Everyone was gathered. From grandparents to siblings and friends. The house was full of people, eagerly waiting for the birthday boy, Christoffer Derrick, to arrive. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Derrick, were one of the wealthiest people of Goldfinch, one of the smallest towns in California, recognized for being a target to endless crimes. It was mandatory for people to stay inside at night. The town was rumoured to be cursed. There was no other expalnation to the sickening crimes committed by maksed criminals. From the time the mayor's house had been set on fire, to the time people were violated and killed under the public's sight.
It was 9:40 pm and Christoffer was expected to arrive at around 10 pm for the party. Every guest was grinning with anticipation. The doorbell rang just as the clock hit 9:50. "Chris is here, everyone! Gather up!" Mrs. Derrick excitedly announced, The guests crowded the door, eager to surprise Christoffer. The moment the parents open the door, the guests started singing 'Happy Birthday', but soon fell silent immedietly upon realizing the porch was empty. Mrs. and Mr. Derrick looked down to find a package that had been left on the doorstep. They picked it up, unaware of what the box held. A note was attached to it that read, "Christoffer says his goodbyes. A very heartfelt happy birthday to your boy who sadly didn't make it to 18. I thought you'd appreciate his ashes to celebrate with. - The Silent Man" With horrified looks, they rip open the box and to no surprise, they find the box filled with ashes of their son. The crowd waited impatiently to find out what was going on. With trembling hands, Mrs. Derrick read the note again, hoping whatever she had read before would magically change. Mrs. Derrick fell on the ground, going completely unconcious. Mr. Derrick screamed for someone to call the police, unable to look back at the package. A couple of people in the very confused crowd dialed 911. Ambulances followed by police cars arrived at the house not long later, sirens filling the neighborhood. Mrs. Derrick was carried out into the ambulance. The crowd scattered swiftly out of the house. Katherina and Angelina the twins and younger sisters of Christoffer went to into the ambulance along with their mother as Mr. Derrick stayed with the police. What had happened that night was just a small starter for the silent man. A starter of bigger ones to come. That one was the most insignificant one in his book. That same night, the police started their--usually unsuccessful--investigation. Mr. Derrick contacted his friend Charles as well, who was in touch with undercover agents. By the next morning, the death of Christoffer was all that was playing over and over on the news. Newspapers were sent to houses with the breaking news of the upsetting incident the night before. The mayor moved the curfew from 8 pm to 7 pm. Anyone out after the curfew was to be charged or even arrested. The town was on edge. The man was everywhere on the news. No one had ever seen him before or heard of his real name. All anyone knew about him was the name he left around. The Silent Man. Or as people of the town tended to call him, the man with no face.Two weeks have passed since that night. The night when the Derricks have received their own son's ashes on his birthday. The Sheriff's department still hasn't discovered who The Silent Man was, but the curfew was still remaining. Just a day before Thanksgiving, everyone received an invitation to a funeral. an invitation that said it was Christoffer Derrick's funeral. Everyone assumed the invitation was from the Derricks, but the Derricks also got the same invitation but only to a different person's funeral. The funeral held a place in an underground bunker. Everyone was expected to be there an hour before the curfew. It was a must as the invitation said. By 6:30 everyone was there.As each person got in the bunker, they expressed their sympathy to the Derricks and the confused Derricks accepted the sympathy though they never understood what was going on. After a while, things started getting deeper and deeper. People started bringing photos of Christoffer while others brought flower
Words are out everywhere. Gossiping about how the Edwins family turned their backs on each other. That morning when Jeremiah and Jacob were turned in, the news was exploding with it. All everyone would say of was "How could they turn their backs on each other?", "The Edwins are cursed,", "How did their parents raise them?". The Edwin family started getting attacked with words after the news. Far and wide the whispers about the Edwin family being cursed continued. When the Edwins were displeased, they reported it, so after that, anyone talking bad about the Edwin family would get charged.The gossip and whispers died after that was announced. People started minding their own business. Some going back to work, others going to school while waiting for the next rumor to tattle about. A week or so later, people found another thing
The letters kept coming and coming. Though the further it went, the more clues people started to get about what The Silent Man might look like. In each letter he sent in every house, he left the color of his eyes, his weight, or easy things like his hair color. Every time people got those clues, they would take it to Sheriff Issac. Sheriff Issac had a clue board. The clue board had every detail they knew about the silent man. Though they had some clue about him, they were still not sure they would find him. Sheriff Issac has done anything and everything to keep the kids of Goldfinch out of trouble. From getting kidnapped or killed like Christoffer and the Edwin girls. Sheriff Issac's son Cyrus Issac has been getting involved in the crimes of Goldfinch. Even though his father Sheriff Issac has told him millions of times not to get involved, he never listened.
That day, after Cyrus and Alice got kidnapped, no one said anything. No one knew. Not even their own friends. ~~~ Jackson's Point Of View ~~~Cyrus and Alice said they would meet us in the cafeteria at lunch. They didn't tell us where exactly, but I was really sure they would be at the same place we always eat lunch at. Strangely, they were not there. We looked for them everywhere but still couldn't find them. We thought of calling them but their phones are both not working."What do you think they are doing?" Sally said worried,"I don't know, I mean they told us they would be here. If they wanted to go somewhere else wouldn't they tell us? Like call us or text us?" I asked more to myself,
~~~ Alice's Point Of View ~~~"Jackson! Go faster! They are following us with two cars!" I say looking behind me at the two black cars."I am trying!" he yells at me not looking back,"Then try harder Jack!" I yell back. I look down to check on Cyrus and he's passed out."Shit," I mumbled checking his pulse."What?" Sally turned around,"We need to go to Dr. Harlod, Jack," I say tears appearing in my eyes. Dr. Harlod is Sally's cousin. He graduated with a doctorate degree. He graduated about a year ago and started working in the biggest hospital in Goldfinch. When we get to the hospital, it is pretty busy so the black cars aren't behind us anymore. I am sure they have given up on us and pro
~~~ Cyrus's Point of View ~~~ "Jackson, start the car, they are still following us!" Alice yells at him and he swiftly starts the car and drives off to the road hitting the gas hard and driving it as fast as it could go while mumbling 'we're dead'. I am not sure where Jack is driving to but it certainly isn't the way to any of our homes."Jack do you know where you're going?" I ask,"No, but we can't go home. It's too dangerous, so we are just going to drive until they lose us," Jack says gripping the steering wheel tight,"Are you insane?! No, we are not going to do that. Our parents will be worried-" Sally says"Would you prefer them dead than worry about us?!" Jack yells cutting her off,"We can tell the Sheriff!
~~~ Cyrus's Point of View ~~~ It is not something I knew long ago. It's not something I discovered in grade 7. It's something I came upon just now.The fact that I am in love with Alice. I am sitting on the bed looking at the one and only...Alice. She is sleeping peacefully with her face turned to me. She is absolutely irresistible. From her dark brown hair up to her beautiful long eyelashes to her small cute nose to her appealing pink lips. She is just glamorous. Jack walks out of the bathroom wearing shorts and nothing on top showing off his 6 packs. He has a towel around his neck and his hair was dripping wet. He looks at me swooning over Alice.He rai
~~~ Cyrus's Point of View ~~~ The town looks like it's having what we call a costume party. A 1920s costume party. While we are driving through the town people give us looks."What the hell is this town?" Jack whispers more to himself,"Why are they looking at us this way? And why do they all look like they are in the 19 somethings?" Sally says looking out the window giving them dirty looks,"Guys, I don't think we can find a hotel just driving around. Let's take a walk and look for one," Alice says getting ready to get out of the car,"Are you out of your mind? Don't you see the look they are giving us when we are in the car? Who knows what they would do when we are out of the car?" Jack keeps driving through the crowded roads,