Chapter 2: The Man Who Buried The Truth
I had spent most of my life believing some things were impossible.
Men returning from the dead.
Secrets surviving decades.
The past reaching through the darkness and grabbing you by the throat.
But that night, standing in a broken house with a frightened child and a phone full of unanswered questions, I learned something.
Impossible was just another word people used before they discovered the truth.
“Bear?””
Eli’s voice pulled me back.
The boy was still holding the phone.
Still staring at me.
“Who is she?””
I looked at the paused image again.
The screen was cracked across the middle, cutting through the woman’s face.
But I didn’t need to see clearly.
I knew.
My hands curled into fists.
Rocket noticed.
The dog moved closer to Eli, placing himself between the boy and the room.
Smart animal.
Animals always knew when danger arrived.
“Eli,” I said.
“Where did you find this phone?””
The boy swallowed.
“In the wall.””
I looked around.
“The wall?””
He nodded.
“Behind the loose wood in my room.””
“Why were you looking there?””
His eyes dropped.
“Because Mom used to hide things.””
The rain tapped against the windows.
Harder.
Louder.
Like the storm wanted inside.
I walked through the house slowly.
The place was almost empty.
A table.
Two chairs.
A broken lamp.
A family photo turned facedown.
I picked it up.
A man.
A woman.
A young Eli.
And his father standing behind them.
A smile on his face.
The kind of smile people wore when they wanted the world to believe everything was perfect.
“Where is your father now?”” I asked.
Eli looked toward the hallway.
“He left before the rain started.””
“Did he say where he was going?””
“No.””
“Did he know you found the phone?””
The boy didn’t answer.
That was answer enough.
I turned back.
“Eli.””
He looked at me.
“Did your dad hurt you?””
His lips trembled.
“Not like that.””
The way he said it made my stomach turn.
Not like that.
Meaning there was something else.
I crouched down.
“Tell me.””
Eli squeezed Rocket’s fur.
“He said if anyone asked about Mom, I should say she left.””
“And did you?””
The boy shook his head.
“I knew he was lying.””
“How?””
“Because…”
He looked at the phone.
“Because Mom sent this.””
I stared.
The video.
The woman.
The secret.
“What did she say?””
“I don’t know.””
“You didn’t watch it?””
Eli shook his head quickly.
“No.””
“Why?””
His eyes filled with fear.
“Because Dad found me trying to open it.””
The room became silent.
“What happened?””
“He got angry.””
“How angry?””
Eli looked toward the chained door.
“He told me nobody was coming.””
My chest tightened.
I stood.
A child.
Alone.
Locked away.
And someone had been confident enough to believe nobody would find him.
They were wrong.
I pulled out my phone.
No signal.
Of course.
I walked toward the window.
The highway outside was empty.
No cars.
No help.
Just rain.
Then my phone vibrated.
One bar appeared.
A message came through.
Unknown number.
I opened it.
My blood ran cold.
It was a picture.
Taken from outside the house.
A picture of me standing beside Eli.
Under it was a message.
LEAVE THE BOY.
I stared at the screen.
Eli saw my face.
“Who is it?””
I didn’t answer.
Because another message appeared.
May you like
This one was only four words.
YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU BURIED.
