I had never dragged my feet through a task for so long in my entire existence, I wondered if that was the kind of struggle that made it tough for people to put food on the table. Honestly, I regretted sticking around to assist Marc with the paperwork, because instead of lightening his load, I ended up piling even more work on the poor man. But hey, they say intention is what counts right? At least we had a bit of a laugh.

     I opened the umbrella since the heavens unleashed a deluge outside and clutched the plastic bag containing all the leads I had gathered. Stepping over the threshold of the police station, I was greeted by a torrential downpour that had the city's few trees bowing under its weight, casting a gloomy, stormy scene with lightning crackling in the distance.

     It was already six in the evening, and the street lamps flickered to life. I trudged along the flooded sidewalks, attempting to hail a taxi on a deserted road. A sudden gust of wind snatched the umbrella Marc had given me, making the icy raindrops sting my skin like missiles, sending a shiver down my spine.

     With no luck finding a taxi, I was forced to sprint home, I tightly clutched the bag to keep the clues from getting drenched and after what felt like an eternity of merciless running, I finally made it home.

     "Mr. Lucas, are you alright?" the doorman inquired, moving to offer assistance. "Why didn't you called us?"
     "I'm fine, I don't need help, don't worry" I dodged him and made my way inside.

     Ignoring my brothers and our cook, who were already seated in the dining room, I trudged to my room, chilled to the bone by the rain. I dropped the plastic bag by my bed, closed the large window above my desk, and drew the curtains to shield myself from the cold, dark day outside.

     I retreated to the bathroom for a hot shower, then slipped into my pajamas and a teddy bear-designed slippers that warmed my feet. Eager to delve into the clues I had gathered with Marc, I hurried to the dining room, feeling ravenous due to the long, grueling day.

     Lander and the cook, Raven, were still at the table.

     Raven, for some reason, didn't liked me. I couldn't quite place the cause, whether it was catching her in secretive moments kissing with my father or because she caught me the last time i snooped in her room for information due to her peculiar behavior. I didn't thought it was because of that though, her disdain for me was evident from the moment I set foot in that house.

     As I sat down, Raven served me without a word, fixing her gaze on me with an intensity that made me uneasy. Finally breaking eye contact, I lifted the cloche and set it aside.

     "You can't be such a jerk," I thought to myself.

     "I hope you enjoy your meal, dear Lucas," Raven said, tucking a lock of her black hair behind her ear with her delicate hands. "I'm off."

     Lander shot me a mocking look that almost made me chuckle.

     "Come on, pal, a little meat won't kill you," he teased, reaching over to my plate with his fork and then pricking some meat to consequently begin to move it over my face.
     "Settle down, Lander, I'm not in the mood for games right now."

     "Don't worry, I'll pester you for a bit, and then before you dislocate my arm again, I'll make a run for it," he said with a mischievous grin. "Sound good to you? Just give it a sniff... It's delicious, pal."

     Ignoring Lander's antics was the most effective tactic, and since I wasn't up for any nonsense, I simply pretended not to hear him while sampling the few vegetables on my plate with my fork.

     Seeing that I wasn't engaging with him, Lander relented and resumed eating. He and every one in that house knew I despised meat, they knew that the sight of it, especially raw, made me queasy. This aversion was a result of the torture inflicted on Allegra's skin. It didn't only led to my post-traumatic stress disorder but also affected my social life, my habits, my thoughts, and even my eating preferences.

      The meal was palatable, at least the vegetables offered a burst of flavors that I enjoyed. Lander, on the other hand, ate all the meat and left everything called vegetable on his plate. Dante was the only one whose plate was empty, he was the only normal among us.

     After finishing my dinner and sipping some water, I retired to my room with a somewhat satisfied stomach.

     Without wasting a moment, I snatched up the plastic bag I had carelessly left on the floor as if it were a forgotten treasure, and eagerly opened it to remove my backpack. I then grasped and unzipped my bagpack to reveal its contents. I made my way to the desk and plopped down in the chair. With a flourish, I began to extract the items: my trusty computer, that elusive CD, Allegra's cell phone, the harrowing report of her demise, and the chilling murder weapon.

     The first thing my hand landed on was the report of her death, a grim reminder of the cause of her death which was severe loss of blood. I didn't need a piece of paper to tell me what I already knew, so I pushed it aside. Next, I carefully unwrapped Allegra's cell phone and plugged it in to charge, and out of nowhere, a sneeze exploded from my nose, catching me off guard.

     "Damn," I muttered, "the result of spending hours battling the relentless storm."

     I despised catching a cold; it drained my energy and left me looking worn out. I felt a kind of aversion towards anything that marred my appearance, from the encroaching dark circles under my eyes to the cursed scar left by the bullets that night on my failed attempt to escape with my beloved.

     After hastily cleaning up in the bathroom, I returned to the desk and unfurled a roll of tissue to deal with my segregation. I set the CD aside, realizing my computer had no slot for it, and swiftly retrieved my cell phone from under the pillow. With determination, I navigated to a shopping app and ordered a replacement CD player, to be delivered the next day. Then, I turned to Google Lens to search for the symbol on the dagger's hilt.

     The only page that offered a glimpse of something similar bore the title "www.WellingtonPolice.Com." I longed to delve into it, but a message flashed, declaring that only authorized personnel could access it.

     "Come on, Lucas, you've faced tougher challenges," a voice within me urged.

     I heeded the call, feverishly attempting to breach the security barriers of the website. It proved far more complex and time-consuming than I had anticipated. After ten minutes of fruitless effort, I resorted to a temporary infiltration measure, granting me a fleeting two-second glimpse of the content, but just once. I seized the opportunity and extracted a fragment of information.

     It was a scant few lines, incomplete and tantalizing text. The text revealed: "The Lethal Heptagon emerged in 2020 for unknown reasons, but it wasn't until 2021 that the existence of this society was uncovered. Their gruesome murders have grown more sophisticated over time, culminating in the annihilation of the city of Claudial, leaving it devoid of life. Destruction became the hallmark of that city. Now, Wellington is gradually falling prey to their insidious influence, and is constantly falling into their destructive hands.

     Their methods vary, and their victims are predominantly parents with children aged four to seven, or..."

     "Damn," I cursed under my breath as I reached the end of the snippet. I needed more information.

     In a fit of desperation, I swiveled in the office chair and caught sight of Allegra's Samsung S6. Her phone had been a treasure trove of information, as she had spent two-thirds of a year investigating the sect. At that time, I had been reluctant to involve myself in her research, because I didn't want to get into more problems than I already had at my aunt's house in Claudial. Yet, I had always been there to support her.

     Allegra had been driven by a desire to seek justice for the abducted children, convinced that the sect, in addition to its homicides, was also involved in child trafficking. However, despite her noble intentions, she met a brutal end, and I bore witness to it all. I couldn't comprehend why they had spared me, leaving me to suffer in anguish.

     I gingerly picked up the phone and powered it on, it took about forty-five seconds to charge and then a box appeared where I had to insert a password. At that moment I wondered if I was ready to see the content of Allegra's phone. After nine months since her murder, I would return to see her data.

     I set the password and a flood of memories rushed back as I gazed her captivating home screen image, my sweet, fiery-haired Allegra. Her infectious laughter that etched delicately on her features, those black eyes that gave depth to her gaze, and those three scars that adorned her face. She was a vision of beauty, as though sculpted by the hands of ancient art masters just for me.

     A wave of nostalgia washed over me, recalling the cherished moments we had shared, the nights we stole away to gaze at the stars, go to the cinema or just to see our favorite movies in her house; the times her older sister made life impossible for us, because she didn't accept our relationship. The tears welled up, unstoppable. I missed her, missed my Tabby dearly.

     Swiftly, I reached for my anxiety medication, unwilling to succumb to the torment of intrusive memories. This time, I was determined to remain in control.

     With resolve, I decided to begin by delving into the messages she had exchanged with her virtual confidant, the ally who had aided her in her relentless pursuit of the truth about that sect.

     To my astonishment, they were using some kind of secret code to communicate, not the conventional symbols. I was completely baffled by it and couldn't make heads or tails of their messages. I tried to reach out to this so-called virtual friend by grabbing their phone number, but every single attempt in calling him ended in failure. It felt like I was trapped, with only the CD and the Wellington High School Library as my only safe havens.

     Feeling defeated, I retreated to my bed and took Allegra's phone.

     As I scrolled through the beautiful pictures we had taken together, I was overwhelmed by the flood of precious memories. Before I knew it, sleep whisked me away.

Author's Note

Hey guys, hope y'all are having a cheerful day. How was the chapter? Hope y'all enjoyed it. If so, don't hesitate to leave your votes and comments, I'll really appreciate it. Stay Tuned, Peace out. 🤙🏿