The Locked Library Door

PART 1 I checked my daughter’s phone location and found out why she stopped coming straight

home. My daughter, Maya, 14 years old, started missing

the bus. Every day. Same excuse. “Stayed after school.” Last Tuesday,

she was three hours late. No reply. Phone ringing. Then dead.

When she finally walked in, her sleeves were wet. Her backpack was

heavy. Too heavy. That night, after she fell asleep, I did something

I told myself I wouldn’t do. I opened her phone. Location history. One pin.

Every day. A public library across town. Closed at 6. My chest tightened.