Elif's POV

December 2, 2005

I was looking for Brayden, we were playing hide and sick. Brayden's mom and grandpa went to the Town to run some errands. "Brayden, Brayden, where are you?" I shouted. My voice booming in the empty hall of Davies Mansion. I climbed up the staircase to see if he hid in his room or not. I looked around the room but no one was there. I looked under the bed still no sign of him. The house is so big ,where did he hide? I came out of his room and closed it without making any sound in fear if he listens, he will get alert.

I was going to climb down the staircase when I heard the sound of the door closing. I turned around to see if it was Brayden but it wasn't the door of his room. The sound came from another side. I silently climbed each stair and peeked to the other side of the hallway. I saw Brayden's dad entering a room which I never knew existed. But something was suspicious in his movements. I moved further and hid behind the door. I slightly opened the door not to make him cautious of my presence. I saw him pushing one book from the third row of the bookshelf. He suddenly turned back to see if anyone was there or not but I hid just in time. I saw him pushing the book but I couldn't understand why is this hidden room here and why would he enter in his house so suspiciously? Then I saw the bookshelf opening like a door to God knows where. I was shocked.

I tip-toed inside the room and heard someone coming. I quickly hid behind the table. Thanks to my small size, I was able to hide just perfectly. I saw a man whom I've never seen before in my life, following the same way going behind Brayden's dad. Wait... are they playing hide and seek? They are grown-ups so foolish option. I saw him going down the stairs to what seems like an underground storeroom. Sounds fun. I followed. I peeked from the top, to see what's going on there. Then I heard Brayden's dad say, "What are you doing here, Richard?" Mr. Davies looked a bit tensed up.

"Oh Liam, you didn't think I won't find your dirty truth, did you?" I saw Mr. Davies eyes filled with rage and fear. I became more curious.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Mr. Davies said in a shaky voice.

"You definitely know what I mean. That night you were the one who stole my baby from that hospital. Tell me why did you do it? For 10 years, I've been searching in every corner of the world for him. Why did you do this to me? I trusted you as my friend." The man, who I suppose is Mr. Richard pulled Mr. Davies by his collar. I shivered. "He was not your son. He is my Son. He is my... Brayden." My eyes widened on hearing that.

"What do you mean? What are you talking about? He is my and Lisa's child." Mr. Davies said through his gritted teeth. "He was never your son. He was the symbol of my and Lisa's love. And I can't let her betray me again. That's my child and I won't let anyone lay a hand on him. If you've the guts, then try me." Mr. Davies said in a challenging tone. And in seconds he was slammed against the wall by that man. I was just too scared to run away from there as if I'm rooted to that spot.

It was too fast, I couldn't see clearly and Mr. Davies punched that Richard guy and he fell to another corner of the room. Blood was coming out from one corner of his mouth. He wiped it with the back of his right hand. He got up and smirked. "You think I'll let you escape from me again?" He snarled at Mr. Davies. The sight was too awful. I was about to leave when "I'll Kill You here and then I'll kill your lover and that child too. Only then I'll feel relieved."

I covered my mouth to stop myself from screaming but a sob escaped. The man looked at my direction. And now when I see him clearly, he has a scary look on his face. He was almost the size of Mr. Davies, muscular and nearly in his late 30′s. His hair was brownish, and his eyes were blood-shot which made a shiver ran down my spine. 'I have to run.' "Elif, why are you here? Run, run NOW." Uncle Davies yelled.

I couldn't think of anything, I was too shaken by what I witnessed just now. "Uncle..." I cried.

"Elif ... Run now. I'll hold him. You run away somewhere far from here." Uncle Davies said, his one hand grabbing the hand of that man, which was... which was clutching a knife in it. 'Elif you need to run... be strong and run...' I nodded to the thought and to Uncle Davies and ran from there.

I ran and ran and ran... into the deep woods. My vision was a little blurred because of the crying. There was only one thing in my mind 'This is not true. It's just a Dream. Everyone is alright. Brayden will come and wake me up... Wait Brayden? Where is he?' I stopped on my track. I can't go back nor can I leave my friend there, to die. I turned back and ran towards the mansion.

I was halfway to the house when I saw someone limping this way. He lifted up his face and it was Uncle Davies. I saw his one hand pressing onto the right side of his stomach, where the white shirt was blood-stained. I don't know what to do, I ran towards him. He fell to the ground, and I held him by his left arm. He cried in pain. "Uncle... uncle stay here... I'll bring Aunty and Grandpa... and call the police now." I said in my husky voice. Tears coming out from my already swollen eyes.

He grabbed my hand. "No no... Elif listen to me... You'll run away from here and never come back... Did you understand?" Uncle said. He was breathing heavily. I can feel him giving up, but I don't know what to do.

"Uncle you need to live... Brayden will be sad to know this." I cried.

"No, Brayden and your Aunty should never know about this. You have to keep this a secret. I don't have much time. You have to promise me that you won't tell anyone about this... The child, who Rachel gave birth, was a dead child. I didn't have enough courage to tell her this so I interchanged the babies. I am telling you the Truth. I've only loved Rachel since we were married." He took out a pair of keys from his pocket and said, "These keys... no one knows about this. I've locked him there... he might be unconscious. But you should hide these keys so that no one can come for him. I want you to do this for me. And this family and you have to go somewhere far from here and never come back. I don't want Brayden and Rachel to get hurt because of my deeds. Go away and don't come back again." And those were his last words.

I dragged his body to the hut in the woods and locked it there for a while. I can't let them know about any of this. I changed my clothes and washed myself.

In the evening, Aunt Rachel and Grandpa returned. They saw me sitting on the sofa. Then I saw Brayden, and a smile appeared on my mournful face. "Oh Elif, I'm sorry. I forgot to tell you but I also went with Mom to the Town." Till he completed, a stream of tears were flowing through my cheeks. "Hey I'm sorry . Don't cry. I promise I will never do this again. I will never leave you again." I just stared at his face. It felt like, he was the only one who will hear me but I've promised Uncle and I can't break that Promise.

That night, I couldn't sleep. The image of Uncle being stabbed with that knife kept haunting me. I won't be able to forget that day in my entire life. But to my nightmares, the worst of them was still in waiting.

December 3, 2005

I didn't want to go to that house. It just felt scary. I was reading my book when Uncle Matthews called out, "Elif... Elif... Elif." I ran out to see why was Uncle calling me that way. To my surprise, I found him shivering with my bloody clothes in his hand and a pale face. My nightmares came back seeing those bloody clothes. I shouted and screamed on the top of my voice. Uncle ran to me and took me to my room. After that, I collapsed.

I woke up after 2 hours. I saw Uncle holding my hand, and was half-asleep but woke up because of my movement. I shifted to the other side of the bed and spoke, "Uncle, before you ask me any questions, I want to tell you something. I know this is going to sound unbelievable and too awful but I've to tell someone before I start losing my mind." I took in a deep breathe and started "Uncle... Uncle Dav-" I stopped when I heard footsteps coming this way.

"Uncle Matthews, Mom is looking for you." It was Brayden.

"Okay Young Master, I'm coming." Uncle looked at me and I gave him a nod to go ahead.

"We will talk later." I assured him. I know at least he will trust me. With that he got up and left. I looked at Brayden and felt myself guilty. He smiled at me and left too.

Later in the evening, Uncle returned. He looked worried. "What happened?" I asked him.

"Someone found the old hut in the woods, was having a foul smell. They thought it to be an animal." The hut? Oh no... "But on opening, we found...." My heart was racing. Did they find it out? "... there was nothing." WHAT??? How's that possible?

"Are you sure?" I hesitated.

Uncle gave me a confused look. "Did you know something?" He enquired.

"Umm no, it was just awkward." I tried to sound normal.

Uncle just reached to the threshold and then he turned back. "Elif you didn't tell me about the thing which you were going to say this morning and those clothes-"

I cut him off. "Oh that was nothing serious. Yesterday I was playing in the woods and tripped over a fallen branch and cut my back. I cleaned the wound clumsily, so the dress got so dirty." I lied. He nodded and left.

That night I kept having those nightmares. But the thing which was worrying me the most was where did Uncle Davies' body go? I clearly remembered that I dragged it to the hut and locked it properly. And what about that man? Is he still alive? Finally I couldn't take the pressure and got up from my bed. I took the keys which I hid safely behind the Almirah and slowly walked out of my house with a torch and a shawl to cover myself.

Outside the house, it was too breezy and I was shivering. The night felt darker than the other days even though it was a full moon night. I went to that mansion. Uncle Matthews had another pair of keys to the mansion just in case, when the family used to go for outings, he can come by the next day and clean it properly. So I took the key and opened the big ,wooden doors, careful enough not to make any sound. I closed it properly and tip-toed up the staircase. I saw the door and looked for the keyhole but there was none, even in the darkness, the door just seemed to blend with the wall. I knew there was a door over here but where did it go?

I walked backward being scared, and fell down and my hand pushed against the wall. And then I felt like I have pressed something. I moved the torchlight to where my palm was touching the wall. I noticed that a wooden block or a wood-painted brick had moved halfway inwards. This house is really a mystery house. Soon enough, I saw the door to that hidden room opening. I moved into the room. My hand shifting every book on the 3rd row of the bookshelf, and one book revealed a keyhole at it's back. I thought the keys, which Uncle gave me, was made for this keyhole. I put the key in the keyhole and waited. The bookshelf opened like a door just like the another day. I went back of the bookshelf and reached down to that underground, store room. But what I saw there, left me speechless.

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Hey everyone,

Hope ya'll are doing well. So how are you liking the story so far?  Here for you 2 more chapters as I promised.

Take care.