Harry hesitated before letting go of Lili’s hand, his eyes wide with fear as the police led him toward the waiting car that would take him to Child Protective Services. Lili stood frozen, her heart sinking. The next morning, her phone rang. A voice on the other end spoke with indifference. “He’s been returned to his foster family. There’s no sign of abuse.”
Something about that didn’t sit right with Lili. She couldn’t shake the image of Harry clinging to her, his quiet plea not to go. She decided to look into it herself.
After some digging, she found the address of Harry’s foster home. It was a crumbling old house, surrounded by a wild, neglected yard. She approached the door, nervous but resolute. A sharp-eyed woman answered. “Greta,” she said curtly.
Lili drew a breath. “I’m with CPS. I need to take updated photos of the children for their files.”
Greta’s expression tightened, but after a pause, she let her in. The moment Lili stepped inside, she saw the truth—children with hollow eyes, tense shoulders, and silence so heavy it made her skin crawl. Greta eyed her suspiciously, eventually picking up the phone. Lili used those few minutes to snap discreet photos, documenting everything she could before Greta ordered her out.
That night, unable to rest, Lili returned with a ladder. One by one, she helped the frightened children through a window, Harry among them. But just as they reached the street, flashing lights appeared. An officer stepped out. Before Lili could speak, Harry ran forward. “Please, officer! We couldn’t stay there!”
Something shifted in the officer’s face. He nodded. “We’ll look into it.”
A year passed. Lili, now Harry’s adoptive mother, visited the other children, now thriving. Harry hugged her tight. “You saved us.” Lili whispered, “You saved me too.”