Chapter 3: A Neighborhood Learns the Meaning of Regret
News spread through Oakwood Lane before sunset.
The same neighbors who had whispered behind curtains now stood outside David's house unable to meet each other's eyes.
Mrs. Henderson—the woman who had recorded Chloe instead of helping—deleted the video with shaking hands.
It was already too late.
Officer Megan addressed the small crowd.
"For four days..."
She looked from face to face.
"...every one of you walked past this house."
No one answered.
"You heard nothing because no one listened."
One elderly neighbor finally stepped forward.
"I thought someone else would check."
Megan nodded sadly.
"And everyone else thought exactly the same thing."
The silence that followed hurt more than any accusation.
Within hours, the neighborhood organized.
Meals appeared.
Clothes arrived.
Volunteers cleaned David's home.
May you like
Not because it erased what happened.
Because it was the only thing left they could do.
