Chapter 11

Jennie immediately came out of my room after tidying up all her make-up equipment. I also have to go out to look after my two nephews.

When I passed Daniel's room, for some reason I immediately shuddered. It felt like there was a disturbing feeling pulling at me. I don't know why.

What has Daniel actually been doing all this time? And what's the purpose? As far as I remember, the Daniel I knew was a naughty and very mischievous child. Why has he changed now?

"I want that one." I heard a little girl's voice in the living room. I looked at her from a distance, a four year old girl with shoulder length blonde hair.

She sat on the carpet playing with rabbit dolls and baby dolls. The little girl mumbled, talking to her dolls.

"Chloe, why are you playing alone?" I asked. She immediately turned and looked at me closely.

"Calvin plays with Jack and Jose," she answered innocently.

"Jack and Jose? Who are they?"

"Jack and Jose are Calvin's friends, they're playing outside!"

"What?" For some reason, I don't feel good. I've never heard that name here.

I immediately ran outside looking for Calvin, he never leaves the house alone without our knowledge.

"Calvin...!" I shouted, I was too panicked. Even though he could have played with the neighbors' children.

"Calvin...!"

"Aunt Katie?" Calvin appeared among the bushes in my mother's flower garden. He stared at me confused.

I immediately approached him. My heart beat fast and my body went limp for a moment. What is this? What am I really afraid of?

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Playing hide and seek,"

"Who with?"

"Jack and Jose,"

"Who are they ?"

"My friends,"

"Where are they now?"

"Jack is hiding and Jose is looking for Jack and me-"

"Can I meet them, honey?"

"They don't want to!"

"Why?" I asked. Calvin didn't answer immediately, he was silent for a moment while looking at something behind me.

"Calvin? Why can't I meet them?"

"That's because, because they're embarrassed."

"Why are they embarrassed? Where do they live?" I asked. I felt something was wrong with the two children named Jack and Jose.

Calvin looked even more confused, he held his head. I knew he was hiding something, how could a four year old kid hide something like this?

"Come on, let's go in!" I asked. Calvin didn't refuse, he immediately took my hand.

I looked back for a moment, there was no one and no sign of anyone coming. The house fence is locked, there's no way Calvin can open it. Mom and Kelly were still busy dressing up, while Jennie had been with me for a long time. Was it Daniel who let the children in?

No, that's impossible. Daniel has been away since morning and hasn't come home until now. So who are they? How do they get in?

I don't know why I became so paranoid. Is it just my hallucination or is there really something strange about this house? My family and I have lived here for 15 years. It's impossible to feel something is wrong now.

Or is all this because of Daniel's paintings? Since seeing the painting that day I haven't been able to calm down. The painting is so disturbing and it's hard to forget those helpless faces just like that. Faces full of despair and suffering beyond words.

"Are you okay ?" Jennie asked, she continued to pay attention to me.

My body freezes, I don't understand why? What's wrong with me?

"Kate, are you okay? What happened?" Jennie was getting worried. Even though I know what I'm feeling. However, somehow I can't say it. All the sentences stuck in my throat.

Jennie looked at me confused, but she was reluctant to ask more. Seeing how I reacted, I thought it was enough to make her understand.

"Come on, sit down. I'll get you water!" She said asking me to sit down and calm down.

Jenny walked away, leaving me alone in this quiet room. I wanted to stop her, but her back seemed to be getting further away from my sight.

One minute, I was still stuck in silence without doing anything. Just be quiet and try to breathe. Two minutes in, my heartbeat started to race a little faster.

"Come on, Jennie's only been gone for two minutes. Why am I anxious like this?" I thought.

Three minutes, my heart beat faster, the anxiety became more pronounced. I'm afraid, this fear feels very painful.

"What's wrong with me? I didn't do anything, what's wrong?" My tears were flowing, I didn't realize it.

"Kate, are you okay?"

"Mom?" I, who was originally frozen in fear, immediately turned to look at the face of my mother who was standing in front of me.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" I looked at my mother's face, she looked very worried.

The heartbreaking look in her eyes was exactly

the same as the look I saw when I was lying in the hospital bed unable to do anything for months.

"What happened?" She still kept asking. She was really waiting for a definite answer from me.