Chapter 9: Missing orphan

A few minutes later, the sound of thunderous footsteps is heard and it turns out to be Madam Nigera and other orphans. Her face is instantly stiff looking at the little girl and her pupils dilated when she sees the kid's condition.

"Jacqueline! Calm down, you're safe now." Madam Nigera immediately put her arm around the kid and hugged her. "Goodness! What is going on with her?" Her face showed a panicked expression.

"We don't know either what happens to her, because as we arrive here, she suddenly just like this." Caden shrugged his shoulder. "He also doesn't talk to us at all."

"Okay, now we should take this child to my room," she said while holding the child. "Caden, I need you to take the other kids back to their room."

"Yes, Madam." Caden quickly walked over with the other children.

"Bradley, you go with me. I feel like I'll need a little help."

They quickly walk into Nigera's room and then lay the child down on the sofa and wait for the child to speak.

"Jacqueline, have a drink first." Madam Nigera gave Jaqueline a glass of warm water.

Jacqueline's hand continues trembling as she accepts the glass and quickly gulps it all down. A few minutes later, Jacqueline starts talking.

"When Dorothy and I were on our way home after delivering Mrs. Theresa's things, suddenly something attacked us." Dorothy's voice stuttered followed by the fading tremor of her hands.

"What do you mean, Jaq?" Mrs. Nigera furrowed her brows to reveal a wrinkle on her forehead.

"Do you remember the person who attacked you?" Bradley asked, curious about the little girl's attacker.

Jacqueline immediately shook her head. "Sorry. It was dark, I couldn't see anything." Jacqueline lowered her head. "But, I'm pretty sure it wasn't a human because it was large enough for human size."

"Wait, you mean it wasn't a human that attacked you?" Bradley raised his eyes at Jacqueline's words.

Dorothy quickly nods her head, leaving Bradley and Mrs. Nigera speechless.

"I have made a mistake, leaving Dorothy there." Jacqueline's tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.

Jacqueline keeps her head down and cries not long after. Her body trembles incessantly, so Madam Nigera hugs Jaqueline and tries to calm her.

"Jacqueline, it's not all your fault." Madam Nigera's voice sounds so soft. "Tell us, where did the accident happen? "

"It happened in a small alley not far from here," she said in a trembling voice.

"I think we should go over there and check out the place," said Madam Nigera, snapping her fingers. "We might be able to get a clue about Dorothy's disappearance."

"Yes, Madam I agree." Bradley nods quickly. "But, what about Jacqueline?"

Bradley staring the girls without blinking and holds Madam Nigera's hand tightly. She doesn't want to let off her grip on Madam Nigera.

"Madam Nigera, let me go alone. I think you should look after Jacqueline first."

"Brad, are you sure?" Mrs. Nigera raised her eyebrows. "We don't know what we'll face. It's too dangerous if we go alone."

"Madam, calm down everything will be fine," He walks out of Madam Nigera's room. "I will be back and bring Dorothy with me."

Bradley picks up a small flashlight on a table near the door out of the orphanage. However, after only a few minutes his whole body starts to shake, so he decides to go back inside the orphanage and picks up someone's coat which is hanging behind the door, and rushes off to the location where Jacqueline has told him.

"Hmm, I believe this is the alley."

The lights in the place aren't working properly and he can't see ahead of him. Bradley then takes a flashlight from his pocket and turns it on.

"I don't see anyone around here at all." Bradley shone his flashlight in all directions. "This place is too quiet."

However, Bradley notices something lying on the ground and only a few meters away from his position, so he decides to walk over to get a better look.

"A pink hairpin? I feel like it belongs to Dorothy."

Bradley picks up the hairpin and sees that there is a bloodstain with a long strand of hair stuck to it. A few minutes later, Bradley senses a gust of wind from behind him feels a little different and he quickly looks back, but there is no one there.

"Jeez, looks like I'm not alone here." Bradley put the hairpin away and moved his eyeballs around. "Damn, I need to find Dorothy as soon as possible."

Bradley quickly walks over and points his flashlight forward again but his body instantly freezes when the reflection of the flashlight catches a red stain lying on the floor.

"Oh, my God! It looks like blood."

He moves the flashlight further, sees that it's making a path, and follows the stain. His eyes never stopped looking at the fading bloodstains and he slowly looks up and sees a large wooden box neatly arranged with quite a lot of.

He decides to take a look around the box, however, a strange noise came from behind him and he quickly turned his head and points at the flashlight.

"Argh! Damn, cats!" Bradley grumbled at the sight of the pair of cats. "Never mind, I have to keep looking for Dorothy's whereabouts."

Bradley turns around and walks ahead but a few minutes later the voice is heard again. He turns back around and it is the same cat that appears in front of him, but only one cat is left now.

"Oh my gosh! This time, I'm not turning around," Bradley said in frustration. "No matter what!"

Bradley walks back and for the third time, he hears the same voice. This time, however, he ignores the sound and continues to look around him. His flashlight slowly starts to dim, and he taps his flashlight a few times until it comes back on.

"Okay, much better now. Let's see what we'll find there."

As he starts to walk, something falls on the surface of his hair. His hand touches it and his body instantly froze.

"Oh my, it's blood!"

His eyes slowly look up and instantly senses a wave of fear rising from his head to toe. He screams so loudly looking over the corpses of the two cats hanging above him.

"Sh**!"

He accelerates his movements with his breath panting and his heart racing. He keeps running without paying attention to the situation in front of him and unfortunately, something makes him fall.

"Damn it!"

He tries to run but his leg strains and needs time to heal so he decides to walk slowly.

"I need to find Dorothy and get out of this horrible place." Bradley continued walking while enduring the pain in his leg.

However, a few meters behind him a pair of red eyes looked at him and moved closer.

"Oh my God, what is that?"

He moves his head quickly in an attempt to find a safe place. His eyes soon find a small hallway with several boxes and drums randomly arranged nearby. Bradley forces his legs to keep going and tries to endure the pain that becomes more painful as he walks.

"Argh! Come on, you can do it!"

Cold sweat poured down his face and the pain becomes unbearable, yet he keeps moving until he reaches the stack of boxes and hides behind them.

"Finally." Bradley let out a long breath. "At least it's safe here."

His heart is still beating fast, and cold sweat slowly streams down his face, following the contours of his face.

"What's exactly happening here?" He gulps his drool while looking out from the cracks of the box he is hiding in.