ɪ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ɪɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ᴡᴀs sᴛᴀɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ. ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴛɪʀᴇ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ. ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ɢᴀᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴀ ʜᴜɢ.  "ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴅɪᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴏ?" sʜᴇ ᴇxᴄʟᴀɪᴍᴇᴅ.  "ɪ ᴡᴇɴᴛ ᴏᴜᴛ.  ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ʏᴏᴜ sᴇᴇ ᴍʏ ɴᴏᴛᴇ?" ɪ ᴀsᴋᴇᴅ. "ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɴᴏᴛᴇ?" ɪ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ʙᴇʜɪɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴏᴏʀ ʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴛᴇ ᴡᴀsɴ'ᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ.  ɪ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ sɪᴅᴇ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs.  ɪ sʟᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴍʏ ғᴏʀᴇʜᴇᴀᴅ. "ᴜɢʜ,  ɪ'ᴍ sᴏ sᴛᴜᴘɪᴅ!" ɪ ɢʀᴏᴀɴᴇᴅ.  "ᴛʜᴀᴛ's ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴇʟʟ. " ғᴜᴍɪᴏ sᴀɪᴅ.  ɪ ɢʟᴀʀᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ʜɪᴍ.  "ɪ ʙᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ᴍᴏᴄʜɪ ɪᴄᴇ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴍ ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ɪᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ɢɪᴠᴇ ɪᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴍʏ ɴᴇᴡ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅ. " ɪ ʀᴇᴘʟɪᴇᴅ.  ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇɪʀᴅ ᴅᴜᴅᴇ ᴡᴀsɴ'ᴛ ᴍʏ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅ.  ʙᴜᴛ ɪ'ᴍ ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴡɪsʜɪɴɢ ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs.  "ᴏʜ? ᴡʜᴀᴛ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅ?" ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀsᴋᴇᴅ.  "ᴡᴇʟʟ,  ʜᴇ ɪsɴ'ᴛ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴍʏ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅ ʙᴜᴛ ʜᴇ's ᴀ ʙᴏʏ ᴡʜᴏ ʟɪᴠᴇs ɪɴ ᴀɴ ᴀʙᴀɴᴅᴏɴᴇᴅ ʜᴏᴜsᴇ." ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʟʟ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ sʜᴏᴄᴋᴇᴅ.  "ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴀʟᴋᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴋɪᴅ?" ᴀᴋɪʜɪᴋᴏ ᴀsᴋᴇᴅ.  ɪ ɴᴏᴅᴅᴇᴅ ᴍʏ ʜᴇᴀᴅ sʟᴏᴡʟʏ.  "ʏᴇᴀʜ,  ᴡʜʏ?" ɪ ᴡᴀs ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴄᴏɴғᴜsᴇᴅ.  ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ...  sᴄᴀʀᴇᴅ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʙᴏʏ?

"ᴡʜᴇɴ ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs 8,  ʜᴇ ᴋɪʟʟᴇᴅ ʜɪs ᴘᴀʀᴇɴᴛs ʀɪɢʜᴛ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪᴅᴅʟᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛʀᴇᴇᴛ. ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ᴡᴀs ʜᴏʀʀɪғɪᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ғᴇʟᴛ ʙᴀᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴇɴᴛs. ᴛᴏ ᴘᴜɴɪsʜ ʜɪᴍ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴅᴇsᴛʀᴏʏᴇᴅ ʜɪs ʜᴏᴜsᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜɪᴍ ɪɴ ɪᴛ.  ᴜɴғᴏʀᴛᴜɴᴀᴛᴇʟʏ,  ʜᴇ sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴇᴅ.  ʜᴇ ᴇᴠᴇɴ sᴛᴏᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ ɪɴᴛᴏ ʜɪs ʀᴏᴏᴍ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴄɪᴛɪᴢᴇɴs ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. ᴛʜᴇʏ ʜᴀᴍᴍᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴏᴏʀs ᴀɴᴅ ᴡɪɴᴅᴏᴡs sʜᴜᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴇxᴄᴇᴘᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴏɴᴇ.  ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇʏ sᴀᴡ ʜɪᴍ ɪɴ ʜɪs ʀᴏᴏᴍ,  sᴛᴀʀɪɴɢ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇᴍ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ sᴄᴀʀᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡɪɴᴅᴏᴡ ᴀʟᴏɴᴇ.  ɴᴏ ᴏɴᴇ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ᴏғ ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ sᴛʀɪᴋᴇ ᴏʀ ɴᴏᴛ. ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴʜᴀʀᴍᴇᴅ ʙᴏʏ ɪɴ ᴅᴀᴍᴀɢᴇs ʜᴏᴜsᴇ. " ʜᴀʀᴅ ᴄᴏɴᴄʟᴜᴅᴇᴅ.  ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀs ɴᴏᴅᴅᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʜᴇᴀᴅ.  "ʜᴀʀᴘᴇʀ,  ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴏɴ'ᴛ ɢᴏ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ?"ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴘʟᴇᴀᴅᴇᴅ.  ɪ ɴᴏᴅᴅᴇᴅ ᴍʏ ʜᴇᴀᴅ. "ʏᴇs ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ. " ɪ ᴡᴀsɴ'ᴛ ᴀᴄᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ ɢᴏɴɴᴀ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ғᴏʀ ɪᴛ.  "ʙᴜᴛ ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ!" sʜᴇ ᴛᴜʀɴᴇᴅ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ. "ᴀɴ ᴇɪɢʜᴛ ʏᴇᴀʀ ᴏʟᴅ ᴄᴀɴɴᴏᴛ ᴅᴏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ! ᴛʜᴀᴛ's ᴛᴏᴏ ʏᴏᴜɴɢ.  ᴀɴᴅ ɪғ ʜᴇ ᴅɪᴅ ʜᴇ ᴊᴜsᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴀ ʀᴇᴀsᴏɴ ᴛᴏ. " ɪ ᴇxᴘʟᴀɪɴᴇᴅ.  ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ sᴛʀᴀᴛʟᴇᴅ,  ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴀʟʟ ᴇxᴄᴇᴘᴛ ғᴏʀ ғᴜᴍɪᴏ,  ᴡʜᴏ sᴇᴇᴍᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ sᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜɪs ᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ.  "sᴏ ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴏɴɴᴀ ᴅɪsᴏʙᴇʏ ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ's ᴏʀᴅᴇʀs?" ʜᴇ ᴀsᴋᴇᴅ.  ɪ ᴛᴜʀɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ.  "ᴄᴀɴ ᴍʏ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴅᴇᴀʟ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ᴏᴜᴛsɪᴅᴇ?"ɪ ᴀsᴋᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀ ɴɪᴄᴇʟʏ.  sʜᴇ ɴᴏᴅᴅᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀ ʜᴇᴀᴅ ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴄᴏɴғᴜsᴇᴅ.  ɪ ᴏᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴏᴏʀ. "ʟᴇᴛ's ɢᴏ. " ɪ ᴛᴏʟᴅ ʜɪᴍ.  ᴡᴇ ᴡᴇɴᴛ ᴏᴜᴛsɪᴅᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴜʀ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴏᴜʀ sᴘᴇᴄᴛᴀᴛᴏʀs. "ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ?" ʜᴇ ᴀsᴋᴇᴅ.  ɪ ᴋɪᴄᴋᴇᴅ ʜɪᴍ ɪɴ ʜɪs ᴍᴏᴜᴛʜ.  "ɪ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴜsᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀs ᴍʏ ᴘᴜɴᴄʜɪɴɢ ʙᴀɢ. "ɪ ɢᴀᴠᴇ ʜɪᴍ ᴀ ᴡɪᴄᴋᴇᴅ sᴍɪʟᴇ. ʜɪs ᴍᴏᴜᴛʜ ᴡᴀs ʙʟᴇᴇᴅɪɴɢ. "ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴛ sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ. " ʜᴇ ᴛᴏᴏᴋ ᴍʏ ᴀʀᴍ, ғʟɪᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ғʟᴏᴏʀ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇʟᴅ ᴍᴇ ᴅᴏᴡɴ.  ɪᴛ ʜᴜʀᴛ ʀᴇᴀʟ ʙᴀᴅʟʏ ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴍᴀɴᴀɢᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴋɪᴄᴋ ʜɪᴍ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴜᴛ.  ɪ ɢᴏᴛ ᴜᴘ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴜɴᴄʜ ʜɪᴍ ғᴀᴄᴇ. ʜᴇ sʟɪᴅ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ғʟᴏᴏʀ,  ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʀɪᴘ. ʜᴇ ʜᴇʟᴅ ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴍʏ ʜᴀɴᴅs ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ sᴛʀᴀɪɢʜᴛ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀᴄᴇ.  "ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅɪᴅ ɪ ᴛᴇʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ? ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ʙᴇʟᴏɴɢ ʜᴇʀᴇ sᴏ sᴛᴏᴘ ᴛʀʏɪɴɢ.  ʏᴏᴜ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʙᴏʏ ᴀʀᴇ ʙᴀsɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴍᴇ.  ɴᴏ ᴏɴᴇ ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴀɴ ᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏ ᴏɴᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴀʟʟ ʏᴏᴜʀ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ. " ʜᴇ ᴡʜɪsᴘᴇʀᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ᴇᴀʀ.  ɪ ʟᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴇᴀʀs ғᴀʟʟ.  ɪ ᴍᴀɴᴀɢᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴜʀɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴀʙʟᴇs ᴏɴ ʜɪᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴜᴛ ʜɪᴍ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅ. ɪ ɢʀᴀʙʙᴇᴅ ʜɪs ɴᴇᴄᴋ ᴀɴᴅ sǫᴜᴇᴇᴢᴇᴅ. "ɪ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ʏᴏᴜ! ɪ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ʏᴏᴜ! ɪ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ʏᴏᴜ! ɪ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ʏᴏᴜ!" ɪ sᴄʀᴇᴀᴍᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴀɴɢᴇᴅ ʜɪᴍ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ғʟᴏᴏʀ. ʜᴇ ᴛʀɪᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴍʏ ɢʀɪᴘ ʟᴏᴏsᴇɴ ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴡᴏʀᴋ. "ɪ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ʏᴏᴜ! ɪ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ʏᴏᴜ!"" ɪ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇᴅ. ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ғᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ʜᴀᴅ ᴛᴏ sᴇᴘᴀʀᴀᴛᴇ ᴜs.  ɪ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ sᴛᴏᴘ sᴄʀᴇᴀᴍɪɴɢ.  ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʜᴜʀᴛ ʜɪᴍ.  sᴇᴇ ʜᴏᴡ ɪᴛ ғᴇᴇʟs.  ʜᴇ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇ ᴀs ᴡᴇʟʟ.  "ʟᴇᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴀᴛ ʜᴇʀ! sʜᴇ ɴᴇᴇᴅs ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴛᴀᴜɢʜᴛ ᴀ ʟᴇssᴏɴ!" ʜᴇ ʏᴇʟʟᴇᴅ. "ʟᴇᴛ ɢᴏ! ʜᴇ ɴᴇᴇᴅs ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴘᴜɴɪsʜᴇᴅ!" ɪ sᴄʀᴇᴀᴍᴇᴅ.  ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ sᴇᴇ ʜɪᴍ ᴄᴏᴜɢʜ ᴜᴘ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ. ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ sᴇᴇ ʜɪᴍ ᴅɪᴇ. ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ғᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏᴅᴅᴇᴅ.  ᴛʜᴇʏ ʙᴏᴛʜ sʟᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴜs ɪɴ ᴏᴜʀ ғᴀᴄᴇs.  "ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ! ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴏғ ʏᴏᴜ!" ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ sᴛᴏᴘ ᴍᴏᴠɪɴɢ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ.  ᴀᴋɪ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴀʀᴜ ʜᴇʟᴅ ᴍᴇ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ɪɴsᴛᴇᴀᴅ. ғᴜᴍɪᴏ sɪɢʜᴇᴅ sᴛᴏᴘᴘᴇᴅ ʀᴇsɪsᴛɪɴɢ. "ɪ'ᴍ sᴏʀʀʏ ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ.  ɪ'ᴍ ᴄᴀʟᴍ ɴᴏᴡ. " ʜɪs ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ʟᴇᴛ ɢᴏ.  "ɢᴏᴏᴅ." ʜᴇ ᴡᴀʟᴋᴇᴅ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ.  ᴀᴛ ғɪʀsᴛ ʜᴇ ᴊᴜsᴛ sᴛᴏᴏᴅ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ,  ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇɴ ʜᴇ sᴛᴇᴘᴘᴇᴅ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ғᴏʀ ᴀ ʀᴜɴɴɪɴɢ sᴛᴀʀᴛ.  "ɢᴜʏs? ʟᴇᴛ ᴍᴇ ɢᴏ!" ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ.  ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ғʀᴏᴢᴇɴ ɪɴ ғᴇᴀʀ. ɪ ɢᴜᴇss ɪᴛ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ ʙᴇ ʜᴇʟᴘᴇᴅ. ʜᴇ ʀᴀɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴜɴᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ᴇʏᴇ.  "ʜᴀʀᴘᴇʀ!" ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀs ʏᴇʟʟᴇᴅ. "ɪ ʟɪᴇᴅ ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ. ɴᴏᴡ ɪ'ᴍ ᴄᴀʟᴍ. "