Frowning behind her wire-rimmed glasses, Dr. Ellis carefully examined the paper under an archival lamp. She concluded it was authentic and likely from the late 1930s or early 1940s. “A lot of people feared bombings during World War II,” she said. “Some even built hidden rooms in their houses. Maybe you’ve got a secret shelter.”
Eliza’s mind whirled. She recalled the small doll parts and ribbons, the shoe, the sense of an unseen presence in her home. Could these items have belonged to a child who lived—and possibly hid—there decades ago?