TOUGH

VINCENZO CASTILLO

It was the third children’s park I’d searched, and still... Nothing.

No sign of Jeoffery. No sign of whoever took him.

"Jeoffery!" I roared, my voice tearing through the late-night air.

My eyes scanned every corner, every bench, every blur of sections in the park, like maybe—just maybe—he’d appear out of nowhere.

But deep down, I knew I was starting to go crazy.

Losing it already.

Three parks down. God knows how many more to go. And this—this sick game reeked of Alexandro. What was I even saying? It could only be him.

I pulled up the photo again, the one that had been sent. It was no use tracing the number—it had been wiped clean. If it were anyone else, I could’ve had them in a chokehold by now. But no—this was personal. This was his way of saying, "This one's on you."

“Arrrrgh Cazzo!”

I snapped, hurling my phone to the ground. The screen shattered on impact, just like the last string of patience holding me together.

But even before the pieces stopped bouncing, a me