Chapter Two —The Thief [well, thieves]

Things begin to unwind a bit faster than Clariabelle could even imagine. Much more so.

I began to think to myself. Either a. the thief left through the window or b. the thief opened it to assume that they left. Also, how did the person get through this house without us knowing? Wouldn’t the house alarms be on way before now? “Hue, go downstairs and there is a wireless phone or use you cell and call the police. The thief might have taken your wife…I’ll stay up here.” He didn’t give this another thought as he lost all color in his face on the mention on his Grace, nodded and left going downstairs. Hue must have left his cell in his jacket in the living room. As the man disappeared on the steps, I quietly went to the closet and took out my metal bat. Somebody had the nerve of going through the projects, hurt Maya and either taken or killed Grace. The only things left that that were part of the family.

The hall light had shown the walls of baby blue and lilac along with the faint pale painted pink bunnies and flowers. A deep breath was taken steps were made and eyes observing the inside of the room. My hands gripped the bat while I continued to walk around the area. I had to check if the jump drive was still there. If the papers were lost, I would have at least that. When my room checking was done, I headed to the desk and looked in to see the secret drawer, which was a drawer inside a drawer [Do not ask me how but that is how dad made it. It is quite amazing actually.], and pulled out a small brown and white jump drive, to which I call the PD [project drive, just for anyone’s info].

A silent sigh of relief released as the big sleeve slid over the hand letting me hide the small device. The moment quickly ended as I finally realized the other drawer was opened and a couple of the papers were gone as well. My eyes widened slightly as I then heard the closet behind me opened slowly with that creepy creaky sound. My hands held on the bat tightly as I turned around, ready to beat the heck out of the intruder and thief but it was only a scared woman, Grace.  Having an intruder is making me all paranoid. I hate it.

The lady was close to tears. “Oh thank goodness! I thought you were the thief!”  She came out of the closet and went to my side, pulling some of her hair behind her ear, other hand clutching on the purse. “For a second or two I thought that the end was near.”

I gave a nervous chuckle. “Same here…” I replied lowering the bat, relaxing slightly. “A similar thought ran through my mind.”

“What happened to Maya?  Is he all right? What about Hue?” She stared at the bat. “I was going to ask about the thief but I see the answer.”

“He’s unconscious right now…I can’t move him from the restroom because of the location he’s in but he will be fine…you husband went to try to call the police right now and as you can see and know, the thief is possibly still in this house.” I closed the closet door to feel a little safer as well as closing the window, locking it shut tight. “What happened?”

“W-well, I finished using the restroom and cleaned myself up and as I came out Maya was going to give me a small look around this floor but a man with a mask came from this room and tried to get to me with a knife and a tazer. Maya came and fought him off as I slipped in here and hid within the clothes and tried to text Hue with my cell but it died in the middle…” Grace held the purse with both hands this time and was looking around nervously.

“Well for starters, this room is a safe room…Hue is most likely waiting outside for the police and I am prepared with a metal bat that can knock a person down flat with one hit.” With this said the woman smiled weakly and calmed down a bit. Her eyes still carried worry and doubt. I, without a second thought, have that same expression.

“That’s reassuring. Thank you, Claire,” she said quietly, loosening the hold on the purse, taking a breath. “Can we wait here…at least until the police arrive?” I gave a quiet nod and went to a corner to turn on the light and get the computer chair at the desk for her. She needed it more than I did.  Moreover, I needed to clean up the projects that were lying around.

Therefore, for about two minutes I was cleaning up the room as Grace stared at her purse and then the window. The place was quickly cleaned and was in some disappointment and anger seeing that about ten of the the family best were gone. Well, not all of the best. I hid the rest of them in a different area of the house. I checked my watch. “Grace, I think we should head over to my room…”

She agreed, nodding her head as she stood, still looking panicked. I said nothing as we cautiously headed to my room. Most likely, we both had the same thoughts as we went down the hall, keeping a sharp eye of the hall and the rooms: is Hue all right and where is the thief.

We entered the room with some haste and closed was about to close it when I thought of something. “I’ll be right back, Grace…I’m going to get Maya and bring him back here….” I looked around and gave her a bamboo stick. “You can use this for defense if anything goes wrong…” The woman had a scared look then nodded as she sat in a chair gripping the stick tightly. I kept the door opened as I slipped to the opposite side and into the bathroom. He was not there. “M-Maya…?” The bat was close to me as I looked out of the room and looked down both ends of the hallway while gaining no reply. It was starting to get weird and I did not like it one bit.

“Maya?” I said a little louder. “Where are you?” I headed down the stairs. The bat, lowered as careful, quiet steps were made. I took deep breaths while erasing the thought of him, kidnapped by the thief for ransom. I hope he wakes up; he is quite helpless and unfortunately vulnerable in the state he is in, being and unconscious dead weight and all.

I heard footsteps run somewhere in the house. Turning quickly bat in hand as I looked at the empty area. “Hue…?” I now said noticing that he was not around either. Okay. A new type of scared has aroused. Besides Grace who was in my room, I’m all alone. Everyone gone. Disappeared. Who is this thief, where is he hiding and what happened to everyone else?

“Okay…easy girl….” I said to myself, going to the steps again to check up on Grace. My consciousness said to stick with the people that are still here and know that are still around. “Grace…I couldn’t find either of them…” I opened the door as she was just sitting on my bed. Still holding the stick I gave her, she looked relieved and yet scared all at once. Her face lost of some color as she was registering what I had just said. “Grace...?”

The woman’s head snapped up to me as she blinked. “What about the police…?” Her purse looked a bit thicker than last time, her hair a little out of place. Suddenly, the lights all turned off and it was now dark with the exception of the moonlight shining in the room. Thank the heavens for a full moon with clear skies.

“There’s nothing we can do right now….all the electricity is out and my cell was stolen a few days ago…Hmm?” I looked down as I saw a long piece of paper on the floor. That was not there before and why it looks so familiar, I thought as I picked it up. Grace looked about ready to say something but refrained as she held her purse again. My eyes widened as I realized that it was a blueprint of my next project that was to be built next week. This was hidden in my closet with my other projects that I was going to do as well. She couldn’t be, I mean she couldn’t. However, it is, unfortunately, very plausible. I have no idea of how long I staring at the paper.

“Grace….” My gaze turned to the now nervous brown haired woman. “Did you….”

“It looks like you already know the answer….” She said looking down. “I’m sorry about this. I really hoped that you would find out later better yet not at all….your such a nice girl and didn’t want to harm you.” Grace stood, as she looked ready to head towards me. My mind was thinking some very inappropriate things as I stepped back to run out the door and the house but instead I ran into Hue. My face paled tremendously as I then tried to swing my bat at him. He quickly grabbed it with one hand, using the other to place pained pressure on my wrist. I yelped as I released the bat, and then held back tightly.

“Why are you taking me and my family’s projects? What did you do to them?” I struggle a bit as I saw Grace pulling out a wallet-sized case. She opened it and revealed a syringe which made me struggle some more. Only heaven above knows how my phobia over needles wasn’t going to help one bit.

“We did nothing to your family,” Hue said while his wife said nothing, preparing the needle, flicking it gently. “Our co-workers on the other hand…” The traitor of a family friend paused for a second. “Well…they had seen better days….and seeing as we sort of like you and that android boy…” My eyes widened as he said that.

Oh no. They had better not have… “What did you do to him?!” I shouted at him as Grace stood there holding the needle, filled with a dark colored. “If you did anything to Maya I’ll�"“

“What? Step on my foot?” The man raised an eyebrow as he smirked. “That won’t help you nor help him.” He looked at his wife. “Hurry up. You know how the boss dislikes waiting.” His grip then tightened on my wrists causing me to yelp.

Grace actually looked sorry and guilty, with each step towards me, my eyes never losing site of the needle of doom. “What Hue said….was true… I really like you, your family and Maya…” she said in a quiet voice. “That is why I created something special for you…” The woman managed to give a faint smile. “It’s going to be much better than dying.”

Did she say dying? My mind was blank as the woman was right in front of me. Next thing I knew pain in my shoulder began to surge. Biting my bottom lip did little to hide the expression I held as the fiery liquid ran through my veins. I heard Hue and without a second thought, I got my leg to make contact with his special area. He yelled as he fell over and bent over while some colorful words filled the room. Grace was about to grab me but I decided that it was time to book it.

And so, I did. Kind of.

Whatever they gave me was making my body feel heavy, sluggish. By the time I reached the bottom of the stairs, my legs felt like ton weights, my vision was as like trying on an elderly person’s bifocals, and heated pain was only getting worse. Even my bones felt like breaking. What is happening to me and how is this better than dying? This feels like ultimate torture, which my mind believes is worse than death.

I looked ahead and saw the door as steps behind be was getting louder. I just had to get to the front door, my exit and my ticket to freedom from the evil whacks. Forcing myself to move at an unfortunate steady pace, I barely made it to the door when I felt the carpet move from under my body. My head turned as I saw that I was Grace who had pulled it as Hue was making his way down, still suffering from my kick. A loud thunk greeted my ears as the ground connected with my head and body. The glasses fell off my face and skid away from me. “…O-ow…” Speaking was now a problem. Wonderful. Now I am blind, not to forget weak, immobile with a fading consciousness and a burning pain that is at its highest intensity.

The last thing that I saw�"er, felt was a liquid, sticky to the touch and staining the brown hoodie’s sleeve. And the last thing I heard, a yell.

Everything was now black and silent.

Author's Note

Author’s tip1: This involves Detective Conan [Case Closed in almost everywhere other than Japan]. This is all inspired by a glorious thee week dream that followed me for days and nights [Ah, the wonders of the raining season mixed with fall….]

Author’s tip2: The writing in quotes and italics will be in the English language so to separate ease up the confusion if there is any. ^^

Author's Tip 3: I would like to make sure you know that this was made on my second year in high school up to my fourth. I have only now revived and edited some, so I have no idea as of problems that I may have missed. Please tell me where they may be so I may fix it as of any part that might confuse you.