Chapter 26

As I sat in the kitchen in the swivel chair, my mind focused on the task of preparing dinner. Kwan had ventured out to the store to grab the forgotten ingredients, leaving me alone in the quiet house. Suddenly, a strange noise echoed through the stillness, originating from the direction of the front door. Intrigued, I climbed down from the chair, my movements restricted by my temporary inability to walk yet. I crawled to the hallway and waited serval minuets when I heard the strange noise once again. It was when I saw the mail slot slowly creep open that I crawled into the bedroom to my right. Whoever was at the door was searching for someone and I couldn't risk it being one of my Father's men looking for me since they still believe I betrayed them.

"They didn't see me right?" I muttered to myself as I peeked out the bedroom door way. Suddenly there was a banging on the door that made me jump a little bit and retreat back to the bedroom.

"Police! Open up!" The stranger yelled as he banged on the door. I could hear the man shuffle outside the door and mutter to himself when it suddenly became silent. That's when I crawled closer to the door. I could hear Kwan right outside the door speaking to a man, so he must have just arrived back from the store. Kwan is going to blame me for this and think I started causing a commotion while he was gone.

"I'm officer Shawn Miller, on which I can see if that's hard to believe since I'm in causal clothes." The man said sounding a little nervous. I crawled closer to the door and pressed my ear against the door so that I could hear everything better.

"Okay that's great but why are you here?" Kwan asked sounding a little annoyed.

"Oh there was just a noise complaint from a neighbor stating that they heard weird noises" Officer Miller said with a tremble in his voice. I creeped open the mail slot to see Kwan looking around and then turned to smile at officer miller before speaking once again.

"Well I live alone so I can assure the noise wasn't from my house" Kwan said sliding his hand into his pocket.

"I see, well I heard something inside so do you have pet by chance?" Officer Miller asked shifting his weight slightly. By his body language and the way he spoke you could tell that officer miller was either hiding something or Kwan made him very nervous.

"No I hate noisy things they make me uncomfortable" Kwan said now annoyed with this entire ordeal.

"Well for the Report I do have to check unfortunately. Do you mind?" Officer Miller asked stepping aside. Kwan then stepped forward and slide open the Keypad and clicked it shut.

The metallic click of the keypad resonated in the tense atmosphere, each sound magnified in the silence that enveloped the room. The officer seemed to be confused when Kwan started counting to 10 softly before he actually punched in the code. The click of the keypad and the countdown was a warning to hide myself before they entered the house. I could feel Kwan's murderous intent through the door. My heart pounded as I crawled across the floor to the kitchen and searched for a place to hide. I hurried and climbed under the kitchen sink and covered my mouth trying not to make any noise for if I was found Kwan would once again take another life because of me.

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 "After you," I courteously gestured, stepping aside to hold the door open for Officer Miller, who appeared hesitant and suspicious as he cautiously entered my home. In a swift motion, I closed the door behind him with a sudden force, causing him to startle further, his eyes darting around the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Apologies for that, it must have been the wind," I reassured him with a gentle smile, trying to alleviate the tension in the air. As I gracefully removed my coat and hung it on the nearby coat rack, I noticed Officer Miller's gaze lingering, his suspicion palpable.

"Would you care for a cup of tea?" I offered, leading the way down the hallway towards the kitchen. With each step, I discreetly scanned every room for any sign of Esmeralda, my heart pounding with the adrenaline of hiding her presence in the house. Moving seamlessly, I navigated the space, ensuring not to raise any further suspicion in Officer Miller's probing eyes.

As Officer Miller replied, "No, I'm fine thank you," he followed me into the kitchen, pausing to scan each room along the way. I gestured towards the rest of the house, saying,

"Well, feel free to look around." Leaning against the kitchen counter next to the half-chopped veggies, I observed the Officer meticulously searching through the rooms. With each door he opened and every corner he scanned, my heart pounded like a slow, relentless hammer inside my chest. The tension in the air was palpable, thick with the fear of the unknown. It felt as if the walls were closing in, suffocating me with the weight of the situation. It would just get me into more trouble with father if I have to kill this fool if he accidently discovers my beloved Esmeralda.

As Officer Miller casually strolled through the kitchen, his attire caught my attention.

 "I'm just curious, why are you in casual clothing? I'm sure you cops have a uniform unless you're a detective," I inquired, trying to make sense of his choice of attire. His response was prompt,

"I do have a uniform, I just have somewhere to be right after this." However, his fidgety demeanor and the sudden stiffness in his posture as he emerged from the laundry room didn't go unnoticed.

"Don't you have any family?" His voice tinged with a hint of worry, he hesitated before continuing, "Not many people live in this secluded enclave, and rumors of suspicious activities have been circulating. It's not exactly the safest place to be all alone." With a sense of caution hanging in the air, he slowly opened the creaking walk-in pantry door. I met his gaze with a reassuring smile, concealing the fact that I was prepared for any unexpected turn of events. In a swift motion, I discreetly slid a sharp knife into the hidden pocket of my pants.

"Well, it is unusually quiet around here, given the sparse population in this area. That's why the noise complaint caught me off guard. I tend to keep to myself and avoid going out at night, as there's always an air of suspicion hanging in the darkness, hiding who knows what," I explained, pushing myself off the kitchen counter and reaching for a cold bottle of water from the refrigerator.

Officer Miller, with a discerning look on his face, nodded thoughtfully. "I understand your concerns. Would you mind if I conducted a thorough check of the second floor as well?" he inquired, motioning towards the staircase near the front entrance. The glint of suspicion in his eyes mirrored the unspoken tension that seemed to permeate the atmosphere, hinting at secrets hiding in the shadows.

"Of course, go right ahead," I affirmed, my voice steady as I trailed behind him, my steps echoing through the dimly lit hallway. I stood at the foot of the staircase, watching as he ascended with a hint of trepidation in his movements. His demeanor was peculiar, a blend of urgency and caution that raised my suspicions. The absence of a warrant, a partner, or the distinctive uniform of law enforcement only fueled my curiosity further. Who was this man, and what was he concealing behind his facade of authority?

"Did everything check out?" I asked with a smile.

"Everything seems fine. Sorry to had bothered you, I'll be on my way out" Officer miller said before bowing and exiting the house.

After Officer Miller departed from the residence, I frantically scoured every nook and cranny of the house in a desperate attempt to locate Esmeralda, yet she remained elusive, as if she were a ghost hiding in the shadows. With each passing moment, my heart raced with a mixture of fear and anxiety, the uncertainty of her whereabouts gnawing at my mind like a relentless predator. "Fuuuccckkk..." I muttered under my breath, the weight of the situation bearing down on me as I trudged through the rooms, my footsteps echoing in the empty space.

Ascending to the second floor, I called out her name, the sound of my voice seeming to dissipate into the silence that enveloped the house. The sense of dread intensified as the realization sunk in that she was nowhere to be seen, leaving behind a void of unanswered questions and a trail of apprehension in its wake.

"What the hell?!" I exclaimed, my frustration bubbling to the surface as I burst out of the front door, scanning the yard and the surrounding neighborhood in a frantic quest for any sign of her presence.

Frantically, I called out, "Where are you?" my voice echoing down the empty street, the sound of my own words bouncing back at me with no response in return. Panic gripped me as I realized she was nowhere to be found.

"She ran away? She actually ran away after everything I said?" I shouted in disbelief, the words heavy with frustration.

"Bullshit! No way, she did everything I asked of her," I seethed, my anger boiling over as I unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks on the innocent light pole standing outside my house. Each strike fueled by a potent cocktail of suspicion and desperation, my knuckles bruised and bloodied in the process.

"I won't forgive you!" I declared to the empty street, my voice a mixture of resolve and madness as I stormed back into my home.

"It's fine, right? I'll just find her and kill her. It should be fine then." I muttered to myself, the words echoing off the walls as I prowled through the dimly lit rooms of the house, consumed by a maddening obsession. Every corner seemed to hold a whisper of her presence, fueling my paranoia and driving me to the edge of insanity.

As I entered the kitchen, the air thick with tension, the sound of her voice softly speaking sent a chill down my spine. I froze in my tracks, my heart pounding in my chest, and slowly turned to see Esmeralda emerging from under the kitchen sink, a look of confusion in her eyes.

"Kwan?" Her soft voice pierced through the silence, her gaze locking with mine. I stumbled backward, my breath catching in my throat, my mind unable to comprehend the sight before me. Esmeralda, the one I thought was missing, was there, right in front of me, her presence both surreal and terrifying.

I collapsed to the floor, a soft laughter escaping my lips, a laughter tinged with disbelief and madness. The room felt surreal, the air thick with an insane energy that seemed to swirl around me.

"Esmeralda, come to me," I beckoned, my voice a strange blend of authority and tenderness as I reached out to her. With cautious movements, she began to crawl towards me, her eyes darting around in a suspicious manner that sent shivers down my spine. As she drew closer, I grabbed her in a fierce embrace, pulling her into my arms as tears streamed down my face, mingling with the laughter that still bubbled up from within me.

In that moment, I felt a deep sense of urgency, a need to hold onto Esmeralda as if my life depended on it. "Let's stick together, alright?" I murmured softly, clinging to her tightly even as she remained stiff and unresponsive in my arms.