she wouldn\u2019t meet his eyes.<\/p>\n
James was about to press her when he heard a small voice at his knee.<\/p>\n
The little boy had stepped forward, eyes still fixed on the floor. He leaned close to Diesel and whispered, just loud enough for James to catch it:<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s where the other kids went.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n The words hit James like ice water.<\/p>\n He crouched fast, lowering himself to the child\u2019s level. \u201cWhat do you mean, buddy?\u201d<\/p>\n The boy looked over his shoulder, then back at the floor. His voice dropped to a trembling whisper.<\/p>\n \u201cThey go down there when they don\u2019t listen. The lady says they have to learn to be quiet.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/newsx48.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/comntinue-reading.jpeg\")
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