Mark and Emma sat in their dimly lit living room, the silence between them as thick as the shadows on the walls.
The only sound was the ticking of the clock on the mantle, a reminder that time was passing and their son Simon was still missing.
They had been searching for what felt like an eternity, but every lead had turned up empty.
The police had just left, their faces somber as they delivered the news that the DNA test on the dead body came out negative. But this had sent Emma's mind racing with worst-case scenarios.
"I can't shake the feeling that something terrible has happened to him,"
Emma said, her voice barely above a whisper. She clutched a tissue in her hand, her eyes red from crying.
Mark put his arm around her, pulling her close.
"We'll find him, Em. We have to."
He tried to sound convincing, but the words felt hollow even to him. The truth was, they had no idea where Simon was or if he was even still alive.
