This story unfolds like a film in the style of Locke. A teacher is headed off on a class trip to London when her six-year-old son calls, alone and scared. My palms were sweating as I read this.

“It’s dark,” Liam said, his soft, little-kid voice barely audible over the crackle of the landline. “Daddy’s not here.”

“What do you mean, honey?” Amanda asked her son. “Is he in the bathroom?”

“No, he’s gone.”