What are we?

[Corpse's Point of View]

RUM: Where the hell are you going?! Casper told us to stay here.

I turned back and raised an eye brow at Rum. Is he seriously just going to stay there when there's literally something interesting happening inside? I'd rather check it out. Rum followed me, and when I opened the back door I could hear Mom shouting. We ran to the living room and saw Mom pointing a gun at the weird lady. What's… going on? I feel like I'm missing something.

All of them looked surprised to see us both inside. Mom gazed at me wide-eyed as she struggles to keep her hand on the gun to that woman's forehead.

CASPER: Hey, Jes listen. The kids are inside, drop the gun.

"Oh, so that's your kid?" The woman interrupted. She then looks at me, our eyes met. Mom on the other hand threatens her more as she noticed. She doesn't look much as Vale— maybe because she just aged?

JES: Don't you dare, Valerie.

Valerie…?

"I wasn't even going to do anything. I was just asking… that's all." She took notice of mom's shivering and asked another question, which really baffles me.

"Was Rocky the one who give him to you?"

Everyone looked at mom confused… why did everything shifted to me all of a sudden? I also looked at mom… I'm curious of what she'll reply.

"Jes, please tell me the truth."

JES: Get out.

"Jessy is he mi—"

JES: I said get the f*ck out, before I change my mind!

Rum and I just stood there quietly while processing what's happening. I looked at dad hoping he'll butt in and say something that could give me a clue. Unfortunately he stood there in the corner, quietly. He tilted his head when he noticed I was looking at him.

"Who's the father?"

Everyone immediately shifted their attention to Casper. Rum whispered to me and said, "Mind explaining what's happening, later?" I whispered back and told him I have no idea what conflict is this. Come to think of it, I heard Valerie never had a love interest.

"Kian." She murmured, but we heard.

KIAN?!

CASPER: What?

Kain walked straight up to her and pushed mom out of his way. He could have stopped mom from the start, but though he didn't. Casper was glaring at him as he walks closer to her.

KAIN: Are you toying with us? That guy doesn't even have the balls to do it!

CASPER: Do what?

Jonas got in between them and tried to calm Casper down as he noticed he kept on glaring at Kain. Rum and I looked at each other. He whispered to me, "So… who do you think your dad is?" Is he finding this amusing? I replied, "I don't really care." As they were trying to calm things out, they might have forgotten that my mother is still holding a gun. Dad took the chance to get in front of mom before she loses it again.

While I was still processing what they've been arguing about, Rum shushed everyone. He took his phone out and puts it beside his ear then:

RUM: Hello, this is the Asher residence on Cave street a—

I snatched his phone from him. I immediately shut it off, and unfortunately they might think it's something suspicious that they have to check our house. I kicked Rum in the face out of frustration, this idiot! Doesn't he realize it's going to be another issue if they found both Valerie and Casper in the same location?! That fool (Casper) hasn't even shown up on a single interview, and I ran out of words for Valerie.

Why does who my real parents matter? They're going off topic, what really matter here is WHO KILLED THOSE CHILDREN and—

CORPSE: Why do you ask who the father is?

I suddenly have a bad hunch about what they're talking about… On the other hand expecting that they'll ignore me and focus on panicking, everyone embark on it.

"Did Rocky ever told you—"

JES: For the last time—

CORPSE: May you please let her finish?

Mom glared at me, I know she hates it when I get in between adult conversations. Also I am aware that she might kill me after, but I do have a little right to question who my parents are… right? This might not be the situation for that to happen, but you really can't blame me.

CORPSE: Tell me what?

"Did they ever told you you're not their—"

CORPSE: Yes, I'm adopted. Grandpa Rocky found me in front his porch. Now, please elaborate.

I saw Jonas doing that thing, the sliding his hand on his neck. It's sort of a sign we make when one of us crossed mom's line.

"I left you."

Mom has lost it.

HARRY: Jes!!

I couldn't hear anything, my body can't move and the only thing I can focus on is mom's blood on the floor dripping from her chest. A knife is sticking on her chest. I didn't know where she got it from. Rum's hands covered my eyes from seeing the rest. At that moment I suddenly remembered something.

[TWO MONTHS LATER]

GABE: Well that was f*ck*d up.

I told him everything that happened. Valerie's back to being missing, Casper somehow got through and Dad… he's in a bad shape.

GABE: Hey, you're spacing out again. I have an idea, let's call Violet. Let's hang somewhere—

CORPSE: I'd rather not.

He looked at me confused.

GABE: Isn't she your friend, you guys used to hang out frequently and—

CORPSE: She's Casper's niece. I'm not in the mood to hang with her yet.

I sat on his gaming chair and kept on staring at his window. I haven't experienced a death in front of me for four years… mom's felt so unreal. I feel nothing actually, it just seems like it never happened. I heard Jonas was the one who talked to Gabe's mom to let Gabe hang with me for a while.

GABE: You'll be moving back to your grandfather's place soon, you sure about going to Asher patch?

I nodded yes. He sat in front of me on his bed and pats my head.

CORPSE: What are you doing?

GABE: I saw you did this to Violet ones, it looked calming.

He grinned at me. I grabbed his wrist and gripped, it was funny watching him plead. He bites my hand, I let go of him and looked at the mark that it left on me. It's deep! I punched him in the face and he hits me back with his alarm clock.

"Alright, that's enough ruckus boys. Look who came to visit."

We both paused when Violet entered the room. Damn Jonas, I thought it was just us guys today. Violet shyly waved hello at us. I looked away and then suddenly Gabe hits me with his alarm clock on the head again. I was going to punch him, but then Violet interrupted.

VIOLET: Hey, don't do that.

CORPSE: He hi—

VIOLET: I meant Gabe…

"Well… have fun you three. I'll be downstairs if you guys need me. Oh and Gabe will you please stop hitting Corpse?!"

GABE: Yeah yeah.

I stood up ready to go home, but then he grabbed my hand and pulls me back on the chair. I just said I'm not in the mood to hang with her earlier, what gives?

GABE: Sit.

VIOLET: I could just leave if you want?

CORPSE: Thanks.

Gabe glared at him and before he could grab hold of his alarm clock again, I rushed to get it first and hit him with it.

GABE: Why are you so cranky anyway? Hey, Violet I'll apologize for him.

Apologize?! She was the one who rat us out. I mean not totally… ok the point is we wouldn't have been caught by Keanne at the Daxon barn that day if only she didn't followed us. Meaning the old woman we saw that scared the hell out of Gabe was her nanny that was looking for her. It was past her curfew, that's why some people at the barn was sent out and they— Ok maybe I'm over throwing it on Violet, but come on.

CORPSE: Look we wouldn't have been caught at the barn if she didn't have followed us all the way there.

GABE: Dude that's where she stays on the weekday… it was Wednesday when we—

CORPSE: My point is if she went home early people wouldn't have been sent out, meaning we wouldn't have been caught, and I would have checked the damn tree!

The damn tree… I FORGOT ABOUT THE TREE! Dang it, that's the reason I dragged Gabe there.

GABE: What about the tree?

CORPSE: Didn't you read the other note I gave you? The other one that Rika gave me.

Violet glared at me.

GABE: The love note?

CORPSE: No, you idiot! Where's the note then if you haven't open it?

Gabe smiled at me and did the puppy eyes that God knows I hate. Great, he lost it. Good thing I opened it before hand.

VIOLET: Love… note?

Was she processing that part?

CORPSE: It wasn't a love note—

GABE: Wait… hold on a second, Bryan getting info

about your aunt is understandable… but where do you think Rika got IT?

Violet glared at me again, for some reason. Actually I've never thought of that… maybe Rika's a trust worthy friend of Bryan? Well considering our age maybe the two stumbled across an article that got their interest, cause dude they're school mates with that particular person's nephew. ORRRR maybe Rika's just like Violet who for whatever reason creeps around? No wait, that's just weird to even think about.

CORPSE: Meh, I don't know. Who cares?

GABE: You know what? I just realized being cautious isn't part of your vocabulary. Hey, Violet do you want to come "Investigate."?

Gabe said it with a merely irritating tone.

VIOLET: Never mind, I'll just go home.

CORPSE: Safe travels.

Gabe glared at me— why are they glaring at me all the time?

GABE: No! Don't go home, we need you man. We have to check out that tree.

Violet sighed and shook her head no. She told us about how the Daxons completely shut the place down, and that it has guards roaming there by shift. Clearly we wouldn't be able to go in. There's no point coming there now since Valerie just came back two months ago, yet I feel guilty for those who lost their kids. I sighed and thought twice what to do next, as if they'll let me do anything without checking up on me. It'll be risky for us to do anything.

GABE: Well, I guess Corpse's going to be bored for five years.

VIOLET: So… you're going to, what school again?

CORPSE: Asher Patch.