In the fall of 1980, four nuns from a small village vanished without a clue, casting their devoted community into a haze of sorrow and uneasy rumors

Yes, that’s me. How is my sister? The doctor, a woman in her forties with kind eyes but a serious expression, took a seat across from them. I’m doctor.

Chen, your sister is in stable condition, but I want to be frank with you, her health is extremely compromised. She’s severely malnourished, has significant muscle atrophy, vitamin D deficiency from lack of sunlight, and shows signs of healed fractures that were never properly treated. Father Elias nodded, trying to absorb the clinical assessment of his sister’s suffering.

The most immediate concern is reintroducing her to normal environmental conditions, Dr. Chen continued. After decades underground, her immune system is severely compromised. We need to be careful about potential infections, and her eyes will be sensitive to normal light levels for some time.

When can I see her? Father Elias asked, his voice barely above a whisper. She’s being settled in the ICU now, Dr. Chen replied. We need to be extremely cautious about visitors.

Anyone who enters must wear protective gear, mask, gown, gloves, to minimize the risk of introducing pathogens. Even with those precautions, I can only allow very brief visits, initially. I understand, Father Elias said, though the prospect of further delay was agonizing.

I’ve waited twenty-eight years. I can wait a few more hours to ensure her safety. Dr. Chen smiled gently.

She asked for you, you know. One of the first things she said was her brother’s name. She knew you would find her eventually.

Tears welled in Father Elias’ eyes at this revelation. She never lost faith. Apparently not, Dr. Chen agreed.

The paramedics reported that she was clutching a rosary made from what looked like wood scraps and threads from clothing. She refused to let them take it, even during treatment. That sounds like Therese, Father Elias said, a sad smile crossing his face.

Her faith was always stronger than mine, even when we were children. You’ll be able to see her in about an hour, Dr. Chen promised, rising to her feet. A nurse will come get you when she’s ready for visitors.

As the doctor departed, Father Elias turned to Harold. Would you mind if I spent some time in the chapel? I need to pray. Of course, Harold replied.

I’ll wait here in case there’s any news. Father Elias made his way to the small hospital chapel, a modest space designed to accommodate various faiths. Finding it empty, he knelt before the simple altar and bowed his head.

Thank you, Lord, for this miracle, he whispered, his voice trembling with emotion. Thank you for preserving my sister through her ordeal. Thank you for leading me to her after all these years.

He continued in silent prayer for some time, wrestling with the complex emotions that surged within him. Joy at his sister’s discovery, grief for her suffering, anger toward her captor, and lingering questions about why God had allowed such evil to persist for so long. Eventually, a sense of peace settled over him.

The mysteries of God’s ways remained, but Father Elias found himself accepting that some questions might never have satisfactory answers in this life. What mattered now was that his sister had been found, and somehow, through unimaginable darkness, her faith had endured. When he returned to the waiting room, Harold was speaking with a nurse who had come to escort Father Elias to the ICU.

After donning the required protective gear, he followed her through a series of doors to a private room where his sister lay surrounded by medical equipment. The figure in the bed barely resembled the vibrant young woman who had disappeared twenty-eight years ago. Sister Teresa’s face was gaunt, her skin pallid from decades without sunlight.

Yet when her eyes opened and found his, Father Elias recognized immediately the inner light that had always defined his sister, a spiritual radiance that even the darkest captivity had failed to extinguish. «‘Elias!’ she whispered, her voice thin but clear. «‘You’ve found me!’ «‘Teresa!’ he replied, tears streaming beneath his protective mask as he gently took her frail hand in his gloved one…