Chapter 9: The Backup Plan
I ran.
I didn’t think.
I didn’t plan.
I just ran.
The hallway blurred as I held the tiny memory chip in my hand.
Behind me, Amanda shouted my name.
“Ethan! Stop!””
But I kept going.
Because something inside me finally understood.
The device wasn’t just a toy.
Dad didn’t give it to me because he thought something bad might happen.
He gave it to me because something bad had already started.
I ran into my bedroom and locked the door.
Lily came right behind me.
“Ethan!””
I opened the window slightly.
“Help me move the desk.””
She looked confused.
“What?””
“Just help!””
Together, we pushed the small desk against the door.
It wouldn’t stop an adult for long.
But it gave us time.
Amanda knocked.
“Ethan.””
Her voice was calm again.
That scared me.
“Open the door.””
Neither of us answered.
“Ethan, I know you’re scared.””
I looked at Lily.
She whispered:
“Don’t listen.””
Amanda continued.
“I know what you think you saw.””
I held the memory chip tightly.
“But you don’t understand.””
Her voice became softer.
“I loved your father.””
I stared at the door.
“Then why did you hurt him?””
Silence.
A long silence.
Then Amanda answered.
“I didn’t.””
But she didn’t sound sure.
Lily covered her mouth.
A few seconds later, we heard footsteps moving away.
I waited.
Then I whispered:
“She left.””
Lily nodded.
“What do we do?””
I looked at the memory chip.
“Find out what’s on this.””
The problem was…
We didn’t know how.
Dad had always handled technology.
Not me.
I was just a kid.
Then Lily suddenly said:
“My tablet.””
“What?””
“Mom bought me one last Christmas.””
I looked at her.
“You have a tablet?””
She nodded.
“It’s upstairs.””
We waited until the house became quiet.
Then we slipped out.
Every step felt dangerous.
We reached Lily’s room and found the tablet under her bed.
A few minutes later, we inserted the memory chip.
A folder appeared.
Only one file.
The name made my hands shake.
*FOR ETHAN.*
I clicked it.
The screen went black.
Then Dad appeared.
Not a recording of his voice.
A video.
He was sitting at his desk.
The same desk where he used to help me with homework.
My eyes filled immediately.
“Hey, buddy.””
I covered my mouth.
It was Dad.
Older.
Tired.
But smiling.
“If you’re watching this, something happened and I couldn’t come home when I promised.””
Lily started crying beside me.
Dad looked directly into the camera.
“Ethan, I need you to remember something.””
He paused.
“You are not alone.””
I wiped my eyes.
Dad continued.
“There are things adults will tell you. Some will say I left. Some will say I didn’t care.””
His expression became serious.
“Don’t believe them.””
The room was completely silent.
Then Dad said:
“The person who hurt me is someone you trust.””
I froze.
Lily grabbed my hand.
Dad leaned closer to the camera.
“And Ethan…”
He looked scared.
I had never seen Dad scared before.
“If Amanda finds this video, it means she already knows.””
The screen flickered.
Dad looked behind him.
Like he heard something.
Then he whispered:
“She’s here.””
The video froze.
A second later, the screen went black.
And underneath the video file appeared a new message.
A message Dad had scheduled to appear only after the video ended.
May you like
Four words.
*The truth is Mark.*
