Marcus scanned the ground until he saw it: a large black bag, knotted at the top… moving.
“No,” he whispered, already pulling out his knife.
His hands shook as he sliced through the plastic. The bag tore open.
Inside was a little girl, curled tightly, maybe four years old. Filthy. Shaking. Her eyes were wide with terror — but she was breathing.
“She’s alive,” Marcus choked.
Lila was already on her radio. “Dispatch, we need an ambulance NOW. Child found at the landfill. Critical.”
Marcus lifted the girl, cradling her against his chest. She didn’t cry. She just stared at him, silent and frozen.
“You’re safe,” he whispered. “I’ve got you.”
At Ridgeway General Hospital, doctors worked quickly. Marcus refused to leave, standing watch outside the pediatric unit. Hours passed before a nurse approached.
“We found something in her pocket.”
She handed him a crumpled scrap of paper. Two shaky letters were written on it.
A L
That night, Marcus didn’t sleep.
By sunrise, he was back at the landfill — off the clock, against orders. He searched where he’d found the bag and discovered more: children’s clothes, a handmade doll, and a faded laundry tag.
R. Lawson — Pine Hollow
A lead.