The baker shoved the owner’s hand away and pulled the freezer door open.

Cold air burst across the bakery.

Inside, a little boy was curled on the floor between boxes of frozen dough, his lips pale, his fingers weakly scratching at the ice.

The girl crawled to him and screamed his name.

The baker lifted the boy into his arms, wrapping him in his apron as the child’s tiny chest barely moved.

The owner stepped back, shaking.

“I didn’t know he was in there.”

The girl looked up, crying so hard her voice cracked.

“You locked it when we hid.”

The bakery went silent.

The young baker turned slowly toward the owner.

“They broke in because they were hungry,” the owner whispered, trying to defend himself.

The baker’s eyes filled with anger.

“So you locked children in a freezer?”

The boy coughed once.

Then again.

The girl grabbed his hand and sobbed against it.

“Wake up. Please wake up.”

The baker held him closer and shouted for someone to call emergency services.

Outside, morning light touched the bakery windows while customers gathered in shock.

The owner lowered his eyes as the little boy finally pulled in one thin breath.

The girl collapsed beside him, whispering through tears,

“I told you he was in there.”