ANOTHER NAME ADDED

Author’s Note / Trigger **Warning**:

This chapter deals with heavy subjects such as death and psychological distress. If these topics are difficult for you, you may want to skip or pause here.

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After a while, Clarabelle and her family went to bed. Clarabelle wasn't aware of her surroundings when a sharp ringtone cut through the silent house.

...It was Robert's phone ringing....

Clarabelle went down when she saw Robert was putting on his jacket to go out.

Clarabelle asked her father where he was going. Margaret was standing right next to Robert. "Daniel called. He asked your father to go there urgently." Margaret said. "Why now?" Clarabelle furiously asked.

Robert said,"This is none of your business to think about. Now go and sleep in your room. I'll be back soon." harshly to Clarabelle.

"Take care, love. Don't be late" Margaret said with care and worry in her tone. "I'll be okay." Robert replied and kissed her forehand before going out.

Clarabelle's heart was pounding. She saw something in her fathers eyes that she couldn't explain, but it made her stomach twist. She went to her room and slammed the door shut. Furthermore, she claimed on her bed and tried to fall asleep. But time wasn't responding to Clarabelle. She saw her table clock.

^^^It was 12 A.M.^^^

...(TIKTOK)...

...(TIKTOK)...

...(TIKTOK)...

 The clock was ticking, but it felt like the hammer was pounding in Clarabelle's heart.

After what felt like an hour or two, Clarabelle heard a loud bang in the front door. She got up frantically and went down. She saw Robert came home breathless. He frantically shut the door behind him.

"What happened,Everythingerything okay?" Margaret asked.

^^^Robert walked in to. The living room looking tired.^^^

Jackson asked him about the investigation. When Robert looked hesitant just long enough for Clarabelle to notice. Yet he didn't say a word and sat down on the sofa with a pale face. It looked like every last drop of blood was drained from his body. He was breathless like he ran a marathon, and he was sweating as if he was in a desert.

Margaret brought him a glass of cold water to drink. He took that glass and asked where the TV remote was. Jackson gave him the TV remote from the counter. He turned on the TV.

The hole family was shaking in feAr. a dark feeling of wrong was hovering over them.

Robert turned on the news channel where same news were showing. However, there was a subtle difference. Clarabelle recognized the feeling of watching it again.

Margaret asked Over and over what that was about? Why was he playing the same news from yesterday?

Robert looked at Margaret with a dead face and shushed her for talking too much. Clarabelle was horrified with her father's behavior and how he looked like.

The television screen was filled with same headlines, flashing lights, the same unknown questions. Reporters were reporting it like Before. But why was Robert played the news?

^^^Suddenly, Clarabelle froze on her spot.^^^

the camera was directed to the dead body. It was horrifying to look at and brutal to think about. It was a female dead body. The dead body was in a naked state. There were no cloths on that body. And her stomach was cut wide open exposing her intestine and otHer parts. her skin had blue patch marks like someone had beaten her with an iron rod. Her eyes were missing, and her fingernail was clipped out. But the most horrifying thing about the dead body was there was no blood. Not even a single drop of blood. Police were assuming the killer has killed her somewhere else and put her body in thereafter.

Clarabelle was shaking life a leaf. Margaret started crying watching the news. Robert's eyes were wide open with a creepy look in his face. And Jackson ran to washroom to puke.

Another name was written in the serial killer's victim list.

"What is this?" Margaret asked with fear and concern in her voice. "Why did you even go out?"

Robert snapped out of his state and slowly looked at Margaret. "A new victim! " He said with a shaky voice. "Another victim was killed by that monster of a guy. I was going to you brothers house when I saw something was laying in the dark ally. When I saw her body I was horrified. i called the police and ran from there and came home. I don't know what to think Margaret."

Robert hugged Margaret tightly and started crying on her shoulder. Margaret tried to counsel him, but she was shaken as well.

...(THUD)...

Something fell on the floor. When Margaret looked around she saw Clarabelle laying on the ground with no consciousness. She got um and started to take care of her.

...At that moment, everyone was on a hurry....

Sometime later, Clarabelle opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was her mother sitting next to her tensed. She hugged Margaret tightly and started crying and asking, "Mom, is something going to happen to us too?"

"Nothing will happen sweetie. I'll protect you guys." Robert said and caressed Clarabelle's head from behind. Jackson was sitting next to her bed quietly. His eyes were distant. Clarabelle let go of Margaret and looked at her father when she noticed a look on his father's face for a second.

she realized, this fear of being ambushed anytime is impossible to ignore. and someday that killer will come for her without any doubt.

WRITTEN BY: Twilight raven

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