5 CHAPTER 5

I was awakened by a banging noise from the second floor of our house. What was that?

I was looking straight to what's above my room. Pretty sure that's where the noises are coming from. Those noises, they always bother me every night, creating the same noises, at the same hour and it always disturbed me from my sleep. I wonder what's up there. I wonder why the noises are pretty similar to what it did yesterday.

I looked at the window pane and saw the rain outside. It wasn't strong but it sends me a cold and gentle wind for my window's half opened.

I stood up and went straight to the window. I should close it before I froze here because of the weather. After I locked the window, I was shocked when my phone rang. Someone's calling? It's late already.

It's from an unknown number. Though I was hesitant, I manage to pick it up and say hello.

"Lucy, it's Josh. I got your number from Rain. Did I wake you up?"

Oh it was Josh. He's still awake up to this hour? I looked at my alarm clock and it's 1AM already.

"I woke up a few minutes before you called. Are you bored?", I directly asked him.

"No. I just want to ask if you're okay."

"After my sleep was disturbed by the noises on our second floor, I don't know how to answer that."

"You should go back to sleep Lucy. I just called to ask you how are you."

"I'll be okay."

"Lucy.", I heard him saying my name.

"What?", I asked him.

I was bothered about him not saying anything over the other line. Is he making me a fool, waiting for him to answer?

"Are you with someone right now?", I finally heard him talking.

"No. I am on my bed."

"Someone's singing.", he said and it sent me shiver deep down my flesh. Is he trying to scare me?

"Josh, cut it off. I get scared so easy.", I even chuckled.

And then I froze after hearing someone humming.

"You heard that?", Josh asked.

That hum, that was very familiar. That night my mom and I are singing along when someone killed my father, it suddenly went back to me. The melancholic hum of my father every time he jams with us, that’s the sound I am hearing now. 'By Now', that was the song. The song of my mom and I's favorite band, that was the hum sounds like.

Where did that came from?

"Lucy, are you still there? Should I come over?", I heard Josh asking.

"No, it's nothing."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow. Good night."

I then ended the call and tears voluntarily fell from my eyes. I miss my parents a lot especially my mom but do they really need to haunt me as I start a new life? It's not like I am already forgetting them, I promised myself that I'll give my dad's death justice and I'll find my mom. But I am trying to be happy with my eyes and why am I seeing or hearing this stuff? Please let me go.

Then that certain sound, that echoing noise started disturbing me again. I'm pretty sure it comes from that room upstairs. What's with that room?

I stepped down from my bed again; Pajama's touching the floor, so eager to see what's on that room. I held my phone for flashlight since I don't want to disturb mom. I know she'll be awake the moment I turn the lights on. She's a light sleeper.

I wonder, is it only me who hears these sounds? Am I the only one who gets bothered by it? Is my mom Kelly awake too?

When I opened the door, I looked directly at the stairs which is beside my room. I rushed upstairs and the last step I took even creaked that I froze right there for that was a loud noise.

The hum started again and this time I knew that it was from the same room where I was about to go. My flashlight's on and I keep on lighting the door of that room mom Kelly's restricting me to open.

"Is someone here?", I whispered under my breath.

I took some steps; each step is drawing me closer to that room where the creepy things are happening. It has two locks; each was locked by a padlock aside from the locked door knob.

I started unlocking the higher lock when someone touched my shoulder and because I was so scared; I screamed and even fell to the ground. Who was that?

"Lucy, your flashlight's on my face."

"Mom?"

"Yeah! Are you expecting someone else?", she asked and assisted me in getting up.

As soon as I get up, she locked the room again and that made me wonder why.

"Why are you awake?", she asked.

"There are some loud noises from here. I was about to check."

"Maybe there were falling objects dear. You should go to bed. You still have your class."

"Mom maybe those were falling objects but I heard someone humming."

"You're dreaming sweetie."

She started walking down and I followed her. I took the first step when I heard someone, from that room again.

"Open the door please."

I looked back and kept my eyes on the door. Am I just hearing things? Why can't my mom here it?

"Lucy come on. Let's sleep honey."

I looked at her and creep started flowing through my body. Never in my whole life that a person called me honey, only my mom. And she never called me that way either. Why do I keep on remembering my real family?

"Lucy!", mom snapped me out from what I'm thinking.

"Mom can I go out? Just want to sip coffee."

"At this hour?"

I nodded. I never know if she saw that coz the lights are out.

"Are you alright? Do you have any problem sweetheart?"

"I don't know but I suddenly miss my real parents."

"I'll go with you."

"No mom, I think I need some time for myself."

"Are you sure you're coming back to me?", she asked.

"Of course mom."

I then felt her hugging me tight. I don't know what's with me. I know it hurts her that she's doing everything she can to give me a better life and here I am, going back to my past, missing those persons who aren't really here, making me what I am right now.

"You can sleep mom. I'm not going to do anything stupid.", I smiled and she headed her way to her room.

I went inside my room as well and just wore my jacket with a hoodie, folded my pajamas up to my knees, got my wallet from my bag and went out with an umbrella with me.

I even looked through my mom's window and saw her standing right there. Her lights are on, but as she saw me, she turned all her lights off. I looked up to the second floor and I soon had goose bumps seeing a shadow casting in the window that I took three steps backwards before I fall down again as I trip unto something. I then heard the sound of the car's break that was approaching my way. It stopped right in front of me, and I covered my eyes with my hands for its headlights are blinding.

"Lucy! Why are you outside? It's raining.", I saw Josh lifting me up

I looked at the window but no one's there already. Where did that shadow go? It's so bizarre that's why I freaked out.

"Hop in.", Josh said and he let me in to his car.

"Where are you supposed to go right at this hour?", he asked after he got in the driver's seat.

"I was about to have coffee.", I said.

"I already asked you if I should come over, you said no."

"I can go there alone."

"Sure and you can fall down alone too. Take your jacket off that's wet. Dump it at the back. How pity of you having your umbrella yet you're not using it."

"Spare me the sermon Josh.", I said and throw my jacket at the back of his car.

"Are you alright?", he asked after he started the engine and started driving.

"I keep hearing weird sounds and even saw weird stuff."

"Your mom knows that?"

"She does but she ignores me, told me I was dreaming."

"Are you?", he asked.

"No, I keep hearing it every night since we moved in. Mom always has a room which she restricts me to evade but to be honest; all those rooms bothered me like this."

"You mean, the noises?"

"Yes, it's the same noise I heard yesterday and the night before yesterday and a week before, a month ago, a year before. Looks like it has a hidden message or something."

"Have you tried going there?"

"I tried earlier but mom's still awake so she stopped me."

"Maybe it's a part of her privacy. I think you should respect that."

"I don't know. It scares me every night."

"Wait right here.", he said and get off the car.

I looked outside and saw we parked in a convenient store. I keep on composing myself, forgetting what happened. I mean if this is a nightmare, just wake me up already.

A few moments passed by and Josh went back to the car.

"We'll have coffee at my place. It's not safe here at this hour.", he said and went back to driving.

"Thank you for saving me tonight. I don't know how to get up after seeing that shadow I just saw on the second floor."

"You should keep in touch with me. Call me if you need me, I'll be a call away.", he said.

Somehow, I feel comfortable when I'm with him. How many times do I have to say this? The way he's taking care of me, she's bringing me back to my childhood, back to the days where I was living peacefully with my mom. I want to go back to that day. If only I know where she is, I won't hesitate going back to her even if it'll hurt mommy Kelly so bad.