Accused

Chapter 5

Peep… peep! a car horns. It was morning. I haven't realize I fell asleep. I shook my head getting myself together from a nightmare.

I stepped down from my bed and saw a long white dress on my floor. I picked it up slowly and looked at it closely. It was a lovely dress. It has long sleeves, a zipper to the back, beautiful see through just above the breast to the sleeves and a flowy skirt. The beads looked very old yet still elegant.

Out of nowhere I decided to try the dress. I slipped out my night gown and unzipped the zipper from the white dress. I wear the sleeves first before putting my head by the head whole of the dress. I zipped the dress to close, I struggled a bit but it fits perfectly. I stared at myself by the mirror inside my room that shows my whole figure. I brushed the top of my skirt and twirled a bit. I turned my back to the mirror to see my rear view.

I was kinda satisfied of what I saw. This dress suits me. I smiled at the mirror and heard people are gathering by my neighbor's house.

I looked outside my window and saw Arus' car. I immediately went down to see what's he's up to. Maybe they're checking Vivian's house. I didn't bothered taking the dress off me. I rushed down the stairs and immediately opened the front door.

People were looking at me stunned. They were whispering. Then suddenly someone shouted, "VERONICA! It's her! The curse is true!"

Who me? I looked at the crowd looking for the person who shouted. I trembled and swiftly someone grabbed my hand and pulled me.

It was Alexa she dragged me immediately to her house. As we enter she instantly locked the doors. Everyone was looking at us while we enter the house, even Arus.

"What is happening?! Why that man would called me Veronica?! Wh-why?! Why?!" I yelled at the same time whispering trying not to panic as I was walking back and forth.

"Miss Morees…" an old man spoke with a sick voice. He's slowly approaching in his wheelchair.

I looked at him confused.

"Grandpa…" Alexa uttered as she gets close to the old man, "Avica, this is my grandpa Ottis. He used to work for Mr. Rox, the doctor and bestfriend of Mr Robert."

Ottis held Alexa's hands and tapped it, "The people can't be stopped from accusing Miss Morees. Sooner or later they'll be more eager to catch her. Alexa, dear you know what to do." he forced to speak.

"But grandpa it's too early. I'm not prepared", Alexa panicked.

"You can do it. You were meant for this…" Ottis encouraged, "Miss Morees, look behind you" he continued.

I slowly turned around and saw an old portrait of myself. It was a handmade canvas pinned by the wall it was so surreal.

"H-how is this possible? I-I haven't remembered any paintings of myself." I uttered while backing up and was getting dizzy.

"That's Veronica your great grand-mother she looks exactly like you when she were young. That painting was given to Mr Rox from Mr Laxhan" Alexa explained.

I'm out of words to speak. "Avica, your real grand-parents are Veronica and Laxhan, not Robert"

What? How could she say that.  Shock was written in my face, my mind can't take it. Are they telling the truth? Can I trust them?

"uhh… I really don't know what's happening right now." I mumbled as I sat by the wall below the painting chuckling silently.

BAM…! BAM… BAM…! the door is banging so hard.We switched our heads to the banging door. The town's people is trying to push the door by force.

Ottis grasped my hand, "Miss Morees, listen carefully. You need to know the truth. You need to change the lies Adonis keeps telling the people. You need to restore your great grand-parents' legacy. Go now!" he demanded.

I looked at him clenching my brows and turnes my head to Alexa.

"Grandpa…" Alexa uttered while crying.

Ottis let goes of my hand and faced Alexa grabbing her hands tightly. "Alexa I love you and you know that. I'm sorry for bringing you into all of this."

Ottis encouraged.

Alexa hugged Ottis so tight, "Grandpa, you don't have to say your apologies. I owe everything to you and I'll do my best to give you back my gratitude", Alexa sobbed.

"Ottis, old man!! Open up this door at once!" Adonis shouted.

"You must go", Ottis uttered pulling away from Alexa.

Alexa nodded, grabbed my hand and pulled me to the kitchen, "let's go…" Alexa whimpered.

When we got to the kitchen Alexa paused and watched Ottis for a while. She sighed, "I love you grandpa!" Alexa yelled.

Ottis smiled at her and about to speak but the door banged hard. We ducked and Alexa was starting to feel the floor like she was looking for something.

It was a secret door!

The door perfectly fitted the floor and you won't even know that it is a door at first look. Alexa opened the door. We stayed low as we enter the door. She pulled me down and locked the door from inside the tunnel. It fits perfectly down here just as it was from above. You won't recognize it's a door.

She told me to shush and I willingly obeyed. We can hear the footsteps of the people coming to the kitchen. We stayed quiet as they were searching for us. We heard Adonis' distressed voice, "Where are they?!" he shouted.

We can hear some things are being smashed. It seems like they were pushing Ottis to speak up where Alexa and I were hiding.

When the place was clear, we

headed down the tunnel to find our way out. It was so dark that the only light we had is the sunlight beaming ahead of us from a small hole.

Not long enough, we managed to get out. The tunnel leads to the big tree that I can see from my house.

You can't see there was a tunnel from a far because it was slighlty covered with a bunch of drued branches. So it stayed hidden.

We stayed low to hide ourselves from the people who's looking for me. When it was clear, I saw Alexa getting herself together. "He was the only one I had…" Alexa wept.

"He adopted me when I was 3. He found me in the dumpster where my parents left me. He kept me as his own even his children are against it" she stated.

"I thought you have a mother. That's what you told me yesterday. That's how you know my name, 'cause your mom told you."

I questioned.

She shook her head and answered, "That's what he told me to say to you if you'd ask. So you won't suspect. But little did we know, you never knew anything about your past. Avana did tried to hide everything from you." She looked straight at me wiping jer tears away, "Why did you come here alone anyway?" she asked.

My clenched brows are slowly parting and I took a deep breath and hesitated to answer but I told her anyways, "My parents and brother died from a car crush about a year ago..." I chuckled falsely and cleared my throat, "well they say I was fortunate because I was not on that car but… it felt so wrong." I quoted the fortunate with my fingers.

"They died suddenly without justice. They died futilely. The authorities never found the guy who bumped the car, so I investigated by my own… I found nothing. People say I'm just wasting my life resolving the case… but a week ago as I arrange my mothers things I found my grandmothers treasure box. I found pictures with of my grandmother's old house with an address in it and the house key. So I decided to pack my things and move here. Then this happens. My life's a mess." I explained while I hold my tears back.

Alexa slowly rubbed my back, "Everything's going to be fine. I'm here for you. We are going to clear your grandparents' names and find justice for your family", she comforted.

I smiled and sighed, "I'm here for you too."

Thank you viewers ^.^