The panel slid smoothly into the hollow wall cavity, revealing a dark hidden room behind the plasterboard.
Mark stared into the narrow space, his eyes struggling to adjust to the sudden lack of natural light.
The hidden compartment was small, lined with soft gray blankets and several crumpled paper food wrappers.
Curled up in the back corner of the space sat a young fair-skinned child with tangled hair.
She wore a oversized dusty cotton shirt and held her small knees pulled tight against her chest.
Mark gasped out loud, dropping his hand from the panel as shock washed over his entire body.
Mark: Oh my God!
The child flinched back against the dark corner walls, her eyes wide with deep terror as light hit her face.
Mark felt his knees shake as he pressed himself closer to the narrow opening in the wall.
Behind him, Sarah let out a sharp sob and covered her mouth with both of her shaking hands.
Mark: Sarah, who is this child living inside our home wall?
Sarah: Mark, I can explain everything if you just calm down for one second!
Mark: Calm down?
Mark turned back to the child, softening his voice so he would not scare her any further.
He slowly stretched out his open right palm into the small dark space toward the trembling child.
Mark: Don't be afraid, little one.
The young girl blinked against the sudden brightness of the sunny USA mansion hallway.
She looked down at Mark's extended hand, her tiny chest heaving with fast, shallow breaths.
Mark: I am not going to hurt you at all.
The child slowly uncurled her legs and crawled forward on the soft wool blankets toward the opening.
Mark looked into her eyes and felt a strange, haunting sense of familiarity knock the breath right out of him.
Mark: Who are you?
The young girl reached out her small hand and gently stroked Mark's cheek with her soft fingers.
Child: Daddy...