Chapter 25: True identity

A woman with long straight hair looks intently at Bradley and Caden while folding her arms.

"Madam Nigera, we can explain everything. "Caden tried to calm Madam Nigera down. "There's a strange figure chasing us on the haunted house ride."

"Never mind, you're imagining too much." Madam Nigera sighed. "Caden, go back to your room, I have something to talk to Bradley about first."

Caden nods his head and runs quickly into the room, leaving only Bradley and Madam Nigera.

"Bradley, I have told you not to come out. " Madam Nigera held Bradley's shoulders tightly and widened her eyes. "Why, you didn't listen to me?"

"At first, I don't want to go outside, but Markus keeps persuading me and Bradley, so we end up going outside to play." Bradley bowed his head. "I'm sorry, but I don't know if it's a night catcher."

Madam Nigera takes a deep breath and tries to regulate her emotions. "Alright, now you go back to your room and don't do anything stupid again. understand?"

Bradley nods his head and walks into the room, lies down on the bed, and falls asleep.

***

The sound of Madam Nigera's shout wakes all the children including Bradley from their sleep and get up quickly.

"Come on, kids." Madam Nigera clapped her hands repeatedly. "Today we have a training session with Mr. Grunt." Madam Nigera looked at all the children who started running out of the room towards the bathroom. "Hurry up!."

While waiting in the queue at the bathroom which already looks like a snake, Caden suddenly asks Bradley about what Madam Nigera is asking him.

"Oh, it's nothing." Bradley quickly shook his head. "She just advised and said that it's best not to stay out at night, that's all."

"Gosh, that's relief" Caden let out a long breath. "If Madam Nigera has told Madam Theresa about what happened yesterday we will get scolded by her, right?"

Bradley nodded quickly. "Yes, that's for sure."

After everything is done, all of them rush to the tent and see a group of people starting to gather.

"Oh, my that's good." Madam Theresa sighed. "Come on, we must quickly mingle."

"Wait Cad, have you seen Mr. Grunt?" Bradley turned his head and looked around. "I didn't see him at all."

"Yes, Mr. George, Mrs. Isabella, and Markus are also nowhere to be seen." Caden stroked his chin. "What's going on?"

However, a few seconds later a fat man enters the tent with sweat pouring down his forehead while holding a white handkerchief with a small plaid pattern in his hand.

"Oh, I apologize for being late," Mr. Grunt said quietly. "There's a little problem to be solved, but everything is safely under control."

Everyone in the place nodded their heads at Mr. Grunt's words and soon the training begin. However, during the exercise, Bradley does not see Mr. George, Isabella, Markus, and Mala at all which makes him begin to raise suspicions in his mind.

After a tiring practice, Mr. Grunt finally ends today's practice to let everyone return to the resort and runs quickly away.

"Hey, I'm going back to the resort with the other kids, do you want to come?"

"Uh, Cad looks like I want to talk to Mr. Grunt." Caden's eyeballs couldn't escape seeing Mr. Grunt's movements, "I'll catch up."

"Brad, but ...."

He completely ignores Caden's words and follows Mr. Grunt, who turns out to be walking toward the cage which it's not far from the tent where they were gathered.

"What is Mr. Grunt doing there?" Bradley stroked his chin and decided to find out more about Mr. Gruny by following him.

His curiosity makes him step into the place and soon he hears the voices of Mrs. Isabella, Mr. George, and Mark having a conversation. He decides to hide and peeks through the cracks of the stacks of boxes in the room.

"Grunt, how are they suspicious?" asked Isabella in a panicked tone.

"Calm down, they all seem to be unaware of this incident." Mr. Grunt patted Isabella's shoulder.

"Grunt, but when does this happen?" Mr. George wrinkled his black thick brows.

'I have received a report from the security guards saying they hear something in this place at dawn and when they check it, the situation is just like this."

"Uncle, but the death of this elephant seems quite strange." Markus furrowed his brow. "It looks like a scratch wound and no wild creature can make a wound like this."

"I don't understand what happened." Mr. Grunt sighed and shook his head. "What if this may be a night catcher doing?"

"Grunt, night catchers can't exist in this world." George tried to reinforce his opinion. "That thing only exists in Mirland and it's hard to get out into the human world."

"There is one way but it seems difficult." Isabella snapped her fingers. "If someone like us brings them out of the Mirland world."

"Who is the madman trying to bring those horrible creatures here?" Mr. George shook his head. "Damn, is horrible, what happens if the others find out about this?"

Everyone in the room falls silent for a moment, trying to figure out a way out of the problem they are facing.

"So, what should we do dear?" Isabella looked deep into her husband's eyes.

"Okay, for now, we must eliminate this carcass." George sighed. "I don't want to cause a panic here."

Everyone in the room nods at George's words. However, Bradley accidentally pushes something nearby, making everyone in the room gasp in shock.

"What is that?" Isabella looked around the room, trying to find the source of the sound.

"Grunt, are you sure no one is following you?" George looked around him.

"I'm positive, George." Grunt immediately moved his head quickly. "Do you think anyone is listening to our conversation?"

Mala suddenly moves closer and stops in front of one box which is Bradley's hiding place and making Bradley's face immediately tighten with his body stiffened.

"Dammit, Mala," Bradley said in a low voice while scratching his head and cold sweat poured down on his cheek continuously. "Dammit, looks like they will find me."

Bradley sees Markus and Mr. George approaching his hiding place then Markus' hand slowly touches the surface of the box.

"Oh, no way." Bradley closed his eye tightly. "God, please help me."

However, a mouse suddenly appears from the pile of boxes and Mala immediately catches up with it.

"Oh dammit, Mala!"George shook his head and stroked his chest. "Thank God, it's just a mouse."

"Now, we'd better get back to the resort before anyone gets suspicious," Isabella said as she walked out of the place. "Markus, you'd better go back too."

Markus nods and walks away from Bradley's hiding place out of the tent. Grunt and George cover the elephant carcass with a brown cloth and leave the place immediately.

"Okay. I think it's safe now."

Bradley slowly steps out from his hiding place and slowly unfolded the cloth.

"Oh, my God!" He dilated his eyes seeing scratch wounds which have formed on the elephant's body. "What the hell is happening?"