Chapter Thirty Seven: Hopeless Situation

Jonah and Amelia rushed out of the hospital room, a growing sense of dread gnawing at their hearts. They began searching the hospital, peering into every room, questioning every nurse and doctor they encountered. Each time, they were met with the same bewildered looks and sympathetic shrugs. The baby and the elderly woman seemed to have vanished without a trace.

"She was right here," Jonah insisted to another nurse at the reception desk. "We brought her in. The doctors took her to the emergency room."

The nurse, looking through the records again, shook her head. "I'm sorry, sir, but there's no record of any baby or elderly woman being admitted tonight."

Amelia's frustration boiled over. "How is that possible? We saw them take her in! How can there be no record?"

The nurse gave them a pitying look. "I don't know what to tell you. Maybe there's been some mistake. Have you checked other hospitals?"

Jonah and Amelia exchanged a desperate glance. "We'll check," Jonah said through gritted teeth, though he knew it was futile. They had been so certain, and now they were left with nothing but questions.

They spent the next several hours calling and visiting other hospitals, but each visit ended in the same dead end. There was no record of the baby or the elderly woman anywhere. It was as if they had never existed. Exhausted and frantic, Jonah and Amelia decided to report the situation to the police.

At the police station, they recounted their story to a skeptical officer. "We found a baby, took her to an address, but no one was there. Then the baby got sick, so we brought her to the hospital. Now she's gone, along with the woman who was supposed to take care of her."

The officer took notes, his brow furrowing. "And there's no record of this baby or the woman at the hospital?"

"None," Jonah replied. "It's like they disappeared."

The officer leaned back in his chair, considering. "Alright, we'll file a report and look into it. But I have to be honest with you, without any records or witnesses, this will be difficult."

Amelia's eyes filled with tears again. "Please, we just want to make sure the baby is safe."

"We'll do what we can," the officer assured them, though his tone suggested he wasn't hopeful.

Jonah couldn't shake the feeling of helplessness that had settled over him. He spent countless hours retracing their steps, hoping for a clue they might have missed. He visited the house again, searching for any signs, but it remained empty and silent. He questioned neighbors, but no one had seen anything unusual.

Amelia tried to keep her spirits up, but the uncertainty was wearing her down. "What if we'll never find her?" she asked one night, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jonah took her hand, squeezing it tightly. "We can't give up. There has to be an explanation. We just have to keep looking."

It was as if the baby and the woman had been swallowed by the earth. Each night, Jonah and Amelia would sit together, poring over the scant details they had, hoping for a breakthrough that never came.

One evening, after another fruitless day of searching, Jonah stared at the ceiling, frustration and sorrow churning inside him. "What if she was never meant to be found?"

Amelia, lying beside him, turned to face him, her eyes filled with the same turmoil. "We did everything we could. We saved her when she needed us most. We can't let this destroy us."

Jonah nodded, knowing she was right. "We won't stop looking, but we have to live, too. For her sake, if nothing else."

Jonah and Amelia were seated on their porch, enjoying the rare moment of peace. The sun was setting, casting a golden hue over their surroundings. Jonah leaned back, staring into the distance, lost in thought, while Amelia sipped her tea, both of them enveloped in a comfortable silence.

Suddenly, Jonah's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw a text message from an unknown number. His heart skipped a beat as he read the message:

"I have information about the baby and the woman. Meet me at the old train station at midnight. Come alone."

Jonah's mind raced. Could this be the break they had been waiting for? The message was cryptic and felt like a potential trap, but it also might be their only chance to get answers.

"Amelia," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Look at this."

He handed her the phone, and she read the message, her eyes widening with a mix of hope and apprehension. "Do you think it's real?" she asked.

Jonah shrugged. "I don't know. But we have to find out. This might be our only lead."

Amelia nodded, biting her lip. "You can't go alone, Jonah. It's too dangerous."

He placed a reassuring hand on her arm. "I have to. If this is real, we can't risk scaring them off. I'll be careful, I promise."

Reluctantly, Amelia agreed, and they spent the next few hours preparing for the meeting. Jonah packed a small bag with essentials and ensured his phone was fully charged. As midnight approached, he kissed Amelia goodbye, promising to call her the moment he had any news.

The old train station was a relic from a bygone era, abandoned and forgotten by most. Its rusted tracks and crumbling platform made it an eerie place, especially at night. Jonah arrived early, his heart pounding with anticipation and a touch of fear.

He waited in the shadows, every creak and rustle setting his nerves on edge. Midnight came and went, and Jonah began to worry that the message had been a cruel joke. Just as he was about to give up, a figure emerged from the darkness.

"Are you Jonah?" the person asked, their voice low and cautious.

"Yes," Jonah replied, stepping forward. "Who are you? What do you know about the baby and the woman?"