Chapter 5 - David couldn't speak.Sarah walked toward the photograph as though pulled by a memory buried beneath years of denial.
“I don't remember this.”
“You said that already.”
“No.”
She touched the image.
“I mean I genuinely don't remember.”
David looked around the hidden room.
A small table held documents.
He opened the first file.
SUBJECT A-17.
Female.
Age: 22 months.
He turned the page.
Photograph.
Sarah.
Then another.
LEO MILLER.
SUBJECT A-18.
David's hands began shaking.
“Why is Leo listed as a subject?”
Sarah read the page.
Her face went blank.
A third file.
EMMA MILLER.
SUBJECT A-16.
David stared.
“Who is Emma?”
Sarah backed away.
“I don't know.”
“Sarah.”
“I don't.”
Tank growled.
David followed his gaze.
A tiny red light blinked inside the ceiling.
Camera.
Someone was watching them now.
David grabbed Sarah.
“We're leaving.”
They rushed upstairs with Tank and Leo.
David locked every door.
He packed a bag.
Sarah stood beside the kitchen island, staring at her son.
“Where would we go?”
“Anywhere.”
David looked at Tank.
The dog was pacing.
He kept returning to Leo.
Then to Sarah.
Then back to Leo.
David noticed something.
Tank wasn't afraid of Sarah.
He was watching her.
Carefully.
Almost suspiciously.
A knock came at the front door.
David froze.
Another knock.
Then a man's voice.
“Mr. Miller?”
“Who are you?”
“Detective Aaron Cole.”
David looked through the security camera.
Police car.
Badge visible.
Sarah whispered:
“Don't open it.”
David turned.
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
The detective knocked again.
“Mr. Miller, we received a report regarding a missing child.”
David's blood ran cold.
“Leo isn't missing.”
The detective's expression changed.
“Is he inside?”
David didn't answer.
The detective reached for his radio.
Then Tank barked.
The detective stepped back instantly.
His face turned white.
He whispered:
“No.”
David opened the door slightly.
“What?”
The detective stared at Tank.
“That dog is supposed to be dead.”
David felt the floor tilt beneath him.
The detective took out his phone.
He showed David a photograph.
Tank.
Taken three years earlier.
Same dog.
Same scar above the left eye.
But Tank was standing beside a younger woman.
A woman who looked exactly like Sarah.
David stared.
“That photo was taken before we met.”
The detective nodded.
“That's why I'm here.”
Sarah stepped forward.
“What do you want?”
The detective looked directly at her.
“I want to know what happened to your sister.”
Sarah stopped.
“What sister?”
The detective's voice lowered.
“Emma.”
David turned toward Sarah.
The detective continued.
“She disappeared two years ago.”
“That's impossible.”
“No.”
He looked at Leo.
“She's been living in your house.”
David's heart stopped.
“What?”
The detective pointed upstairs.
“She has been leaving messages for you.”
Sarah stepped backward.
“She died.”
The detective shook his head.
“No.”
Then he added:
“Her body was never found.”
David looked at Tank.
The dog was growling at the staircase.
The detective whispered:
“He knows.”
David frowned.
“Knows what?”
The detective stared toward the house.
“Where she is.”
Suddenly every light in the house went out.
The three men stood in darkness.
Then Leo began laughing.
Not crying.
Laughing.
David turned.
Leo was looking toward the ceiling.
Pointing.
“Mommy.”
Sarah whispered:
“I'm here.”
Leo shook his head.
“No.”
He pointed higher.
“Other Mommy.”
A sound came from the attic.
Three slow knocks.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Tank immediately ran upstairs.
David followed.
The attic door was open.
It had been locked for years.
Inside, there was one chair.
One old television.
And a woman sitting in front of it.
Her back was turned.
David whispered:
“Who are you?”
The woman slowly turned.
She had Sarah's face.
But older.
Hollow-eyed.
And she smiled.
“Finally.”
David stopped breathing.
May you like
She pointed at Leo.
“Now you know why Tank tried to save him.”
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