Chapter 1

On my daughter’s tenth birthday, I received an anonymous package containing a music box.

Carved on the top were eight dancing children, right above a tiny, engraved sentence:

"No one gets left behind."

The very next day, the head of one of the toy children was snapped off.

That same afternoon, the dismembered body of one of Lily’s classmates was found in the woods on the edge of town.

From that day on, every night at midnight, another bronze figure on the music box would mysteriously break.

And at the exact same time, another child would go missing.

Now, only my daughter is left on the music box.

And she has suddenly started whispering a familiar name over and over again. "Daisy."

That was the little girl who fell off the cliff during our camping trip three years ago.

I knew then that the lie we all told could no longer be hidden...

"Mom! Look!"

After the birthday party, my daughter, Lily, ran up to me, holding a deep red music box.

She couldn't wait to wind the key on the side.

Music drifted out, but the tune sounded completely off.

A few notes felt weirdly stiff and distorted, making my chest tighten for some reason.

"It's so pretty."

But Lily loved it. She hugged the music box tightly, refusing to let go.

I smiled. I figured it was a nostalgic gift from some older relative, so I didn't think much of it.

That night, after sleeping for who knows how long, I was suddenly jolted awake by music.

It was the music box!

It was playing by itself!

The hairs on my arms stood on end. I bolted upright.

The moonlight spilled through the gap in Lily’s bedroom curtains, landing right on the music box.

The eight bronze children holding hands were slowly spinning. In the dim light, their faces shifted between shadows and light.

The music kept playing.

I held my breath, creeping toward it on tiptoe.

Just as my hand was about to touch the music box—the music stopped.

The bronze figures froze.

Everything went dead silent again, as if it had all just been a nightmare.

With trembling hands, I picked up the music box and examined it. Nothing seemed wrong.

*It was probably just a dream,* I told myself. Maybe the spring wasn't wound tightly and slipped.

I put the music box back on the nightstand, but instinctively turned it so it faced away from the bed.

I barely slept the rest of the night.

In the morning, I was woken up by Lily's tearful voice.

"Mom! It's broken! It's broken!"

My heart sank. I rushed over.

Lily pointed at the music box, tears welling in her eyes.

On the lid, one of the eight bronze children—a little boy—had his head brutally snapped off.

Only a jagged, metallic neck was left sticking out.

The break was fresh and shiny, reflecting a cold, metallic light.

"I didn't do it! I swear!"

Lily cried, her little face pale with fear.

Who broke it in the middle of the night?

As I was wondering, my husband, Ethan, rushed in and handed me his phone.

It was Leo’s mom, Sarah.

"Valerie! Do you have any news about Leo?"

My throat tightened, catching her panic.

"What's wrong? Did he not come home?"

Sarah’s voice broke into a sob.

"Leo told me he was going to Lily’s birthday party."

"But I asked the other parents, and they said none of the kids saw Leo yesterday!"

My breath hitched.

We hadn't even invited Leo to Lily's birthday party.

The boy was quiet and introverted. Even though he sat next to Lily in class, they weren't close, and they rarely hung out.

Lily appeared at the door, her toothbrush in her mouth.

"Lily! Do you know where Leo went?"

My daughter actually smirked.

"We made a promise! We're going exploring in the woods today."

"What woods?! Why didn't we know about this?!"

My heart skipped a beat.

By the time I drove to the outskirts of town to meet up with Sarah, police tape was already up.

From a distance, I could see pieces of raw flesh and broken bones scattered around.

And right next to the body lay a tiny bronze figure.

It was identical to the headless one from our house this morning!