289: The Search Is On

Camilla The woman opened the door, and the first thing I noticed was the flashing red and blue lights outside. Relief surged through me, though it was tempered by the lingering fear and exhaustion. Officer Bryan’s familiar face appeared among the officers who stepped into the house. The sight of him was like a lifeline in the chaos. “Camilla!” he said, his voice filled with a mixture of surprise and concern. “I didn’t expect to see you here.” I felt a wave of gratitude and relief wash over me. “Officer Bryan, thank God it’s you,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the fatigue. “I was so scared you wouldn’t find me.” He gave me a reassuring nod and led me to a nearby seat, motioning for one of his colleagues to take over with the woman. “Why don’t you start from the beginning? Tell me what happened.” I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts as I began recounting everything. “Shawn… Shawn took me. I was in this awful place—dark, cold. I managed to escape, but I