One evening, while starring at the horizon and wondering where her girl might be, Amber’s mom noticed a homeless woman carrying a backpack which resembled that of Amber. She rushed towards the woman and asked her to see it, but she wouldn’t let go of it. Amber’s mom recognized the unicorn patch she had sewn on the backpack and begged the woman to tell her where she had found it.

After hesitating for a while, the woman said she had found the backpack inside a dumpster. Amber’s mom then offered her money for it, and the woman agreed to sell it.

Sadly, the backpack was empty. Was this yet another helpless clue?

As she searched it thoroughly over and over again, Amber’s mom noticed a tiny piece of paper with the words “Green House” written on it.

There was a green house in the neighborhood known for its peeling green paint and overgrown yard. It looked as it was abandoned, but there was a woman living there. Or at least the neighbors said so although Amber’s mom has never seen her.

The mom rushed to her car, adrenaline surging through her veins. The road to the Green House seemed like an eternity. A million thoughts ran through Amber’s mom’s mind. Was her daughter really there, if yes, how did she end up at such a place?

The Green House stood ominously against the dusk, its dark shape stark against the sky. The mom abandoned her car and hurried toward the building. The stillness of the air was pierced only by the sound of her hurried steps.

“Amber!” she shouted, her voice resonating through the vacant hallways. “Amber, it’s Mom! Where are you?”

There was a faint sound which the mom followed. In a tiny, dimly lit room, Amber stood all by herself curled up.

“Mom!” she cried. “Oh, Amber, thank God, I found you.”

Trembling with fear, Amber explained that she was taken by the woman who lived in the green house. Sadly, the woman was mentally ill and she was convinced that Amber was the daughter she had lost years ago.

The woman wasn’t violent toward Amber, but she wouldn’t let her leave the place.

Amber was scared and confused. She couldn’t understand why that happened to her.

The police were called to secure the area and confirm that Amber was safe. They took the woman into custody with sensitivity and understanding, recognizing her mental illness. Amber and her mom returned home, and the ordeal came to a close. The relief of having her back was immense. The two embraced tightly, feeling thankful for the second chance they had been granted.

It took some time, but things eventually returned to normal.