Chapter 10

MYSTIC HOLLOW

Homicide

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BY NAOMI INNOCENT

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CHAPTER 10

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Laura peered round the room as she breathed in.

"Lunch is served. You don't wanna miss your grandma's meatloaf right? She is looking for you" her grandpa said as she rolled her eyes and placed her hands at her back pocket. Remembering how terrible her granny's meatloaf tastes. Then it dawned on her, her grandpa is mysterious, how did he know all these?

"Ok, I'll be back with....

She didn't complete her speech as her grandma called her name.

"Laura! Meatloaf is ready, you don't wanna miss out!" She groaned.

'I hate meatloaf' she muttered to herself.

"I'll be right there!" She screamed back and stared at her grandpa who was still in his position.

"I'll be back grandpa" she said as her grandpa just chuckled and nodded without facing her.

She went to the parlor and the mantle was still lit with fire. A pot of soup was placed on the fireplace.

Her friends were seated round the dining table that was just few steps away from the main parlor.

"Laura come quick, come join us" Peter said excitedly which made Laura roll her eyes at them and walked sluggishly to the table.

'If only you guys know what we are about to eat' she said within herself and sat close to Alex while her grandma served them the cabbage soup that was at the fireplace. A jug of water was placed at the center of the table with some glass cups around it.

"Thanks grandma" Alex said smiling.

"You're the best granny" Elena added.

"We'll enjoy the meal grandma. Thanks to you" Peter said excitedly.

"I'm glad you all love it. Enjoy your meal then" she said and patted Laura on her head as she walked towards the parlor.

She took a magazine that has *MYSTIC HOLLOW* as the title and started reading.

They started gisting as Laura folded her arms without touching any of the meatloaf in front of her.

Peter was the one that took the first bite and chewed as his contenance changed. He kept chewing as he swallowed hard and stared at the meatloaf in front of him. He was too scared to take another bite.

Laura noticed and she giggled, folding her fist and placing it in front of her mouth. She stopped immediately she noticed Alex and Elena were staring at her.

"Is anything the matter, Peter?" Elena asked noticing his change in contenance.

Peter wanted to tell them how awful the meatloaf tastes like, but he didn't want to suffer it alone so he swallowed the one he was chewing in his mouth and flashed a faux smile at them.

"These are the best meatloaf I've ever tasted, you really need to try some" he said to Alex and Elena who smiled and took deep bites each. They started chewing as their contenances changed.

Laura started laughing so loud that it made her grandma advanced towards them.

"I tried telling you guys but you wouldn't listen" she said and kept laughing as her grandma got to where they were

"Grandma, they said they need more meatloaves, do you still have any?" She asked laughing hysterically as her granny wondered why she was laughing.

"Yh, of course I have more. Lemme go get...

"No granny, we are OK. These meatloaves are damn palatable" Peter said as granny smiled.

"I'm glad you love them but are you sure you are Ok?" Granny asked as Elena stood up, almost puking.

"We're swell granny" Alex said holding his stomach.

"Then what's wrong with her?" She said referring to Elena.

"It's girl problem ma" Laura lied.

Laura took her to the bathroom and kept laughing, her granny couldn't fathom what would make the teenagers like that or what they were up to. She just shrugged and went back to what she was doing with the magazine.

The teenagers finished eating the awful meatloaf as they strode to grandpa's room.

"Please remind me not to request for or eat granny's meatloaf again" Peter whispered as Laura laughed.

"Agreed!" Alex and Elena said simultaneously as they walked to grandpa's room

The door was not closed neither was it too open, there was just a crack. Laura opened it and walked inside as her friends followed suit.

"You all my welcome my children" Grandpa said as he turned to face them. He was putting on a black spectacle.

"Make yourselves comfortable" he said as Alex wondered if Laura's grandpa was really blind as they all claimed.

Elena kept standing using her eyes to search where to seat down because they were limited chairs in the room.

"The remaining girl standing can sit on my bed" Grandpa ordered as Peter, Alex and Laura exchanged surprised glances at each other.

"Grandpa, we came to ask something very crucial" Laura said trying to start up the conversation.

"Ahh, Laura darling, why so fast? Why don't you introduce your three wonderful friends to me?" Grandpa asked as a smirk curled round his full lips.

"How did he know we were three?" Alex whispered silently to Peter who was as confused as anyone of them.

"Ahh, don't mind me. I just make very good use of my ears since I lost my sight. I can predict how many persons are in a room through their breathing, I just have to pay rapt attention" Grandpa said and faced Elena easing their tension.

"Why don't we start from you young lady? introduce yourself" Granny said as Alex stared at Laura giving her a *are you sure he is really blind* look as she just shrugged.

"I'm Elena Gilbert" Elena said.

"Daughter of Sheriff Ruth Gilbert. The child that was born same day the Mayor's daughter was born. What a coincidence" Grandpa said chuckling lowly as he turned to Peter.

"And you?" He asked as Peter shudder because everything seemed creepy now.

"I'm Peter Parker" Peter said

"Oh, the Parkers family. I and your grand mom, Janet Parker attended same College, too bad she is gone. May her soul rest on" Grandpa said as Peter gave him a quizzible look but kept mute.

"I'm Alex Bennett" Alex said before Grandpa could ask him.

"Son of Detective Crane Bennett, your voice gave you away, you sounded so much like your dsd" Grandpa said and nodded.

"What doesn't he know?" Elena mouthed to Laura who was as quizzical as they were.

"Now I've known you all. Nice to meet you. So did you enjoy my wife's meatloaf?" Grandpa asked trying to keep them off from the reason they came because he knows they came for something.

Few weeks ago, a lady came and asked him about Sarah's psychological records now he doesn't know what his grand kid is doing here with some other kids from Mystic Hollow.

"And how is Edward huh? I've missed that kid" Grandpa said.

"Grandpa, he is fine and let's skip the chit chat, we ain't here for that. We have limited time here" Laura said sounding serious as grandpa's contenance changed.

"Too bad then, I thought you came because you miss me. So why are you here?" He asked throwing the question to no one in particular.

"Its about the Mayor's daughter, Sarah Bellos" Elena said as Grandpa frowned

"I don't know anyone called Sarah Bellos" Grandpa lied grumpily as Laura used her palm to hit on her forehead while she think deep.

'Making grandpa spill is not gonna be easy'

"Grandpa please, we all know in this room that you are not saying the truth. Before we muster courage to come here, it's because we know you have handled Sarah's case before, alongside three other psychologists that lost their lives while you lost your sight. We know you've been hearing of the recent killings in Mystic Hollow. We just need help on how to solve this puzzle and we think Sarah Bellos is somehow connected to these stuff. We are only trying to help our town" Laura preached as Grandpa huffed.

"If you are trying to help your town then stay the hell away from Sarah Bellos" Grandpa screamed at them as they flinched.

"What do you mean by that?" Elena asked.

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TBC