It was a torn piece of clothing.
I rinsed it under the faucet, and as the grime washed away, the pattern became clear: pale blue plaid—the exact fabric of Sophie’s school uniform skirt.
My hands went numb. Uniform fabric doesn’t end up in a drain from normal bathing. It ends up there when someone is scrubbing, tearing, trying desperately to remove something.
I flipped the fabric over and saw what made my entire body start shaking.
A brownish stain clung to the fibers—faded now, diluted by water, but unmistakable.