In the Dainfern Estate of Johannesburg, South Africa, in her yellow house at the top of Highgate Village, Mrs Jade Pretorius sat in her soft blue armchair in front of the television. The screen was blank. It was blank because Mrs Pretorius knew all too well what it would show if she were to switch it on; it would show the same picture that had been on it for weeks. The other reason it remained blank was what that picture meant.

The image was from a news programme, which was broadcast all over the country. The photograph behind the newscaster was one of a teenage girl, quite a pretty girl, with long, dark brown hair, beautiful grey eyes, and pale, unblemished skin. The newscaster lifted his sheaf of papers to a more comfortable reading angle, and told South Africa that Magda Pretorius, sixteen years old, had been kidnapped from her home in Dainfern, Johannesburg on the evening of February 19th, when her parents were out.

The picture behind the man’s head faded and became the face of a boy with short dark hair gelled forward and brown eyes that seemed to laugh at the camera. The newsreader continued by informing his audience that Jack Kelley had also been kidnapped. He had been keeping Magda company on the evening in question, and had not been seen since. At this time, there were no suspects and no leads, and anyone with information was requested to report to police as soon as possible.

Jade Pretorius sighed, and lifted herself lethargically out of her chair. Her husband would be home soon, and although neither of them would do more than pick at the food, it was her duty to have dinner on the table.

As she made her way from the TV room to the kitchen, the doorbell rang. She sighed again, and went to answer it.