Julian adjusted his black tuxedo tie as he stood in the bright hallway.
The white marble floors reflected the soft lights of the grand hotel ballroom nearby.
Music echoed from the main room where their engagement party was taking place.
Clara stepped closer to him and pulled him in for a sweet kiss.
She was wearing a stunning blue dress that matched her bright blue eyes.
Julian smiled and leaned back against the polished white paneled wall of the corridor.
His heavy shoulder bumped firmly into the hollow drywall during their warm embrace.
A tiny thud echoed through the framed plaster right behind his right ear.
Julian froze immediately as a strange sound filtered through the solid white surface.
He placed his hand flat against the painted wall to listen more carefully.
A small muffled voice scratched through the narrow gaps inside the hollow plaster frame.
Child's Voice: Daddy... help...
Julian pulled back from Clara with a stunned look across his pale face.
Julian: Did you hear that?
Julian: There is someone trapped right behind this wall!
Clara laughed softly and reached out to grab his tuxedo jacket arm gently.
Clara: You are just imagining things, honey.
Clara: It is just the old ventilation pipes humming in the hotel walls.
Julian pressed his ear even tighter against the cold painted drywall structure.
The tiny voice cried out again with absolute clarity and deep terror.
Child's Voice: It is dark in here... please open the door...
Julian looked straight into Clara's eyes with growing concern and real urgency.
Julian: That is definitely a little kid calling for help right now.
Clara: Please stop acting crazy, Julian.
Clara: We have guests waiting for us back in the main dining room.
Julian ignored her words and tapped hard against the thick drywall paneling.
The sound was completely hollow near the base of the grand hallway decor.
He noticed a hidden seam along the polished wood trim of the wall.
Julian: This isn't just a wall, Clara.
Julian: There is a hidden room built directly behind this panel.
Clara's face turned completely pale as she took a quick step backward.
Her hands began shaking as she clutched her tiny designer handbag tightly.
Clara: We shouldn't interfere with hotel property, Julian.
Julian: A child is stuck inside there, Clara!
Julian: How can you tell me to just walk away right now?
Julian ran his fingers along the bottom edge of the decorative wood trim.
He found a small brass latch concealed under the heavy golden wallpaper trim.
He pushed the secret latch firmly until a sharp click echoed out.
The heavy white panel swung open like a concealed door into total darkness.
A tiny boy sat curled up on the cold concrete floor inside.
Child's Voice: Daddy?
Julian gasped as the dim light revealed the small child's face clearly.
The boy looked up with tears streaming down his tiny flushed cheeks.
Julian dropped to his knees right at the edge of the doorway.
Julian: Hey buddy, it is okay now.
Julian: I am going to help you get out right this second.
The little boy reached his small arms out toward Julian with wide eyes.
Julian wrapped his arms around the boy and lifted him out carefully.
He turned around to look at Clara for some kind of logical explanation.
Clara refused to look at either of them as she backed further away.
Julian: Who does this little boy belong to, Clara?
Clara: I don't know anything about him!
Child's Voice: Mommy put me in the dark box...
The little boy pointed his small finger straight at Clara's blue dress.