Liam Johnson held his phone tightly as he walked along the busy street. The city lights reflected on the wet pavement, and horns from evening traffic echoed around him. He had just finished a long shift at the restaurant and wanted nothing more than to get home, shower, and sleep. But instead, he was meeting a stranger.

Earlier that day, he had received a message from an unknown number. It said: “If you want to know what happened to your brother, come to the Neon Bridge tonight. Midnight. Come alone.” Liam’s brother, Dylan, had disappeared six months ago without a trace. The police found nothing. His family fell apart, and Liam lived every day with fear and guilt.

Now, under the bridge, the neon lights from a nearby billboard glowed purple and blue over the river below. Liam’s breath turned white in the cold night air as he looked around. There were people nearby, but they all hurried past without a glance.

A woman in a dark coat stepped out from behind a pillar. She appeared calm, but her eyes were sharp.
“Liam Johnson?” she asked quietly.

“Yes,” he replied, voice shaking. “Do you know where my brother is?”

“I can tell you the truth,” she said. “But you must come with me. Not here.”

Liam hesitated. He remembered the message saying come alone. This felt wrong.
“Who are you?” he asked.

“My name is Sara,” she answered. “Your brother worked for dangerous people. If you want to survive this, trust me.”

Before Liam could decide, a black car stopped suddenly nearby. Two men in suits stepped out, moving quickly towards them.

“Run!” Sara ordered.

Liam followed her as she sprinted away from the bridge and into a narrow alley. Their footsteps echoed against the walls. Liam’s heart pounded so loudly he could barely hear anything else. Behind them, the men shouted.

Sara led him behind a tall building and pushed open a metal door. Inside was a small security office. CCTV screens showed streets and car parks nearby. She locked the door and pulled the blinds.

“Who were those men?” Liam asked, trying to catch his breath.

“The same men your brother worked for,” Sara said. “An organisation that steals information and sells it. Dylan tried to leave. They don’t let anyone leave.”

Liam felt cold fear spreading through him.
“Is he alive?”

Sara looked at him sadly.

“He was. He helped me escape months ago. They found out. They punished him for it. I’m sorry.”

Liam’s knees weakened. He leaned on the table, eyes filling with tears. He had hoped for answers, but not this.

Suddenly, loud banging hit the door. The men had found them.

“We need to move,” Sara said, pulling a small USB drive from her pocket. “This has proof of everything they’ve done. We must give it to the police.”

“How do we get out?” Liam asked.

She pointed to a door at the back of the room.
“There’s a fire escape that leads to the old harbour.”

They rushed out, climbing down the metal stairs. The wind from the water felt icy. Liam could hear footsteps again, closer this time.

The old harbour was quiet, filled with empty warehouses. Sara headed towards a small motorbike chained to a fence. She quickly unlocked it.

“Get on!” she shouted.

As they drove away, the men appeared behind them. A gunshot cracked through the air. Liam ducked, holding tight to Sara’s coat.

The chase continued along the waterfront until Sara turned sharply down a pier. At the end of it stood a police patrol car with its lights flashing. Two officers stepped out.

Sara stopped the bike.
“Please,” she called out. “We need protection. I have evidence!”

The officers hurried forward. The men in suits stopped several metres away, realising they were too late.

One officer took the USB drive. The other cuffed the two men, reading them their rights. Liam watched, shaking, but relieved.

Sara placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Your brother was brave,” she said. “He saved me. Tonight, you helped finish what he started.”

Liam nodded, tears finally falling, but for the first time in a long while, he also felt hope.

“I won’t let his story end in darkness,” he said.

The city lights glimmered on the water, and somewhere above them, the first light of morning began to chase away the night.

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Vocabulary Notes

Trace (noun)
Meaning: A small sign or piece of evidence showing that someone or something was present.
Example: “…Dylan had disappeared six months ago without a trace.”
Similar words: sign, clue, hint, mark

Hesitate (verb)
Meaning: To pause before doing something because you are not sure or nervous.
Example: “Liam hesitated.”
Similar words: pause, delay, wait, waver

Survive (verb)
Meaning: To stay alive, especially in a dangerous situation.
Example: “If you want to survive this, trust me.”
Similar words: stay alive, endure, remain safe

Evidence (noun)
Meaning: Information or objects used to prove something is true.
Example: “This has evidence of everything they’ve done.”
Similar words: proof, facts, information, support

Punish (verb)
Meaning: To make someone suffer because they have done something wrong.
Example: “They punished him for it.”
Similar words: discipline, penalise, hurt, make someone pay

Story written by ChatGPT AI.

Image created by ChatGPT AI.

CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads.

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