Unsteady

I let out an unearthly scream when I saw a pale figure that wore my butler's face getting up from the body that was lying on the floor, to go after the shadow. I clasped my mouth with my hand to stop me from yelling any further and attracting the neighbors.

"This can't be happening." I muffled out the words as my tears poured down hot on my cheeks. This was all my fault… I shouldn't have asked him to check their room. I shouldn't have helped that lady… If only I hadn't done that maybe they'd still be alive. I thought to myself as tears ran down my cheeks.

I grabbed my phone intending to call Madison but I halted when I noticed another presence in the room. The phone call was connected, while the butler was now lying lifeless on the floor. The person walks close to where the butler lies and squats to examine him. I couldn't see their face clearly, but I could tell it was a woman since she had heels on… Very familiar ones.

"Oh dear!" she sobbed as she fell to the floor. I didn't need to see the face because I recognized that voice, it was my mother. "I told him this was a stupid idea. Now look at what's happened…" my mother sobbed more.

With every word she utters, my tears slowly dry off from my cheeks.

What was she saying? And wasn't I told mere moments ago that my parents were out?

I wondered.

She caresses the butler's face longingly, and if I didn't know any better I would assume that they had a thing going on.

My mother reached for her phone that she dropped on the floor out of shock and dialed a number.

"Please pick up," She sobbed more. She dialed the number again but whoever she kept calling didn't pick up.

The phone rang for a while before the receiver picked it up.

"Marilyn, I'm in a meeting I'll call-"

The man started saying, but my mom was quick to cut him off.

"The butler. He's dead" My mom sobbed into the phone, her voice echoing around the room.

I couldn't make out what the person said, but I knew whatever my mom had told him was enough to make him still stay on the call.

"I told you this was a bad idea. Nobody could find it but you wouldn't listen. How could they steal something they don't know about or who has it?"

My mom cries and at the same time clutches the butler by his shirt.

The receiver must have said something because my mom's instant change of expression was something else.

"Is that what you are seriously worrying about? Are you kidding me?!" she yelled at the phone. "What if it was her instead of the butler and all because of..."

My mom paused as she listened to what the man had to say. I could tell whatever he said made her even angrier. What I couldn't bring myself to understand was why it seemed like they were talking about me.

"So you feel like she wouldn't be killed even if she managed to find this spot? Can you hear yourself? You are so obsessed with grooming her so you can use her to your own advantage, it seems like you've forgotten what you signed up for at St Maris' Orphanage. You were supposed to become a father!"

At this point, it was clear they were talking about me. I grabbed my pad that was lying across from where I sat on the floor and quickly wrote down the name of the orphanage.

St Maris.

"We don't even know if it's going to work! Yes, while the pearl has made us wealthy, what if it isn't the pearl we found on her? What if the person you thought she would grow to become isn't what you thought?"

She momentarily went silent so the receiver could talk.

"She moved again?" I heard my mother ask the receiver. "I had no idea she didn't call to tell me," she says again. "So it won't be long then?" She raised another question. "Are you sure we can get her to do it… I mean we raised her…" My mom started saying but her sudden jerk away from the phone made me discover that she has just been yelled out.

"How do we get her? Should we go pay her a visit? Sounds fine… But what do I do about the butler?"

My mom was sounding normal again, whatever the receiver had told her must have sunk in.

'Battery low' The butler's phone announced making my mom jump in fright. I was a bit frightened too. I didn't expect the phone to blow my cover just yet.

"I think I heard something." My mom spoke on the phone as she made her way slowly to where the butler's phone lay. I quickly tapped on the red button and the call ended.

I breathed out deeply in fright. I couldn't wrap my head around what was going on.

'St maris' I mumbled to myself.

I rushed to my bedroom and grabbed a bag from the ones I managed to unpack, and I started to toss In a few materials that I would need on my way to Madison place.

I stopped packing random stuff when I remembered I still haven't called Madi to let her know what's up. Or let her know what I had found out so far. I grabbed my phone intending to call her just to see two notifications on my screen. It was a message from Madi and two missed calls from my parent's butler.

Shit. My thoughts went wild for a second as I try to comprehend why the fuck I got a missed call from my dead butler.

How the hell did my mum even know his password? I wondered.

I stop worrying and tap on the message I got from Madison.

-I forgive you for last night, that's why I'm a few floors down from gracing your house with my presence…shamelessly.-

I checked when the message was sent. Four minutes ago. Without wasting any more time in packing more stuff, I grabbed the bag and started to make my way out of my bedroom in haste.

I almost tripped on my way down when I saw the strange shadowy creature with a cloak on, standing a few meters away from where I stood, but closer to where my kitchen counter was located.

I received another notification… Two notifications actually.

One from Madison and another from my mom. I didn't bother checking since the messages were displayed on my screen.

The one from mom says...

-I'll be in your apartment in a minute, don't go anywhere. There's something you need to know.-

And the one from Madison says…

-Oh… And I bought groceries!-

My phone slipped from my hand unintentionally and the tears I thought dried off a while ago from crying, started to fall down on my cheeks, making my sight hazy. I fell down to my knees as I cried.

"Don't hurt them," I begged the creature standing there like a statue.

"I don't need to, you will." The creature suddenly responds, shocking me. A sudden knock was heard on the door that made me partly want to jump out of my skin.

"Don't come in!" I cried. "Go away!"

But the knock on the door only worsened and so did the tears streaming down my face.