ABANDONED

Mr. Johnson his behind the couch as Isabella passed going up the stairs. When he saw the coast was clear he came out from his hiding spot and ran on his tippy-toes towards the front door. He tried to open the door but it was stuck.

"There you are daddy, I've been looking for you," she said as she walked slowly towards her father who had fallen on the floor, knife in position. She was just about to stab her father when the front door opened, it was Anika and Lisa. Isabella quickly hid the knife behind her back.

"Hi Anika, hi Lisa, back so soon?" Her eyes glimmered from the reflection of the sun. She smirked making her face look more wickedly innocent. Anika ignored her greetings and turned to her father who was still on the floor.

"Dad, why're you on the floor, are you alright?" She said as she pulled him up from the floor.

"I-I-I....dunno I just... Isabella almost-" he glanced at Isabella and ran up the stairs.

"What are you hiding behind your back, Isabella?" Lisa asked, slowly walking towards her.

"And what did you do to dad?" Anika asked.

"I did nothing wrong, I just wanted to play.

Lisa quickly dragged Isabella's hands from behind her back but there was nothing but a toy in her hand. Anika looked at Lisa and Lisa looked back at her. Just then, Mr. Johnson came back down the stairs, suitcase in hand, panicking and murmuring to himself.

"Dad, where are you going to?" Anika asked.

"I'm going away from all the this madness, I don't know whether it's a dream or reality. I don't care anymore and I'M NOT COMING BACK!"

"Dad please, whatever it is that happened, you can't just leave when we need you the most," Anika said almost in tears. By this time, Isabella had gone upstairs.

"Well watch me leave then," he said as he forcefully pushed Anika away and took his luggage outside. Anika heard him close the booth and drive away. Anika began to so while Lisa comforted her.

"I-I-I...I just..just when I needed him the most...he did this to me. What am I supposed to tell mom?"

"Stop crying Anika, everything's going to be fine, no doubt, and we're going to win this, ok. You just have to be strong, strong for me, strong for your mom, strong for Daniel, hopefully for Isabella and for yourself."

Anika wiped her tears and hugged Lisa.

"Thanks so much for everything Lisa but we have a problem."

"What?"

"Nowhere to sleep tonight."

"We can sleep in my house."

"There's a dead body there and Bella could easily catch us and kill us."

"You have a point, let's go outside first and think this through."

Mark, the officer who was in charge of investigating Daniel's case was in a bar in town. He was discussing with his colleague over the matter on a bottle of beer.

Mark was a retired military man, a glance at him didn't say retiree, he was still very young and what someone would call handsome. He used to have a family, a very beautiful wife and two lovely children, a boy and a girl. That was his biggest and most painful scar in life even with all the scars on his built chest and back; from the various missions and wars. He came back home one day and saw an ambulance parked in front of his house, he went closer to see the body on the stretcher. He removed the sheet to see the face of the person, his fear was confirmed, it was his wife. Her eyes were wide open, she looked very pale, cold but there was no blood also his children too. He always blamed himself every single day, telling himself if he had been at home it wouldn't have happened.

Even autopsy reports couldn't find out what killed them and ever since he retired from the military he promised to avenge their death. Since then, he didn't get married or even take a second look at another woman. But he did feel Daniel's case could somehow link him to his family's killer.

He received a phonecall in the bar while discussing.

"Hello...WHAT!"