Chapter 2: The Basement Door
For three seconds, nobody spoke.
The only sound in the house was the woman crying beneath us.
Daniel looked like he had seen a ghost.
“That bird is lying,” he said.
But his voice was different now.
Weak.
Desperate.
Officer Reed kept his hand firmly on Daniel’s arm.
“Who is downstairs?””
Daniel shook his head quickly.
“Nobody.””
The woman screamed again.
“PLEASE!””
I stepped toward the basement door.
Daniel immediately moved in front of me.
“You can’t go down there.””
I stared at him.
“Why?””
“Because it’s dangerous.””
“Dangerous for who?””
His jaw tightened.
“For everyone.””
Officer Reed looked at me.
That was the moment we both knew something was wrong.
A man with nothing to hide does not block officers from opening a locked basement door after hearing someone scream.
I reached for my flashlight.
“Step aside.””
Daniel didn’t move.
“Megan, listen to me.””
I froze.
He knew my name now.
Not because of the bird.
Because he had heard it.
I slowly looked at him.
“You never asked my name.””
Daniel’s expression changed.
A small mistake.
One he couldn’t take back.
Officer Reed immediately pulled him away from the door.
“Where did you learn her name?””
Daniel looked away.
“I heard it.””
“From who?””
No answer.
I grabbed the lock.
It was newer than the door.
The basement itself looked old, but the padlock was shiny.
Recently installed.
I pulled my radio.
“Dispatch, this is Officer Carter. We need backup at the residence.””
Daniel suddenly became angry.
“You’re making a huge mistake.””
I looked at him.
“A woman is trapped downstairs.””
“You don’t know that.””
“The bird does.””
He laughed nervously.
“A bird?””
Then the parrot spoke again.
But this time, it didn’t scream.
It whispered.
“Daniel lied.””
Daniel turned toward the cage.
His face became furious.
“Shut up!””
The bird flapped its wings.
“Daniel hurt Megan.””
Officer Reed stepped closer.
“Who is Megan?””
Daniel didn’t answer.
I looked at the bird.
“Who is Megan?””
The parrot stared at me.
Then it repeated a sentence.
A sentence I recognized.
The exact words from the emergency call.
“My husband locked me in the basement.””
A chill went through me.
Because the voice sounded terrified.
Not like an actor.
Like someone begging to survive.
I grabbed the padlock again.
Before I could force it open, Daniel suddenly shouted.
“Wait!””
Everyone looked at him.
His face was pale.
“I can explain.””
“Start talking,” Reed said.
Daniel swallowed.
“She was my wife.””
The room became silent.
“Was?””
Daniel looked toward the floor.
“She disappeared.””
“When?””
“Six months ago.””
I stared at him.
“And you didn’t report her missing?””
Daniel didn’t answer.
That answer was enough.
Officer Reed stepped back and reached for his handcuffs.
“Turn around.””
Daniel immediately backed away.
“No.””
“Turn around.””
“You don’t understand what happened.””
“Then explain it while sitting in a patrol car.””
Daniel looked at the basement.
Then at the parrot.
Then at us.
His eyes filled with fear.
Not guilt.
Fear.
“There’s something down there.””
I tightened my grip on my flashlight.
“What?””
Daniel whispered:
“The reason she disappeared.””
Before anyone could respond, something moved behind the basement door.
A scraping sound.
Slow.
Heavy.
Then a woman’s voice came through the wood.
“Megan…”
I stepped closer.
“I’m here.””
The voice trembled.
“Please…”
Daniel suddenly shouted.
“Don’t open that door!””
Officer Reed looked at him.
“Why?””
Daniel’s face twisted.
“Because my wife isn’t the only thing down there.””
The basement door shook.
The woman screamed.
“HE KNOWS YOU’RE HERE!””
Then the lights went out.
The entire house went black.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then the parrot spoke in the darkness.
But this time, it wasn’t copying anyone.
It sounded terrified.
“RUN…”
A pause.
May you like
Then:
“HE’S BEHIND YOU.””
