In the morning, Alina woke to the sound of screaming from the end of the corridor."Optimus! Optimus is missing!"Junior's voice. High-pitched. Panicked.Alina sat up immediately, heart pounding. She recognized that tone. Junior only cried like that when something was truly wrong.She leaped from bed, ran to the door, tried the handle.Locked. Of course it was locked."Junior!" Alina shouted, pounding on the door. "Junior, sweetheart, what happened?"But her voice didn't reach him. Or was ignored.She could hear more voices now. Running footsteps. Clarissa's soothing voice. Margaret's sharp voice with questions.And Junior still crying. "Optimus! Mama, where's Optimus?!"Mama.He was calling for Alina.But Alina was locked inside, unable to reach him, unable to comfort.Frustration and panic mounting, Alina pounded harder on the door. "Open the door! Junior needs me! Open it!"No one came.The voices outside grew more chaotic. Junior still crying. Clarissa's voice trying to calm. Marg
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