Chapter 3
Juniper stood on the stage, giving me a disdainful glance, taking in all my humiliation.
Juniper shouted from the stage, "I've already said it—parents, get up here already! Don't make such a fuss!"
"Hide and seek lasts for half an hour. Some of those kids are probably just taking a nap, hoping to win by doing nothing!" Juniper added with a smirk.
"And I told you, I'll come down and help you find them one by one. Why are you freaking out?" Juniper said, rolling her eyes.
That same old attitude. I snatched up a few balls and threw them right at her shoulder.
"You? Help us find them?" I snapped.
"Half an hour... Do you even realize how many kids could suffocate in that time? If a kid gets stuck underneath, even a tiny bit of water could make them choke. Every second matters!" I yelled.
"Clear the way!"
Before I could finish speaking, a frantic voice rang out from afar.
Vivian rushed over, panting, and reached out her hand to me.
"Claire, get up here first!" Vivian called out urgently.
"I got in touch with Earl, the guy who mentioned the water leak earlier. He's already got a forklift out for some renovations," Vivian explained.
"I told him to come over and clear out all the ball pit balls. That way, we can find the kids!" Vivian added.
"How can you do that?" Juniper's voice rose, suddenly anxious.
She, who had been acting aloof, now looked visibly nervous.
"The path from the gate to here was just finished, and each stone costs a pretty penny. What if the forklift comes in and wrecks them?" Juniper protested.
"And if the ball pit balls get scattered everywhere, do you even realize what a nightmare it'll be for the cleaning crew to deal with?" Juniper added.
"You rich ladies live in massive homes, and we workers...are we just expected to work late into the night because of your selfish demands?" Juniper snapped.
One ridiculous comment after another just kept coming at me.
Vivian couldn't care less about Juniper's complaints.
She turned straight to Earl and called out, "Go ahead and drive in!"
"Go ahead and drive in!" Vivian repeated.
"Whatever the damage, we'll pay for it. Just make sure you don't hurt any of the kids when you clear out the balls!" Vivian added.
As she spoke, she slipped off her gold bracelet.
"Here's your pay upfront..." Vivian said, handing it over.
"Okay, okay!" Earl responded without hesitation.
Three minutes later, the whole place shook with the roar of the forklift.
With one big scoop, the forklift sent nearly a thousand ball pit balls tumbling and spilling right onto the stage.
The parents all stepped back without thinking.
But soon, a wild gust of wind swept through.
Over half the ball pit balls tumbled right back, and Vivian couldn't help but stomp her foot, clearly anxious.
"Earl, tilt the scoop up a bit! Hold the balls for now. Don't let them drop!" Vivian shouted.
"Then dump them onto the patch of grass up front. I'll take care of the cleanup later!" Vivian added.
Juniper, who was about to step in and say something, stopped in her tracks at Vivian's no-nonsense, big-spender attitude.
The next second, another thousand balls were scooped up by the forklift.
Everyone's eyes were locked on the dwindling pile of balls, but still, not a single kid turned up.
I felt totally lost.
Why was Felix the only one who had been found? Where did all the other kids go? Panic was creeping in.
Where could they possibly be hiding? Frustration was bubbling up.
The forklift scooped up another load, and my gaze lingered over the pile, but something suddenly felt off.
My heart skipped a beat.
Among the thousands of balls the forklift had just lifted, Emma's yellow hat caught my eye.
She was really hiding here! I was stunned.
Almost at the same moment, the other parents caught sight of it.
"Oh my god, look! There's a kid in there!" someone shouted.
"Whose kid is that? That's dangerous! Don't let her move, it's way too risky!" another parent yelled.
Please, just stay still! My heart was racing with fear.
With my heart in my throat, I rushed over barefoot, not caring about anything else.
But all the commotion around us startled Emma, who was hiding among the balls.
The little girl began to flail in panic, scared by how high she was suddenly lifted.
In the next instant, she slipped and fell right off the forklift.
And then she fell straight down!
"No!" I yelled, panic flooding my voice.
I dashed forward, heart pounding, desperate to catch her before she hit the ground.
Thud!
I barely registered the stabbing pain in my shoulder as I frantically grabbed Emma, holding her tight.
"Emma, are you okay...?" I gasped, my voice shaking.
My words caught in my throat, and I stood there, utterly stunned.
Tears fell before I even realized it, and in that instant, my heart was crushed. Utter despair washed over me.
This wasn't Emma. It was Oscar.
"Oscar, my baby!" Vivian shouted, her voice shaking with a mix of panic and relief.
Vivian rushed over, nearly tripping, and hugged Oscar as if she'd never let go.
She looked at me, her eyes shining with both apology and gratitude.
"Claire, we wouldn't have found either of them without you. Seriously, thank you... I mean it," Vivian said, her voice thick with emotion.
"It's nothing..." I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.
I got to my feet, exhausted, my mind too numb to care.
I lowered my gaze, my right arm hanging uselessly at my side, feeling as if it had been dislocated.
My knees were already scraped up from the impact, with large patches of skin rubbed raw.