Chapter 8: The Old House
We found Mom's car missing from the driveway.
Dad stood beneath the porch light, staring at the empty space.
“She took the spare keys,” he said.
I grabbed my coat.
“We have to find Ethan.””
Marcus shook his head.
“I'll take you.””
Dad looked at him.
“You're not going anywhere near my children.””
Marcus held his gaze.
“Then you're going alone.””
Dad hesitated.
Rain poured harder.
Finally, he grabbed his keys.
“Get in.””
The old house was twenty minutes outside town.
The drive was silent except for the windshield wipers.
Lily sat beside me in the back.
Chloe sat on the other side, staring through the window.
Marcus rode in the passenger seat.
Nobody trusted him.
But nobody wanted him to leave.
When we turned onto the old road, Chloe suddenly spoke.
“Stop.””
Dad glanced at her.
“Why?””
“That’s the road.””
“What road?””
“The one from that night.””
Her fingers curled around her seat belt.
“I haven't been here since.””
Dad slowed.
The old house appeared through the trees.
It was smaller than I expected.
The roof had been repaired, but the blackened bricks around the chimney remained.
Ethan's car sat beside the overgrown driveway.
Dad slammed on the brakes.
“He's here.””
We rushed inside.
The front door was unlocked.
“Ethan!”” Dad shouted.
Nothing.
Marcus pointed toward the basement.
“Down there.””
Dad looked at him.
“How do you know?””
“Because that's where he went when I called him.””
I stopped.
“You called Ethan?””
Marcus nodded.
“When?””
“Before I came to your house.””
“What did you tell him?””
“That his mother had finally made a mistake.””
Dad opened the basement door.
The smell hit us first.
Damp wood.
Dust.
Something metallic.
A single bulb hung from the ceiling.
Ethan stood beside an old metal cabinet.
He turned.
“Dad?””
Dad rushed toward him.
“Are you okay?””
Ethan nodded.
Then he looked at Marcus.
“You came.””
Marcus nodded.
“I told you I would.””
Dad stepped between them.
“You two have been talking?””
Ethan sighed.
“For months.””
“You knew about all this?””
“I knew some of it.””
“You let me believe Chloe?””
“No.””
Ethan's voice broke.
“I tried to tell you.””
Dad looked down.
“I know.””
Ethan opened the cabinet.
Inside were folders.
Photographs.
Bank statements.
And a small cassette recorder.
Lily stared.
“What is that?””
Ethan picked it up.
“The reason Mom has been terrified.””
Dad stared at the recorder.
“Play it.””
Ethan hesitated.
“Are you sure?””
Dad nodded.
Ethan pressed the button.
Static filled the basement.
Then a woman's voice.
Mom.
Twelve years younger.
“I can't let John find out.””
Another voice answered.
A man.
Marcus.
“You already took the money.””
“I had no choice.””
“You always have a choice.””
“I need to protect Ethan.””
Dad looked at his son.
The recording continued.
“I'll make it look like an accident.””
Marcus's voice became sharper.
“Don't do this.””
“I have to.””
Then came a sound.
A match striking.
Dad went rigid.
Mom's voice whispered:
“By morning, nobody will know what happened.””
The recording stopped.
Lily covered her mouth.
Dad stared at Ethan.
“She planned the fire.””
Ethan nodded.
“But that's not the worst part.””
He opened another folder.
Inside was a birth certificate.
Dad picked it up.
His eyes moved across the page.
Then stopped.
His face went blank.
“What is this?””
Ethan looked at him.
“The real reason Mom wanted me out of the house.””
Dad's fingers tightened around the paper.
“Ethan…”
“I’m not your biological son.””
Nobody breathed.
Dad looked at the certificate again.
The father's name was different.
Marcus.
Dad slowly turned toward the man beside him.
Marcus lowered his eyes.
“I was seventeen when she told me she was pregnant.””
Dad's voice cracked.
“You're his father?””
Marcus nodded.
“I didn't know he survived until twelve years ago.””
Ethan looked at Marcus.
“I knew.””
Dad stepped backward.
“You knew?””
Ethan nodded.
“Mom told me when I was sixteen.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because she threatened to destroy our family if I did.””
A sound came from upstairs.
A door slammed.
Ethan's eyes widened.
“She's here.””
Dad grabbed the flashlight.
“Everyone stay together.””
But before anyone could move, the basement light went out.
In the darkness, someone whispered from the stairs.
“Ethan.””
May you like
It was Mom.
Then the basement door slammed shut.
