Chapter 7

MYSTIC HOLLOW

Homicide

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BY NAOMI INNOCENT

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CHAPTER 7

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Sarah finished writing whatever she was inscribing on her journal and breathed down. She stared at it for a while before closing it and dropped it inside her closet.

She took off her clothes and went to the bathroom. Standing at the middle of the bathroom and staring at the holes on the sprinter of the shower, she finally switched it on as she took her bath and the little girl was still standing close to her, sobbing.

The electronic bell in her room ringed as she flinched. It ringed again then she stood up, walked up to where it was and tuned it off. It only means one thing, dinner is ready.

She finished brushing her hair and went closer to the mirror and stared at the bruise Sophia gave her. She twisted her mouth and clenched her fist. She adjusted her jaw and felt a sharp pain.

The little girl appeared to her again crying as she huffed. She wore her slippers and walked towards the door. She turned and stared at the ghost again before banging the door and went downstairs to have dinner with her family.

She climbed slowly down the staircase like a burglary, that her parents didn't notice her coming and they conversed while they waited.

"That was a very nice speech you gave out there at the interview" Mrs. Bellos commended her husband as she and Mayor Bellos shared a little laugh.

"Yh, just have to be cooking up stories everyday" Mayor said as the laughter intensed only for him cause his wife stopped laughing.

"You know, people are talking already. The homicide is getting out of hand. We record more deaths than births these days and the locals are getting fed up. You shouldn't go to the Grill, the people there are planning something big for you and its gonna be nasty" Mrs. Bellos said and the laugh on her husband's face faded.

"And what's the source? These people were applauding and singing praises of my name when I told them the situation is under control, so you shouldn't believe what some stupid locals told you" Mayor said bitterly.

"My source is my childhood friend, Mrs. Stiles, remember she is among the locals and they discuss the everyday activities of Mystic Hillow at the Grill. They know the situation is beyond you and they wouldn't wanna oppose your leadership. Some were even saying your dad was a better Mayor than you would ever be" she said bitterly as he frowned and brighten up his face immediately he saw Sarah sat down opposite them.

"Sarah honey, you're here already" her mom said.

"Now how's my little princess doing?" Her dad asked but she didn't utter a word as she stared at them as if they were some strange beings from another planet.

"What happened to your face?" Her dad asked with anger written all over his face as he stood up, walked to where Sarah was sitting opposite them and get a proper view of the bruises.

"Who did this to you?" He asked again but Sarah ignored him, rather, she opened the dishes in front of her.

"Honey, I think she wants you to leave her alone" her mom said.

"I've tried asking her but she was adamant, maybe after the dinner, she might feel like telling us. Let's just let her be for now. Seems she had a hard day at school" Mrs. Bellos said as her husband walked back to his seat while Sarah was busy munching on the food in front of her.

"I'll make sure I exiled that kid that did this to her, along side her wretched family. They should know their limit, Sarah Bellos is no just ordinary kid, she has the Bellos Blood running through her veins. And I think its high time I give Agent Zoe a strict warning, she isn't doing her job properly " Mayor said angrily as Sarah dropped her fork deliberately and violently on her ceramic plate and it broke.

"Oh honey! Are you hurt? Wait lemme get the maids to clean that up" her mom said standing up and walked to her as she called on the maids.

Sarah took a glass of water from the table to drink, but as she looked at the water, she saw the little ghost girl and all she was saying was

"Please help me"

She let go of the glass and it fell to the ground and shattered with some piercing her legs and she started bleeding.

"Sarah!" Her mom screamed her name as she ran up the stairs straight to her room and banged the door against her. She locked the door from inside and lay on her bed face down as she sobbed.

After a while, She stood up and walked up to where she dropped her bag, taking the drawing book from her bag she sat on her bed and starting drawing vigorously as she Panted and cried like someone who is scared to death.

She finished drawing as she threw the book to the floor and buried her face on her pillow and cried.

It was a drawing of a van with someone inside.

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Alex got home late that day, he got to the parlor and met Fay, his sister's babysitter, coming out from her room, holding hands with Bonnie who was giggling, probably enjoying the story Fay was telling her.

".. I think I'll go with pink, after all pink shows the expression of youthfullness and Barbie is pink" Bonnie said and tilted her hair backwards as Fay laughed.

"So you think you are a youth already? Come on Bonnie, you're just 8. You're not even up to a teenager" Fay said.

"Well I wish I grow up real soon so I can get married to Peter" she said with a shrug and giggled as Fay laughed.

"No one's getting married" Alex said as he dropped his bag on the couch.

"Well no one asked for your opinion and you're not stoping me from liking Peter. After all, I didn't stop you from liking Fay" Bonnie said as Alex got shocked. His sister just blew up his cover.

Her saw the surprised look on Fay's face as he muttered under his breathe.

A smile curled up her lips and it disappeared immediately it appeared.

"I'm gonna bury this kid alive" he said within gritted teeth.

"I heard that" Bonnie said as she and Fay walked up to the door.

"You better shut up that lousy mouth of yours and tell me where dad is" Alex said

"Dad's at his spot, you know, the library, trying to solve crime" Bonnie said, Alex shrugged and climbed upstairs to his room.

Fay squatted before Bonnie as they hugged.

"Good night pumpkin"

"Cant you sleep over tonight?" Bonnie asked as Fay smiled and shook her head sideways.

"Nah, your dad and my aunt aren't aware so I can't sleep over and I have to prepare for school tomorrow, you wouldn't want me to me late do you?" Fay asked, Bonnie breathed a sigh of frustration and shook her head negatively.

"Ok then, good night" Bonnie said as they hugged for the last time.

"Now will you smile for me?" Fay asked as Bonnie did, revealing her one sided dimple as Fay pierce her finger at the dimple.

"I love that" she said as Bonnie giggled.

"Ok, good night pumpkin, we'll see tomorrow" Fay said and stood up from her squatting position.

"I'll see you off to the bustop"Alex said as he climbed down from the middle of the staircase, he had been watching them from there without their knowledge. He hung his hoodie over his face and flashed a smile at them.

He walked up to where they were as Bonnie left them and sat on a couch, close to the window.

Alex and Fay walked silently on the lonely street of Mystic Hollow.

They didn't say a word to each other as they kept walking.

"So.." they said simultaneously and stopped as they both laugh.

"Ok, you go on first" they both said again and laughed as Bonnie watched them through the window and wished it was her and Peter that were walking on that lonely street.

Maybe they would have interlocked their fingers and gazed up the sky counting the stars then sing nursery rhymes. She breathed down and vowed in her heart that no matter what, she would make Peter love her back.

"I insist" Fay said as Alex nodded.

"Ok, about what my sister said earlier, don't mind her. She's just a kid. She doesn't know what she was saying " Alex said and stopped as he observed how downcasted Fay was. He couldn't read her facial expressions cause it was dark and she was back facing the street light.

"I get it. You may go now" Fay said facing the other side as Alex scratched his head and removed his hoodie.

"You sure you can go alone?" Alex asked her.

"Yh, I've been going alone all these while" Fay blurted out.

"But not this late, this is 11:12PM and you don't normally go by this time" he said checking his wrist watch.

"You are going this late because I returned late from school and there was no one to take Care of Bonnie so you couldn't leave" he added.

"Just go already, I can see the bustop from here. Remember Mystic Hollow is no longer safe, you don't wanna get into more trouble with your dad right? So just go back" she said and he huffed.

"That's why I can't leave you right now, Mystic Hollow ain't safe. So I'll be your knight in shining amour and about my dad? I'm grounded already and there is no other more punishment than that" they walked in silence till they got to the bustop.

She entered the bus and waved him bye then the bus finally left. He placed his hand in his pocket and walked home slowly.

A patrol van was passing by as they flashed their traffigator at him so he stopped as the cops in the van lowered their windsceen.

"What are you doing outside this late son? Hope you know Mystic Hollow ain't safe no longer?" Detective Phillips told him as he nodded.

"I'm going home now sire, accompanied a friend just now" he said as Phillips stared at him from head to toe.

"Ok, hurry home now son, and good night" Detective Vera said.

He hastened his footsteps home while the patrol van left in quest to do their duty.

He got home and locked the door behind him, he turned and saw Bonnie sitting on the couch grinning at him.

"What's that look for, you know its way past your bedtime right?" He told her.

"So did you tell her?" She asked mischievously as he scoffed.

"What are you talking about?" He asked feigning ignorance as she rolled her eyes at him.

"About how you feel for Fay of course. Do you think I don't notice the love in your eyes whenever you stare at her?" She said raising up her brow in a playful manner.

"What the? Are you sure you are 8 at all? You know way too much than your age. And that stunt you pulled earlier wasn't cool. What if she doesn't like me? You know I hate it when I confess to a girl and she doesn't feel same way for me. I wanna be sure first that she loves me back" Alex said feigning annoyance.

"Hell no boy, you seriously do not have any idea how much Fay loves you" Bonnie said folding her arms across her chest.

"And how did you know that?" He asked lowing his voice as she smiled slyly.

"She is my babysitter and we spend lots of time together, you know we talk about love, guys and.."

" just Shut up, you are way too young to talk about love. Come here. Off to bed now" he said as he carried her and walked towards her room.

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Detective Phillips and Versa kept doing the patrol that night as they stopped at a spot to rest.

" don't worry, about a thing" Vera sang in a whisper as Phillips looked at her and smiled.

"cause every little thing, gonna be all right " they both sang and laughed.

"I remember those days I used to be in the choir, I was a good singer with the suprano voice" Phillips boasted and drank from his bottle of liquor.

She stretched her right hand towards him and he gave her the bottle of liquor which she drank from and squeezed her face.

"Damn, its too strong" she commended as he chuckled calmly.

He took it from her and gulped down a little.(this story is written by Naomi Innocent)

Vera's mindset drifted to Phillips young daughter that was killed.

"How old was she?" She asked him calmly which made him arched his brow at her.

"You mean who?" He said sitting erect to get a better view of the lonely streets of Mystic Hollow.

"I mean Jane, your little girl" she said and his contenance fell immediately.

He rubbed his palm against his face as he recalled how she died.

" She was just 9 years old. She was a good kid. Yh, a nice one" he said as the tears formed on his eyelids, he blinked it back and smiled.

"She was shot in her school, her mom got a panic attack and died that same day. My life is just frustrating and I am ready to die in order to put this killer in his place" he said clenching his fists as Versa tapped his shoulders in a consoling manner.

"Its ok, we all are would be alright. We would stop the homicides in Mystic Hollow" Vera consoled him as they heard a movement from up a rooftop.

They adverted their attention towards the roof and saw a man putting on black on a blue mask, unknown to them, he had tempered with the CCTV camera footages.

"Call for backup, I think his next target might be in that house" Phillips whispered to her as he got his pistol ready.

"You can't do this alone, remember he is a trained assassin and you're just a.."

"Trained cop, come on, life itself is all about taking risks, just go get back up. And incase I don't return.."

"Shhh, don't say that, no one's gonna die ok?"

He opened the door slyly like a fox and crept away towards the building the killer was standing on it's roof.

Vera tried to connect the sheriff but it wasn't going through, it was 2AM.

"Hello Sheriff, we are in a state of emergency, suspect has been spoted on the roof of block 134, we need backup, do you copy?" Vera said and kept trying to get in touch as Phillips went away.

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TBC