That Boy

•PROLOGUE•

Pensacola, Florida

That fateful evening was the third day of autumn. The cold night breeze started blowing, and everyone in town was wearing their coats whenever they went outside, including 26-year-old Child Psychologist, Melissa Woodward. She spent her early 20s working with troubled children at a local Child Psychologist's Office where she would give troubled kids therapy or even, sometimes, find them a home with a loving foster family.

Melissa walked on the pavement, alongside other pedestrians as her gaze danced around her surroundings. Street lamps were everywhere. Cctv could be found at some spots and coffee shops were still open. Melissa made her way to a public park where some teenagers would usually gather and cause public disturbance, doing drugs and drinking. She hoped there would be no more of that as she expected them to work on themselves. As she reached the public park, there were several folks walking their dog and several teenagers playing UNO cards. Her gaze scanned the teenager's belongings and apparently there were no drink or drugs with them. She glanced at her wristwatch; it was 1.20 AM.

Melissa went on with her hunt to no avail; she then exited the public park and continued to walk on the pavement, near the public park. There was an abandoned child park. Last week, Melissa had already reprimanded 2 female teenagers for doing drugs precisely on the stairs of the abandoned tunnel slide. She wanted to make sure that there's no more of that and that teenage girls learned from their mistakes.

As Melissa headed inside the abandoned child park, there was nobody. However, she decided to explore further in case some teenager might be hiding from her. Melissa went straight to the abandoned tunnel slide as she pointed her phone flashlight into the tunnel, there was nobody. She then continued to explore the park, not missing every single ride; that was until she saw what appeared to be a mysterious suitcase with a medium-sized hole in it. As Melissa peeped inside, she found a little boy who appeared to be unconscious.

**************

"911 what's your emergency?" The female dispatcher asked on the line.

"There's a little boy... he's unconscious" Melissa replied frantically.

"What happened to him?"

"I don't know! He's inside a suitcase. I had no idea!"

"Where are you ma'am?" The dispatcher asked.

"I'm at the Preston avenue.. at the abandoned children's park near the public park!" Melissa yelled.

"Our officer and ambulance is heading your way ma'am, meanwhile stay on the line with me"

****************

Two police cars arrived at the scene alongside an ambulance. Officer Zachary, the one in charge, exited his Patrol car and approached Melissa. Some pedestrians who walked past got curious and stopped to see what's going on at the abandoned child park. He was no stranger to Melissa since the two were college friends back then while majoring in Psychology, then as soon as Zachary graduated he decided to enroll in a police academy.

"What happened here?"

"I don't know, I happened to find this little boy lying there.."

The paramedic team rushed out of the ambulance while lifting a stretcher.

"I'll talk to you in the hospital" Zachary said before he backed off and entered his patrol car.

Melissa then joined the ambulance as the little boy's only guardian.

10 minutes later

The ambulance and one of the patrol cars made it to the Hospital, whereas the second patrol car scour the abandoned child park area to check for any clues. The boy was rushed inside alongside the paramedics team. Melissa and Zachary waited outside.

"Tell me what happened" Zachary asked.

"I happened to be in the area and just observing some teenagers. Most of them usually hide inside the abandoned child park, instead of finding them I found that little boy instead" she explained.

"Okay, was he already unconscious when you first find him?"

"Yeah" Melissa nodded.

Not long after that, Zachary received a call from a fellow officer at the scene.

"Hello?" He said as soon as he picked up the call.

Melissa crossed her arm in her chest, feeling super anxious. Zachary walking back and forth as he talked on the phone.

*************

"They had checked the CCTV near the child's park" Zachary announced.

"What did they found?" Melissa's pupil widened in curiosity.

"There's a disoriented woman who appeared to be high on drugs dragged a suitcase, and exited the child park. Allegedly, he put the boy in there and that's the cause of him losing consciousness" Zachary explained.

"Oh god, is there any witnesses that saw the woman?"

"No one so far but they're still working on it"

Not long after that, the doctor exited the examination room.

"He was asphyxiated.." The doctor said.

"How's his conditions now?" Melissa asked out of concern.

"He already regained consciousness but still appeared to be dizzy. We'll perform some drug test on him tonight. You can come see him tomorrow"

"Alright.."

"Let's go to my patrol car, I'll give you a ride" Zachary said.

"Um.. thank you"