Cody's bedroom was a refuge of soft light and scattered warmth amid the cold tension that had settled over the Baldwin household. LED lights strung along the edges of the ceiling cast gentle halos across posters of detectives and films plastered unevenly on the walls, their colours muted in the dim glow. The scent of buttery popcorn filled the air, mingling with the faint musk of old books and worn fabric. Around the room, the Baldwin siblings had gathered — their safe little island of familiarity for the night.
Harriet sat cross-legged on the plush carpet near the foot of Cody's bed, her fingers deftly flipping through the movie options on the remote. Her brows knitted as she weighed their choices. Harper was curled into a beanbag chair, her knees pulled close to her chest, hoodie wrapped tightly around her like armor. Her eyes, usually so sharp and guarded, looked tired and distant tonight. Aura lounged against a mound of pillows, occasionally glancing at her phone but mostly staring off, lost in thought.
It was rare for them all to be together like this anymore. School, work, therapy, and personal battles had stretched them thin. But tonight, they'd carved out time for something simple — a movie night, a brief pause from the quiet fractures in their lives.
Harriet's voice broke the gentle hum of the TV's background noise. "Okay.. comedy or comfort drama? We need something easy."
Harper shifted, pulling her hood further down. "Comfort drama. No death, no disappearances. Please."
Aura nodded absently. "Yeah, I'm not emotionally equipped for fictional trauma."
Cody, perched on the edge of his desk chair, glanced toward the door more times than he'd admit aloud. The weight in his chest grew heavier with each passing minute.
Cody hesitated, forcing a shrug. "He was supposed to be home hours ago. I thought he'd just show up late. That's Jackson."
Aura's voice dropped. "He wasn't at school today... again."
Harper's gaze darkened. "Do you think he's okay?"
Cody stood abruptly, the knot twisting inside him tightening into a painful coil. "I'm going to check. Be right back."
He moved quickly down the hall, every step echoing in the quiet house. Stopping outside Jackson's shared bedroom, he hesitated a moment before gently pushing open the door.
The room was still. No sound but the faint hum of the house settling. His bed was a mess — blankets tangled and pillows strewn carelessly — but the biggest shock was the absence. No backpack resting against the desk. No jacket hanging on the chair. No sign Jackson had been home at all.
Cody's throat tightened. He backed out silently, his footsteps soft but urgent as he hurried downstairs.
In the stately, polished living room below, their parents sat stiffly. Their mother's hands were clasped tightly in her lap, nails tapping an invisible rhythm against her thigh. Their father stared out the window, the streetlights casting a pale glow on his drawn face.
"Hey, mom, dad.." Cody's voice cut through the tension, low and cautious. "Have you seen Jackson?"
Their mother looked up sharply, eyes wide with concern. "He's not upstairs?"
"No... Looks like he hasn't been here at all," Cody said, swallowing hard.
Their father set down his coffee, the mug clicking softly against the table. "We left a note for him. The school called again today — more absences. We wanted to talk to him tonight."
Cody spoke, a cold pit forming in his stomach. "His stuff's gone."
Their mother rose, pacing anxiously. "You think he ran?"
"I don't know." Cody admitted. "He's not answering his phone."
Upstairs, the muffled sound of the TV was interrupted when Aura clicked the remote to mute. "Something's wrong." she said softly, eyes fixed on the stairs.
Harriet looked up, worry knitting her brow. "What do you mean?"
Harper pushed herself out of the beanbag, resolve stiffening her spine. "We should check on him."
The three girls moved quietly down the stairs, their footsteps light but hurried. They reached the bottom just as their mother's voice rose, taut with tension.
"—he's never stayed out this late without telling anyone." their father said quietly.
Harriet stopped, breath catching. "Wait, Jackson's missing?"
Their mother turned to face them, her face pale but composed. "He's not answering his phone. Cody says his things are gone. We don't want to panic, but..."
Harper shook her head, voice tight. "He wouldn't just disappear without saying something."
"No one knows what he's capable of anymore." Cody said, pulling out his phone to try call him again.
Aura moved to the front door, peering out into the night beyond. "Where would he go?"
No one had an answer.
The silence that settled over the room was heavier than before — filled with unspoken fears, regrets, and the terrifying realization that Jackson was gone, and none of them had noticed the cracks until it was too late.
The house felt impossibly still after the revelation. The glow from the muted TV cast flickering shadows across the room, but no one was watching. Instead, tension knotted tight in their chests, and the silence screamed louder than any words could.
Cody stood near the front door, lacing his sneakers with trembling fingers. His jaw was set, but the worry etched in his eyes betrayed his attempt to stay strong. Harriet moved beside him, wrapping a jacket around her shoulders even though it was warm inside. Her face was pale, her lips pressed into a thin line. This wasn't just a missing sibling anymore—it felt like a fracture splitting their family apart.
Cody murmured. "We can't just wait. We have to find him."
Harriet nodded, biting her lip. "Let's check the places he might go. The park, maybe that late-night diner by the corner... anywhere he feels like he can disappear."
Before they could step out, Aura's voice broke the fragile calm, raw and shaky.
"I—I don't understand how he could just leave like this." she whispered, eyes wide and rimmed red from tears. "What if something's happened? What if he's hurt? Or worse?"
Harper, who had been watching Aura quietly from the couch, stood and approached her slowly, her voice firm but gentle.
"Aura, look at me."
Aura's breath hitched as she wiped at her cheeks, avoiding eye contact.
"Panicking won't help. We need to be clear-headed. Jackson isn't gone because he wants to disappear forever—he's hurting, but that doesn't mean he's lost."
Aura shook her head, her voice cracking. "But what if we're wrong? What if this time he really has run too far?"
Harper's eyes softened. She reached out and took Aura's hands in hers.
"We're going to find him. Cody and Harriet are going to start looking now, and we're going to be ready to help when they do. But if you keep spiraling into panic, you won't be able to do anything when he needs us."
Aura swallowed hard, the fierce anxiety battling with Harper's calm resolve.
"I'm really scared." she admitted.
"So are we all." Harper said quietly. "But we have to stay strong for Jackson, for each other."
Aura nodded slowly, taking a shaky breath. "Okay."
Cody and Harriet exchanged a look near the door, then stepped out into the cool night air, the weight of the unknown pressing down on them as they set out to find their brother — hoping to reach him before the silence swallowed him whole.