Chapter 12: The Midnight Recording
I couldn’t stop thinking about the name.
The problem was…
I didn’t hear it completely.
The recording cut off at the worst moment.
Dad’s mouth moved.
Amanda reacted.
Then everything went black.
It felt like someone had taken the answer away right when I reached for it.
“Who was it?”” Lily asked.
I looked at her.
“I don’t know.””
“But you saw.””
“I heard the beginning.””
“What did it sound like?””
I closed my eyes.
I tried to remember.
A sound.
A name.
A voice.
Nothing.
Only fear.
That night, nobody slept.
Amanda sat downstairs.
Lily stayed in my room.
And I held the tablet under my blanket, waiting.
At exactly midnight, the screen turned on.
The new file appeared.
No warning.
No password.
Just a video.
I pressed play.
Dad appeared again.
But this time, he looked different.
More serious.
More afraid.
“Ethan.””
His voice was quiet.
“If you’re watching this part, then you already know the first recording wasn’t the whole truth.””
I leaned closer.
Dad looked directly into the camera.
“There are two people you need to be careful with.””
My heart started racing.
“The first is Mark.””
I nodded slowly.
That matched what I knew.
“The second…”
Dad paused.
The screen flickered.
Then his voice continued.
“…is someone closer than you think.””
The video froze for a second.
Then continued.
“Ethan, I need you to understand something. The person who hurts you isn’t always the person who looks dangerous.””
I felt a chill.
Dad continued:
“Sometimes they are the person who brings you food.””
I stopped breathing.
Because that was exactly what Amanda did.
She brought food.
She made pancakes.
She smiled.
Then she gave me noodles while Lily ate everything.
Dad looked away from the camera.
“If Amanda is watching this…”
The video paused.
Then Dad said:
“I’m sorry.””
Amanda’s voice suddenly came from behind me.
“She was right.””
I turned around.
She stood at my bedroom door.
I froze.
“You heard?””
Amanda nodded.
Tears filled her eyes.
“Yes.””
Lily stood up.
“Mom…”
Amanda looked at both of us.
“I should have told you sooner.””
My voice shook.
“Was Dad talking about you?””
Amanda closed her eyes.
“Yes.””
The room felt silent.
Even the air felt heavy.
“But not the way you think.””
I stared at her.
“What does that mean?””
Amanda walked closer.
“I made terrible choices.””
She swallowed.
“But I didn’t hurt your father.””
“Then who did?””
She looked at the tablet.
Then at me.
“Someone who wanted us to blame each other.””
A sound came from downstairs.
A phone ringing.
Amanda’s face changed.
She looked terrified.
“Who is it?””
She didn’t answer.
The phone kept ringing.
Finally, she whispered:
“It’s your father’s number.””
My entire body went cold.
Because Dad’s phone had been missing for weeks.
And nobody should have been able to call from it.
Amanda slowly walked toward the stairs.
The phone kept ringing.
Then the answering machine picked up.
A voice came through the house.
A voice I knew.
A voice I had been waiting to hear.
“Ethan…”
My knees almost gave out.
Because it was Dad.
May you like
And he said:
“Don’t trust Amanda.””
