The Day of the Disappearing Kid

On a quiet Sunday afternoon, two kids, *Ravi* and *Arya*, were sitting comfortably in the living room, glued to their favourite TV programmes. The room was filled with the sound of cartoons and laughter, as they enjoyed their weekend break. Suddenly, the sound of the doorbell rang through the house. Startled, they both looked at each other, wondering who it could be.

Their dad, who had just come home from work, was standing outside the door. "Kids, it's time!" he called out, smiling. "We’re going to the movie theatre, remember?"

Ravi and Arya jumped up with excitement. They had been waiting for this day all week – the day their dad promised to take them to watch the latest animated movie. They quickly turned off the TV and ran to the door.

"Dad, we’re ready!" Ravi exclaimed, grabbing his small backpack, filled with snacks for the movie. Arya followed, bouncing with joy.

They locked the door behind them and headed to the car, their dad holding the keys and chatting with them about the film. "It’s going to be a great movie, kids. I’ve heard it’s filled with action and adventure!"

As they approached the theatre, the excitement grew even more. Ravi and Arya could barely contain themselves as they rushed through the crowd at the entrance. Their dad got the tickets and they made their way inside. But as they reached the seating area, something strange happened – Ravi looked around and realised Arya was no longer by his side.

"Dad, where’s Arya?" Ravi asked, his voice filled with sudden concern.

Their dad looked down, realising Arya wasn’t with them. Panic started to rise. "I thought she was right behind us!" he said, looking around frantically. The crowd in the lobby had been thick, and it seemed Arya had gotten separated.

"Okay, stay calm, Ravi," their dad said, taking control of the situation. "Let’s retrace our steps and see if we can find her."

They quickly exited the seating area and went back to the entrance. They checked the snack counter, the restrooms, and even asked the staff if they had seen a little girl in a pink dress. No one seemed to have noticed her.

As the minutes ticked by, Ravi became more worried. "What if we can’t find her, Dad?"

But their dad stayed calm. "Don’t worry, Ravi. We’ll find her. She knows how to stay safe, and I’m sure she hasn’t gone far."

Just as they were about to search further, their dad had an idea. He asked Ravi, "Do you remember what Arya does when she gets scared?"

Ravi thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up. "Yes! Whenever Arya gets scared or lost, she looks for a place to hide. She doesn’t like crowds, so she’ll probably be in a quiet corner."

They immediately began searching for quiet, less crowded spots around the theatre. After a few minutes, Ravi spotted something familiar near the corner of the lobby, behind a large cardboard cutout of a superhero.

"Dad, look! There she is!"

Sure enough, Arya was sitting quietly behind the cutout, hugging her knees and looking worried. Ravi ran over to her. "Arya! We’ve been looking for you everywhere!"

Arya looked up, tears in her eyes. "I couldn’t find you guys, and there were too many people..."

Their dad knelt down and hugged her tight. "It’s okay, Arya. We’re here now. I’m so proud of you for staying calm and finding a safe place. Next time, hold on to my hand so we don’t get separated, okay?"

Arya nodded, wiping her eyes. "I’m sorry."

"No need to apologise," Ravi said, grinning. "Let’s go watch the movie now!"

With Arya safely by their side, they returned to their seats in the theatre. The movie began, and soon all the worries melted away as they became immersed in the world of action and adventure on the screen.

By the end of the day, the family laughed about the little adventure they had before the movie started. From that day on, Arya always made sure to hold her dad’s hand whenever they were in a crowded place, and they never lost each other again.

**The End.**