Chapter 12: What Ethan Saw
The basement went silent.
Dad stared at Ethan.
“You were there?””
Ethan nodded.
“I saw everything.””
I could barely breathe.
“Then why did you let us believe you were locked in the garage?””
“Because Mom made me.””
Dad stepped toward him.
“You were eight years old.””
“I know.””
“You couldn't have understood.””
“I understood enough.””
Ethan looked at Mom.
“She told me if I talked, she'd make sure Dad went to prison.””
Mom shook her head.
“I never said that.””
“You did.””
“I was terrified.””
“So was I.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Ethan, tell them what happened next.””
Ethan looked at him.
“You already know.””
“I know part of it.””
Ethan turned toward Dad.
“When Mom lit the match, David was standing behind her.””
Dad closed his eyes.
“He poured gasoline along the hallway.””
Mom whispered, “No.””
“You both planned it.””
“I didn't know he would use that much.””
“You knew there was gasoline.””
“I thought it would burn out.””
Ethan laughed bitterly.
“You thought?””
His voice broke.
“I was eight.””
Mom began sobbing.
“I went upstairs because I heard Chloe.””
“I know.””
“She was crying.””
“She couldn't find her way out.””
“I went back.””
“You left me.””
“I came back for you.””
“After the roof caught fire.””
Mom covered her face.
Ethan continued.
“I tried the back door.””
“It was locked.””
“Yes.””
“I couldn't open it.””
“You were screaming.””
“I know.””
Marcus looked at Dad.
“I was outside.””
Dad stared at him.
“How?””
“I had been following David.””
“Why?””
“Because I knew he was planning something.””
Ethan nodded.
“Marcus broke the window.””
“I pulled Ethan out.””
“And Chloe?””
Marcus's expression darkened.
“She was already outside.””
Dad looked at Chloe.
“You were outside?””
Chloe nodded.
“I ran.””
“You left Ethan?””
“I was scared.””
Ethan stared at her.
“You were holding the key.””
Chloe began crying.
“I didn't know.””
“You knew enough.””
She covered her face.
Dad looked toward Mom.
“And you?””
Mom whispered, “I thought Ethan was dead.””
Ethan shook his head.
“You didn't even look.””
“I couldn't.””
“You ran.””
Mom collapsed into a chair.
The truth hung over us like smoke.
Then Lily spoke.
“There's something missing.””
Everyone looked at her.
She held up her phone.
“The recording from last night.””
She opened the file.
The screen showed the basement from twelve years ago.
Not the fire.
The minutes before it.
David stood beside Mom.
But this time, another person appeared in the corner.
Dad stared at the screen.
“Who is that?””
Lily zoomed in.
The person stepped closer.
His face became visible.
Dad stopped breathing.
“It can't be.””
I looked at him.
“Who is it?””
Dad didn't answer.
Marcus did.
“Your father.””
Dad shook his head.
“My father was dead.””
“Not then.””
The recording continued.
The older man handed David a folder.
Then he looked directly toward the camera.
“John will never know.””
Dad stepped backward.
“My father knew?””
Marcus nodded.
“He helped them.””
Mom whispered, “He was the one who created the insurance scheme.””
Dad stared at her.
“You knew my father was involved?””
“Yes.””
“And you still married me?””
“I loved you.””
“You lied to me for twenty-four years.””
“I was afraid.””
Dad turned away.
Lily suddenly paused the video.
“Wait.””
“What?”” I asked.
She pointed at the bottom corner.
A timestamp.
*2:06 A.M.*
Then she looked at another recording.
*2:13 A.M.*
“The fire started seven minutes later.””
Ethan stared.
“That means…”
Lily shook her head.
“Someone changed the original recording.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“Who had access to it?””
Lily looked at Mom.
“Mom.””
Mom shook her head.
“I didn't.””
Lily looked at Dad.
“Then who?””
Dad stared at the screen.
A notification appeared.
A new video had been uploaded to Lily's phone.
The sender was unknown.
The title contained only four words:
*THE SECOND FIRE BEGINS.*
Ethan looked toward the windows.
Outside, across the dark yard, a red glow suddenly appeared.
Smoke began rising behind the old house.
Dad whispered:
May you like
“Everyone out.””
And then the upstairs windows exploded with flames.
