Jamie trailed behind the staff member, eyes sweeping every inch of pavement, grass, and fencing. “He’s so small,” he whispered. “He couldn’t have gone far.” The staff member nodded, but didn’t look convinced. “We’ll check every enclosure. Sometimes they squeeze through things we’d never expect.”
Visitors passed by, laughing, licking ice creams, unaware that Jamie’s whole world had slipped through the cracks. They walked past the reptile house, then the aviary. At one point, Jamie thought he heard a bark. He sprinted toward the sound—but it was someone’s ringtone. False hope.