1 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:08,519 Speaker 1: Hello, I'm welcomed stories all the time. Glad you are here. 2 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:12,640 Let's get into it. Robbi curstill crept down the stairs. 3 00:00:13,279 --> 00:00:15,519 He could hear his father snoring in the bedroom around 4 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:17,960 the corner, and didn't see any light leaking under the door. 5 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:20,600 That meant his mother had probably closed her book and 6 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:23,000 gone to sleep as well. He was in the clear. 7 00:00:23,719 --> 00:00:25,600 He did a little jete over the board that always 8 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,000 popped under pressure, and landed deftly on the plush carpet 9 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:31,039 of the lounge. All the curtains were drawn as usual. 10 00:00:31,719 --> 00:00:36,000 Robi's father, Tanner, insisted shutting the curtains, discouraged Burger's Robbi 11 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:39,079 didn't believe him. He wasn't afraid of burglars or anything. 12 00:00:39,679 --> 00:00:41,719 He'd been scared of plenty of stuff when he was ten, 13 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:44,520 even eleven, But he was twelve now. He couldn't let 14 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:47,560 childish fear slow him down any more. He navigated the 15 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:50,960 familiar surroundings despite the dark, slinking into the kitchen. His 16 00:00:51,079 --> 00:00:53,479 room upstairs received a fraction of the air conditioning's chill 17 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:55,880 and always stayed humid throughout the summer, even at night. 18 00:00:56,399 --> 00:00:58,439 He needed something to cool him down, and one of 19 00:00:58,479 --> 00:01:00,359 the bomb pops left over from the fourth of July 20 00:01:00,479 --> 00:01:03,280 sounded just right. His mother never would have approved of 21 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:05,599 him meeting Sugar so late, but she didn't need to know. 22 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,200 After all, Robby was twelve. Now he could make his 23 00:01:09,239 --> 00:01:12,680 own decisions. In the kitchen, Robby's vision started to sharpen. 24 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:16,200 His dilated, people starved for light had finally opened up. 25 00:01:16,719 --> 00:01:19,000 He grepted the freezer handle just as the air conditioning 26 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:22,480 stopped blowing loudly through the vents behind him. Robbie froze. 27 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,280 With the house so quiet, he feared even the minuscule 28 00:01:25,359 --> 00:01:27,920 sound of the freezer's ill cracking open could wake his parents. 29 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:31,439 He imagined his father coming around the corner. The light 30 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:33,359 attached to the in the barrel of his lot pointed 31 00:01:33,439 --> 00:01:35,840 right at him. This had happened once before, and it 32 00:01:35,879 --> 00:01:37,840 had taken Robbie almost a year to look at Towna 33 00:01:37,879 --> 00:01:40,280 the same way again. The lack of white noise from 34 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:43,719 the air condition opposed another problem. It challenged Robby's feels 35 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,519 idea of himself in the new silence. The house cracked 36 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:49,439 him pop randomly. It made him nervous to turn his back, 37 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,159 and the open floor planned behind him. With a deep breath, 38 00:01:52,319 --> 00:01:54,239 He peeled open the freezer and was smacked by a 39 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:57,159 nice coal blast. He reached into the back, where the 40 00:01:57,159 --> 00:01:59,799 box of bomb pops leaned against a bag of frozen fruit. 41 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:03,159 The popsicle's wrappers crinkled as he tried to remove one, 42 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:05,719 and he immediately gave up. He hadn't thought of how 43 00:02:05,719 --> 00:02:08,960 oh those rappers were before carefully he shut the freezer. 44 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:12,000 Time for plan B. The Crystals always kept bottles of 45 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:14,280 lemon soda water in the fridge during the summer because 46 00:02:14,319 --> 00:02:18,080 Robbie's mother Sonya, insisted they were healthier than lemonade. Robbie 47 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:19,879 opened the fridge to retrieve one of these and was 48 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:22,439 blasted by light. It bore his eyes even when he 49 00:02:22,439 --> 00:02:25,520 squeezed them shut. Robbi growled a plastic bottle and shut 50 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:28,039 the door quickly. When he opened his eyes again, the 51 00:02:28,039 --> 00:02:31,199 house seemed even darker than ever before. Lightshow had shrunk 52 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:33,360 his pupils to dots, and now he couldn't see a thing. 53 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:36,919 As he turned to leave, Robby heard it the distinct 54 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:39,680 metallic clink of chains in the dark. He whipped around, 55 00:02:39,719 --> 00:02:42,280 but could see nothing. The sound had come from across 56 00:02:42,319 --> 00:02:44,560 the room, and the boy stared intently in its direction. 57 00:02:45,199 --> 00:02:47,280 He told himself he had just imagined it, just as 58 00:02:47,319 --> 00:02:50,199 he had every other time. He waited and stared, partially 59 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:52,840 during the sound to repeat, but mostly hoping it wouldn't. 60 00:02:53,319 --> 00:02:55,400 As he gripped the coal sweaty bottle in his hand, 61 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:58,840 his vision slowly returned. A silhouets of the lounge furniture 62 00:02:58,879 --> 00:03:01,560 began to crystallize. Robbi noticed a dark shape in the 63 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:04,639 father's corner. Robbie squeezed his eyes shut so tight he 64 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:07,319 saw stars, then opened them wide, expecting the dark shape, 65 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:10,000 surely a figment of his imagination, to be gone, but 66 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:12,960 it was now. It began to resemble a man with 67 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:15,520 a towering head and shoulders. Again came the sound of 68 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:18,039 chainling sliding against one another as the dark shape moved 69 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:20,840 ever so slightly. Robbi darted out of the kitchen and 70 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:24,199 ran up the stairs. Robbie, a small voice whispered as 71 00:03:24,199 --> 00:03:26,879 he passed his sister's room. His bare feet skidded on 72 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:29,560 the carpet. He turned back and saw the pale blue 73 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:31,680 glow of assist his night light emanating from a narrow 74 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:34,120 gap in the doorway. The light was interrupted only by 75 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:36,840 a thin figure. The light bounced off her hair and 76 00:03:36,879 --> 00:03:40,560 eliminated her pink nightgown, giving her an angelic appearance. I 77 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:43,759 was just getting a drink. Go back to bed, Layelah, 78 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:48,520 Robbie whispered harshly. Did you hear it? She asked, No, 79 00:03:49,439 --> 00:03:53,039 did you? He couldn't help himself. No aht but I 80 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:56,919 heard you running in thought, Raoul, isn't real, Layelah, You're 81 00:03:56,960 --> 00:03:59,439 just being a dumb kid. Now go back to bed. 82 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,680 Robbie heard his sister sniffle as she carefully closed her door. 83 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:04,800 He hurried the rest of the way to his room, 84 00:04:04,919 --> 00:04:07,680 his words echoing in his mind. Words he had meant 85 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:11,439 more for himself than his sister. Raddle. Isn't real? You 86 00:04:11,639 --> 00:04:14,199 just being a dumb kid, lailor trained to hurt a 87 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:17,000 full expression. Little sisters reserve only for big brothers on 88 00:04:17,079 --> 00:04:23,079 Robby all throughout breakfast the next morning, Robby actively ignored her. So, Robbie, 89 00:04:23,199 --> 00:04:24,959 did you find what you were looking for last night? 90 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:28,439 Sonia asked her son through a mouthful of cream, cheese 91 00:04:28,439 --> 00:04:32,120 and beagle. Robbie replied, ha heah, Yeah, You're lucky I 92 00:04:32,199 --> 00:04:34,279 kept old Clint Eastwood here in check. She rested a 93 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:37,160 hand on Tanner's shoulder. You might have had another scare. 94 00:04:37,759 --> 00:04:42,000 Who's Clint Eastwood, Robbi asked rudely. Tana slid his plate 95 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:43,759 and glass of orange juice out of his own way 96 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:46,360 and leaned toward Robby over the table. He pinched his 97 00:04:46,399 --> 00:04:48,800 eyebrows together and cocked his head to one side, then asked, 98 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:52,680 do you feel lucky? Punk, No, Robbie said. Tanner stayed 99 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:55,120 in character for a few seconds after Sonia started laughing, 100 00:04:55,199 --> 00:04:58,079 but when Lea joined in, he lost it. Robbie rolled 101 00:04:58,079 --> 00:05:00,480 his eyes but didn't hide his human smirk very well. 102 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:03,800 Wend the laughter died. Tanner said, seriously, though this place 103 00:05:03,879 --> 00:05:06,879 is in a prison, obviously. I'm mean, your kids aren't 104 00:05:06,879 --> 00:05:08,959 in lockdown. But I don't think you need to be 105 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:12,120 rustling through the pantry all night. All right, snatting late 106 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:16,920 isn't healthy. I didn't go in the pantry, Robbie said, smugly. Okay, well, then, 107 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:18,920 whatever the heck you were doing in the kitchen last night, 108 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:22,079 just get a glass of water if your stomach feels empty, 109 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:26,720 trust me, it'll help. He's right, Sonia said he ain't okay. 110 00:05:27,519 --> 00:05:30,759 Robbie rolled his eyes again. He caught Layelah mockingly coppying 111 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:33,279 him from the corner of his eye. Sonya dropped the 112 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:35,279 bottom half of her bagel onto Roby's plate. As she 113 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:38,279 stood up from the table, she said, for the growing boy, 114 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:41,040 maybe you should eat more before bed Ha. When you're 115 00:05:41,079 --> 00:05:44,399 done finish getting ready? Yeah, we gotta get going soon, 116 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:47,920 Tanner added, rubbing the top of Layla's head. The elementary 117 00:05:47,959 --> 00:05:49,959 school was on his way to work, so he always 118 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:52,639 dropped her off on the way. Sonya took Robby to 119 00:05:52,639 --> 00:05:56,040 the middle school in the opposite direction. After dropping him off, 120 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:57,839 she would return to the house to work from home. 121 00:05:58,399 --> 00:06:01,040 Having the place to herself quiet made her more productive 122 00:06:01,079 --> 00:06:03,839 than she had been in any other professional environment. As 123 00:06:03,879 --> 00:06:06,199 a programmer, she could easily throw on some music as 124 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:08,240 loud or as soft as she wanted and get into 125 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:10,959 a trance like state and uninterruptible rhythm and not come 126 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:12,519 out of it until she had to pick up Robbie 127 00:06:12,519 --> 00:06:15,519 at three point fifteen. After saying good bye to Robbie 128 00:06:15,519 --> 00:06:18,800 that morning, Sonya followed her usual pattern straight back home 129 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:21,680 to begin the day's work. She sat down at her computer, 130 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:24,879 fired up Spotify, and found her Animals as leader's playlist. 131 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:28,000 Their music had just the right balance of mathematical rhythms 132 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,759 and hypnotic melodies to keep her engage but not distracted. 133 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:34,079 They were a girta for her during work hours. As 134 00:06:34,079 --> 00:06:36,360 the loud guitars and drum's thumb from her speakers and 135 00:06:36,399 --> 00:06:39,160 her fingers clapped away at her mechanical keys, Sonia found 136 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:41,759 her rhythm. Her fingers stopped only to wrap around her 137 00:06:41,759 --> 00:06:43,720 coffee cup from time to time until it was empty. 138 00:06:44,279 --> 00:06:46,360 Around one in the afternoon, she had to pause a 139 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:48,600 particularly tricky line of code and search the web for 140 00:06:48,639 --> 00:06:51,800 some help. As she scanned form after forum, she turned 141 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:54,680 down the music. About halfway. She thought she heard someone 142 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:56,639 set keys down on the kitchen counter and looked up 143 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:59,439 from her computer screen. She glanced out the window of 144 00:06:59,439 --> 00:07:01,759 her second floor office, but didn't see Tana's car in 145 00:07:01,759 --> 00:07:05,439 the driveway. She heard it again, the jingle of keys 146 00:07:05,519 --> 00:07:08,639 or something similar. Sonya spun her chair round to face 147 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:11,160 the door. Even though she was home alone, she still 148 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:13,480 shut the door. It was a focusing tip she had 149 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:16,680 gleaned from Stephen King's book on writing. She stood, went 150 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:19,399 to the door and cracked it open. Hello, she called. 151 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:22,160 She wondered if one of the kids had come back. Somehow. 152 00:07:22,759 --> 00:07:25,600 The middle school wasn't too far away. Robbie could have 153 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:28,920 walked home, but why so early. If he had gotten sick, 154 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:31,759 he owed, the nurse would have called. Sonya went into 155 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:33,639 the hallway and walked to the top of the stairs. 156 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:36,720 Her bare feet made no sound on the carpet. There 157 00:07:36,759 --> 00:07:39,759 was a jumble of sand from the kitchen. She recognized 158 00:07:39,879 --> 00:07:42,480 one as the broom falling out of the pantry. It 159 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:46,560 happened often enough, but never on its own. Robbie. Sonya 160 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:51,279 called down the stairs, Tana. No answer. Now, her palms 161 00:07:51,279 --> 00:07:54,959 began to swear. Someone was definitely down there. She had 162 00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:57,000 left her phone at her desk, not thinking she would 163 00:07:57,079 --> 00:08:00,199 need it. Quietly, still trying to listen, she backed away 164 00:08:00,199 --> 00:08:02,879 from the stairs. She planned to lock herself in the 165 00:08:02,879 --> 00:08:05,240 bathroom in Call nine hundred eleven, But when she had 166 00:08:05,279 --> 00:08:07,519 turned her back to the stairs, she heard the notorious 167 00:08:07,519 --> 00:08:09,319 board at the base of the stairs pot a sound 168 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:12,279 had only made when someone step on it. Sonia whipped 169 00:08:12,279 --> 00:08:15,319 her head around. It was no one there, only the 170 00:08:15,399 --> 00:08:18,959 jingle of keys coming from her bedroom mill. No not keys. 171 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:22,600 The sound she heard was the rattle of chains. Robby 172 00:08:22,639 --> 00:08:24,839 waited until three point thirty to call his mom from 173 00:08:24,839 --> 00:08:27,920 the front office. Sonia had only neglected to pick him 174 00:08:27,959 --> 00:08:29,959 up on time once before, and that had been due 175 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,399 to a fender bender's stoplight, and she had still called 176 00:08:32,399 --> 00:08:33,960 the Skull to let them know she would be late. 177 00:08:34,639 --> 00:08:37,759 The fun rang five times before Sonya's familiar voicemail recording 178 00:08:37,799 --> 00:08:40,440 played in Robbie's ear. He eyed the secretary, who was 179 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:44,519 fixated on her computer screen. Robbi spoke over the recorded message, 180 00:08:45,039 --> 00:08:50,519 Hey mom here, Oh okay, yeah, that's fine. He coughed 181 00:08:50,519 --> 00:08:52,799 to cover up the beep, which surely would have triggered 182 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:56,519 the secretary's suspicion. No, I don't mind. Okay, see you 183 00:08:56,559 --> 00:09:00,679 in a bit. Robby hung up. Everything all right, the 184 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:03,679 secretary asked, without looking up. Yet, guess dad got held 185 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:05,440 up at work. Some one had to pick up my sister. 186 00:09:06,159 --> 00:09:07,919 She said, I can walk home or wait for her, 187 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:11,080 but I told her I'd walk. The secretary nodded, buying 188 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:14,480 the whole story be safe. Robby took the walk at 189 00:09:14,519 --> 00:09:17,960 a consistently brisk pace. Twice he nearly broke into a run. 190 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:20,960 He only held himself back because to run would be 191 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:23,399 to admit what he was desperately trying to convince himself 192 00:09:23,399 --> 00:09:27,039 against that something was horribly rawn at home. No call 193 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:30,720 from his mom, no answer when he called, no doubt 194 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:33,440 or other adult to pick him up. Instead, Robby tried 195 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:36,080 not to dwell on the possible scenarios whatever he might 196 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:38,840 find at home. Running a corner on to his street, 197 00:09:38,919 --> 00:09:42,320 Robby saw the house was still standing. No fire at least. 198 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:44,960 His mother's car was not in the driveway, but she 199 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:48,000 usually parked in the garage. He wasn't quite tall enough 200 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:50,080 to see through the small square windows in the garage door, 201 00:09:50,159 --> 00:09:53,200 yet he cut across the lawn, shooting straight for the 202 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:56,759 front door, locked, Robbie went round the house to the 203 00:09:56,759 --> 00:10:00,879 glass sliding door in the back, also locked. However, this 204 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:02,759 door had a trick only Robby knew of as far 205 00:10:02,759 --> 00:10:05,200 as he knew. With an inmwood push and a sword 206 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:07,360 in the stone lift, Robbi dislodged the door enough for 207 00:10:07,399 --> 00:10:10,480 the locked to unhook itself. Red faced, Robbie pushed the 208 00:10:10,519 --> 00:10:14,799 door open. Maum. He called into the echoey house. He 209 00:10:14,879 --> 00:10:17,519 knew she wasn't there right away. The house didn't quite 210 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:21,159 feel empty, but he didn't sense his mother's presence. Telltale 211 00:10:21,159 --> 00:10:23,840 clock of her heavy keyboard was missing, that was it. 212 00:10:24,519 --> 00:10:26,480 Robbie went to the garage and source on his car 213 00:10:26,519 --> 00:10:30,080 park there as usual, So where was she? Losing hold 214 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:32,679 on a suppressed panic, Robbie dropped his back deck graciously 215 00:10:32,759 --> 00:10:35,240 by the garage door and tore up the stairs. He 216 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:38,639 called for his mom through every doorway he passed. Each room, 217 00:10:38,759 --> 00:10:42,279 including the bathroom in Sonia's office, was empty. Maybe she 218 00:10:42,399 --> 00:10:45,240 just fell asleep, he hoped. Maybe that's why she was 219 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:48,240 late in miss my call. Robbie darted back down the stairs, 220 00:10:48,279 --> 00:10:51,879 throwing open his parents bedroom door. Sauna wasn't in there either, 221 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:54,879 nor was she in the attached bathroom. Robby grand and 222 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:57,000 went to the kitchen, where the family's land line pushed 223 00:10:57,039 --> 00:10:59,360 on the counter next to a pineapple. He pressed st 224 00:10:59,399 --> 00:11:03,399 ar too automatically dialed Sonia's cell phone. It rang up stairs. 225 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:06,279 Robby left the phone face down on the counter and 226 00:11:06,399 --> 00:11:09,000 ran back upstairs to find the ring cell. It was 227 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:12,320 right in the middle of Sonya's desk. She hadn't lost it, then, 228 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:15,039 why wouldn't she have taken it with her wherever she was. 229 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:17,679 The front doorn up turned over twice, then a heavy 230 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:20,759 hand thumped against the door. Sonia, you locked us at 231 00:11:21,399 --> 00:11:24,120 Robby ran down to his father. When he opened the door, 232 00:11:24,159 --> 00:11:27,200 Tanner was shuffling his keys, and Laylah looked annoyed. Oh 233 00:11:27,279 --> 00:11:29,840 you are home, Tanner said, I thought maybe you two 234 00:11:29,879 --> 00:11:33,320 hadn't gotten back yet. Mom's not here, Robbi bloated out 235 00:11:33,879 --> 00:11:36,440 in a mixed up, structureless way. Robbie told the story 236 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:39,039 of how he had come home. He explained how Sonya 237 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:42,360 had just up and disappeared without a trace. Tano's instinct 238 00:11:42,399 --> 00:11:44,279 was to text his wife, but he recalled Robby had 239 00:11:44,279 --> 00:11:46,559 at some point mentioned on his phone was still upstairs. 240 00:11:47,159 --> 00:11:49,480 He told the kids to wait for her. Maybe she 241 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:52,480 just went for a walk to disconnect. But like Robbie, 242 00:11:52,639 --> 00:11:55,080 not wanting to run home, Tano was only avoiding the 243 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:58,559 inevitable next step. At six, with no sign of Sonya, 244 00:11:58,639 --> 00:12:02,080 he called the police. While the police spoke to Tanner downstairs, 245 00:12:02,159 --> 00:12:05,240 Robby sat on his bed, feeling lost and powerless. One 246 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:07,080 of the offices had told him he did the best 247 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:09,000 thing he could do by providing them with everything he 248 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:11,960 could remember about that morning in the afternoon, but Robby 249 00:12:12,039 --> 00:12:14,279 knew what he had told them couldn't possibly be that helpful, 250 00:12:14,879 --> 00:12:17,360 except for the pot about the back door. Maybe how 251 00:12:17,399 --> 00:12:21,159 he was able to unlock it. Roby. Layelah's weak voice 252 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:23,559 came through the crack in his door. He looked up 253 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:26,960 but didn't invite her in what Layelah slip through the 254 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,919 door and gently pushed it close behind herself. She said, 255 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:32,279 do you think we should tell them about Rattle? Oh 256 00:12:32,279 --> 00:12:36,039 my god, Layelah. Robbie bounced off his bed. He got 257 00:12:36,039 --> 00:12:37,879 on his knees in front of his sister and leaned 258 00:12:37,919 --> 00:12:41,360 and uncomfortably close for the last time. Raddle isn't real. 259 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:44,480 He's something you made up. He couldn't have taken on 260 00:12:44,519 --> 00:12:47,200 because he caun't urt anybody, because he's not real. The 261 00:12:47,279 --> 00:12:51,559 muffled voices downstairs stopped. Layelah's big tears ran down her cheeks. 262 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:54,879 Her hope died in her brother's cold eyes. She had 263 00:12:54,919 --> 00:12:58,000 come to his room for help, for encouragement. She was 264 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:00,440 too afraid to tell the police officers on her, but 265 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:02,440 she knew sheney beyond any short of a doubt that 266 00:13:02,519 --> 00:13:04,320 the shadowy figure who came out at night was to 267 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:07,639 blame for their mother's disappearance. If Robby didn't believe her, 268 00:13:07,799 --> 00:13:09,600 even though she knew he had seen Raddle and heard 269 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:11,879 the jingling chains. How could she expect the police to 270 00:13:11,919 --> 00:13:16,320 believe her? You're wrong, Layelah said, defiantly. She wiped her 271 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:19,200 tears away. You're wrong and you know it. You know 272 00:13:19,279 --> 00:13:22,519 he's real an, you know he took mom? Where where 273 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:25,919 did Raddle take mom? Layelah? If you know, why don't 274 00:13:25,919 --> 00:13:27,399 you go tell Dad and the cops so they can 275 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:30,440 bring her back. Ha, she'll be just in time for dinner. 276 00:13:31,039 --> 00:13:34,240 Stop being so mean. Layelah stormed out and slammed the 277 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:37,039 door in her wake. Robby heard the police car's side 278 00:13:37,039 --> 00:13:39,840 start up and drive away. At the same time his 279 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:43,159 father's footstuffs came up the stairs. He opened Robby's door 280 00:13:43,159 --> 00:13:46,559 as the police cause engine faded into the distance. Hey Um, 281 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:49,960 Tanner said. Peering in from the threshold, Robbie could tell 282 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:52,759 his dad was trying to look tough. So the police 283 00:13:52,799 --> 00:13:54,559 said they have to wait to open an official case, 284 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:56,919 but that they'll keep an eye out. We suppose to 285 00:13:56,919 --> 00:13:59,000 call them if we think of anything or notice something 286 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:02,919 we didn't before. You. I can't think of anything else. No, 287 00:14:03,159 --> 00:14:07,440 I told them everything, all right, Yeah, I figured just 288 00:14:07,519 --> 00:14:11,200 had to ask, so you're gay? Robby skipped the question 289 00:14:11,279 --> 00:14:14,240 and asked what do they think happened? Like, how can 290 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:18,039 someone just disappear? What do they think happened? Well, thell 291 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:21,559 Tana stepped into Roby's room and shut the door behind himself. 292 00:14:22,039 --> 00:14:24,120 They didn't out and say it, but I'm pretty sure 293 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:26,840 they think Mom just skipped town ran off to who 294 00:14:26,879 --> 00:14:29,879 knows where. You know, some people are just really unhappy 295 00:14:29,919 --> 00:14:33,559 and not Mom, though, Robbie said definitively, that's not what 296 00:14:33,639 --> 00:14:36,759 happened to her. No, No, you and I both know that. 297 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:40,200 And Layelah it'll just take a little convincing with the police. 298 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:43,559 I think the door cracked open and Laylah's wet face appeared. 299 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:47,480 She said, Dad, can I talk to you? Yes, sweetye, 300 00:14:47,519 --> 00:14:49,960 come on in. Taner said, can I talk to you 301 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:53,120 with that? Robby? Taner looked at his son, then his daughter, 302 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:56,240 then back. He shrugged and followed Leelah out of the room. 303 00:14:56,799 --> 00:14:59,960 No one ate dinner that night. Tanner baked a frozen pizza, 304 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:01,720 which sat and caught on the counter until the chiefs 305 00:15:01,759 --> 00:15:04,440 turned hard and the grease congealed on top. The three 306 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:06,480 of them all sat in the living room, all staring 307 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:10,080 into separate screens. Robbie and Laylah played mindless games on 308 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:13,679 their iPads. Tanner went through the Doorablecamra's footage from that day, 309 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:16,000 something the police would do once the twenty four I 310 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:18,159 awaiting period was up, but that he could do now. 311 00:15:18,759 --> 00:15:20,919 He watched and scrubbed through footage from when Sonia had 312 00:15:20,919 --> 00:15:23,240 pulled in that morning when Robby came home from school. 313 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:26,639 Then he stopped. He put his phone in his pocket 314 00:15:26,639 --> 00:15:28,960 and stood up. Do you mind hanging out here while 315 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:31,519 I go talk to some neighbors. I want to know 316 00:15:31,519 --> 00:15:34,519 if any of them have camas that might have caught something, sure, 317 00:15:34,639 --> 00:15:38,840 Robbie said. Layelah looked warily at Robbie but said nothing great, 318 00:15:39,639 --> 00:15:42,240 I'll be back in a bit. Tanner left, leaving the 319 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:45,600 children alone. They played their games in silence, refusing to 320 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:48,879 look at each other. Suddenly, Laylah's head shot up, eyes wide. 321 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:53,039 Did you hear it? She asked. Robby refused to take 322 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:56,200 his eyes off the screen. He shook his head, but 323 00:15:56,320 --> 00:15:59,480 then faintly he did hear it, A soft, brief tinkle. 324 00:16:00,039 --> 00:16:03,360 It sounded like it came from upstairs. Robbie didn't look up, 325 00:16:03,399 --> 00:16:08,039 but Layelah saw him grow stiff. See Layelah whispered, he's 326 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:11,840 real Robbie greeted his teeth. He thought of the previous 327 00:16:11,879 --> 00:16:14,519 night when he had opened the fridge. He remembered turning 328 00:16:14,559 --> 00:16:17,440 around and seeing the dark silhouette outlined in shadows, hearing 329 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:21,039 the unmistakable rattle of chains, but he'd none ghosts didn't exist, 330 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:23,600 since he was younger than Laylah was. Now she was 331 00:16:23,639 --> 00:16:26,440 putting ideas in his head. That was all She kept 332 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:29,039 talking about, this sinister spirit named Rattle, and had infected 333 00:16:29,039 --> 00:16:33,919 his brain with the idea. No, he said, with false conviction, No, Layelah, 334 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:36,320 for the last time, Rattle as not. Something went bump 335 00:16:36,399 --> 00:16:38,919 on the stairs and silence both children. They watched the 336 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:42,320 steps with apprehension. The settings on cast long shadows through 337 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,639 the glass sliding door. Usually this orange glow made their 338 00:16:45,639 --> 00:16:47,879 home look beautiful, but right now it looked more like 339 00:16:47,919 --> 00:16:50,120 the shadows were eating away at the sunlight rather than 340 00:16:50,159 --> 00:16:53,159 the other way around. Robbie, terrified by having an idea, 341 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:56,159 stood and walked into the kitchen. The pantry was under 342 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:58,919 the stairs. As far as he knew, no one had 343 00:16:58,919 --> 00:17:02,200 looked in there for Sonia. It seemed like a huge oversight. Now, 344 00:17:02,799 --> 00:17:05,680 the rattling chains, the bumping noise. What if she was 345 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:08,119 tied up in there for some reason. What if she 346 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:10,880 needed help? Robby twisted the door knob with haste and 347 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:14,000 reached inside to flip on the light. Layelah cowered behind 348 00:17:14,039 --> 00:17:16,640 the couch. Robbi swung the door all the way open. 349 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:20,000 Besides the usual dry goods and cleaning supplies, the pantry 350 00:17:20,039 --> 00:17:23,960 was empty. Nothing here, Robbie announced, Then what was it? 351 00:17:24,519 --> 00:17:27,720 Layah asked. Robby shook the broom handle and pushed against 352 00:17:27,799 --> 00:17:30,440 one of the shells to see if anything rattled. Neither 353 00:17:30,519 --> 00:17:33,799 experiment produced the right noise, though the mystery remained, and 354 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:37,039 Robbi unwillingly found himself starting to believe Layelah could be 355 00:17:37,079 --> 00:17:39,759 right about rattle, and if she was, what did that 356 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:42,480 mean for their mother? Robbi flipped off the pantry light. 357 00:17:43,079 --> 00:17:45,640 A thumb suddenly reverberated against the wood right next to 358 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:48,400 his head. The broom tipped over and fell toward him. 359 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:51,599 Layel screamed as Robby stumbled backwards away from the pantry. 360 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:54,599 He stood next to the kitchen island, panting and staring 361 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:57,319 into the dark pantry, waiting for whatever would come next. 362 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:00,440 He imagined that tall figure from the previous night, standing 363 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:03,559 in the bat between the shelves watching him. But nothing 364 00:18:03,559 --> 00:18:07,960 else happened. No more sudden shadows, no shadowy figures. Robbie 365 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:10,279 told Lela that he must have accidentally bumped the broom, 366 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:13,279 something he managed to convince himself of as well. He 367 00:18:13,319 --> 00:18:15,359 put it back in its place and closed the pantry door. 368 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:18,000 Tanner sent the kids to bed at the usual time 369 00:18:18,039 --> 00:18:20,799 that night. He wanted to let them stay up, specially 370 00:18:20,839 --> 00:18:22,519 after they baked, to wait up for Mom with him, 371 00:18:22,559 --> 00:18:24,279 but tanany the best thing for the kids was to 372 00:18:24,319 --> 00:18:27,960 maintain as much normalcy as possible. Order and normalcy would 373 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:30,400 be helpful allies and necessary partners. As they waited for 374 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:33,279 Sonya to turn up one way or another. With the 375 00:18:33,359 --> 00:18:36,720 kids upstairs, Tanner opened the wine cabinet. He stared at 376 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:39,200 the bottles of various reds and whites, then shook his 377 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:42,039 head and closed it. He went for the liquor. Instead. 378 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:45,039 He poured two fingers of Old Forester, which he downed 379 00:18:45,039 --> 00:18:48,920 without wincing. The bottle followed him to the couch. There, 380 00:18:49,079 --> 00:18:51,839 Tanner opened Sofia's phone and began searching from app tapp, 381 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,920 reading messages, calendars, notes, anything which might indicapable she might 382 00:18:55,960 --> 00:18:59,200 have gone. She hadn't withdrawn any money or ordered anything 383 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:01,759 to be shipped to a difer to dress. She hadn't 384 00:19:01,759 --> 00:19:03,759 had anything on her schedule that day, but she had 385 00:19:03,799 --> 00:19:07,160 multiple meetings planned for tomorrow. With each up, he investigated, 386 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:10,200 Taner took another swig from the bottle. He started pulling 387 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:12,279 longer on the bottle the more it took control of him. 388 00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:14,839 Herenly stopped drinking when he realized the cops could show 389 00:19:14,839 --> 00:19:17,720 Apple Coal at any moment with news, or maybe Sonia 390 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:20,599 would just stroll right through the front door. In any case, 391 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:22,279 he didn't want to be more of a sloppy miss 392 00:19:22,279 --> 00:19:25,279 than he already was. Tana left the bottle open, as 393 00:19:25,279 --> 00:19:27,440 well as Sonia's phone when he slumped over the couch 394 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:32,440 and passed out. Robbie couldn't sleep. Wouldn't sleep, he refused. 395 00:19:33,039 --> 00:19:35,119 How could he just disappear himself from the world when 396 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:37,799 his mother was out there somewhere. What if she was hurt? 397 00:19:38,359 --> 00:19:40,119 What if she needed him to find her right away? 398 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:42,759 Would he just let her bleed out or suffocate ordor 399 00:19:42,839 --> 00:19:45,119 who knows what so he could get some beauty rest. 400 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:47,480 He sat on the edge of the bed, pondering what 401 00:19:47,519 --> 00:19:50,240 he could do short of taking a flask light outside 402 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:52,799 and searching the neighboring blocks. He couldn't think of anything. 403 00:19:53,279 --> 00:19:56,200 He grasped for ideas desperately. He felt like he was 404 00:19:56,279 --> 00:19:58,480 drowning and some one had just dropped a snorkel somewhere 405 00:19:58,480 --> 00:20:01,319 above him. He was flailing for it, knowing it was there, 406 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:04,960 but being unable to find it. They didn't. Robby broke 407 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:08,759 into tears. This is myles. I hate to interrupt, but 408 00:20:08,799 --> 00:20:10,240 this would be a great time to hit the like 409 00:20:10,279 --> 00:20:12,640 button and subscribe to my channel if you haven't already, 410 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:15,839 I promise you won't regret it now for the rest 411 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:19,599 of the story. Leilah couldn't sleep either. She also didn't 412 00:20:19,599 --> 00:20:21,799 want to, but not for the same reasons as Roby. 413 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:26,079 In how World, a monster looked a big, hairy thing 414 00:20:26,079 --> 00:20:28,559 with broken chains hanging from its neck, its arms, its 415 00:20:28,599 --> 00:20:31,880 powerful legs. A werewolf may be like an Harry Potter, 416 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:35,079 but this werewolf had taken her mom away. She didn't 417 00:20:35,079 --> 00:20:36,880 know what it had done with her, but did it matter. 418 00:20:37,519 --> 00:20:39,519 It did because the monster would come for her next, 419 00:20:39,519 --> 00:20:42,240 she felt sure. She tried to put the sinister sound 420 00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:44,039 of those rattling chains out of her mind, but the 421 00:20:44,079 --> 00:20:46,359 more she tried. The more the sounds echoed inside her 422 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:49,599 as if on cue, Leylah heard them for real. The 423 00:20:49,599 --> 00:20:53,200 Slytherin chains ring. They came from under her bed, not 424 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:56,759 directly beneath her, but through the floor, and they moved rapidly, 425 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:01,039 short abrupt gestures beneath the floor. As she had named, 426 00:21:01,039 --> 00:21:04,119 the beast was just below her. Leyelah padded into the hall, 427 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:06,079 listening to the chains to make sure they went somehow 428 00:21:06,079 --> 00:21:08,880 following her. She wondered if Frattle could see or even 429 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:11,200 when she couldn't see him. She wanted to go to 430 00:21:11,279 --> 00:21:13,279 her father's room and asked to sleep in his bed, 431 00:21:13,359 --> 00:21:15,759 but his room was downstairs, down where the chains rattled. 432 00:21:16,319 --> 00:21:19,839 She couldn't go down there alone. Instead, begrudgingly, she went 433 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:22,400 to Robbie. Her brother, turned away from her when she 434 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:24,880 opened his door, but not before she saw he'd been crying. 435 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:28,400 Go away, he whispered, shouted, He wiped at his face 436 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:30,559 with the front of his t shirt. I can hear 437 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:33,559 him under my room, Layelah said. She didn't care if 438 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:36,559 Robby was crying or angry with her. She just didn't 439 00:21:36,559 --> 00:21:40,400 want to be alone through rattle. Seriously, I keep telling 440 00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:44,920 you he's Robbie, stop it, just come listen. Robbie gave 441 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:48,200 his sister a wide, bleary eye glance. With nothing else 442 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:51,200 to do, he silently obeyed. The two walked eye by 443 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:53,880 side down the hall towards her room. Robbie could hear 444 00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:56,279 the chains before they had even reached the door. He 445 00:21:56,359 --> 00:21:59,079 pictured a prisoner in a medieval dungeon, dangling from the wall, 446 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:02,559 desperately threshing around. He had never heard the change rattle 447 00:22:02,599 --> 00:22:06,440 so furiously before. In every previous instance, it had sounded 448 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:08,519 as if the wearer had been trying to mute the chains, 449 00:22:08,599 --> 00:22:11,559 as if they were in inconvenience, destroying an otherwise perfect stealth. 450 00:22:12,279 --> 00:22:14,440 Now it seemed the thing Layelah had named Rudal didn't 451 00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:17,119 care if they knew it was there. Robby trembled as 452 00:22:17,119 --> 00:22:19,960 he considered what that might mean. Do you believe me now, 453 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:23,720 Lil asked. Robbie only put a hand on her shoulder 454 00:22:23,759 --> 00:22:26,519 and pushed open her door. She had almost been right. 455 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:29,160 The sounds were closed to her room, but not quite 456 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:31,880 directly below. From the hall, he could tell they were 457 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:35,119 coming from either the kitchen or the stairs. Pushing Layelah 458 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:38,000 behind himself, Robbi peered out at the short staircase, terrified 459 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:40,119 he must see at evil silhouette staring back at him, 460 00:22:40,119 --> 00:22:42,920 swinging long chains meant to grab at his flesh, but 461 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:45,400 nothing was on the stairs or near them. A deep, 462 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:47,960 aggressive grunt sent them both tumbling back into the hallway. 463 00:22:48,599 --> 00:22:51,440 Robby fell on top of Layelah. She struggled her way 464 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:54,400 out from underneath him. The sound repeated louder, and they 465 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:58,279 both realized what it was. Chaine saw snoring coming from downstairs. 466 00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:01,400 Roby stood but push Lail down, silently, telling her to 467 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:03,920 stay put. He leaned over the banister to peek at 468 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:06,759 the living room. There, a faint rectang held glow lit 469 00:23:06,839 --> 00:23:09,599 up a nearly empty bottle. Robby couldn't see his father 470 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:11,720 laying on the other side of the couch, but the bottle, 471 00:23:11,799 --> 00:23:14,400 the open phone, the snoring. He was able to put 472 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:17,079 the story together on his own. Beneath his feet, a 473 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:19,200 course of rattling chains threatened to break through the floor 474 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:21,680 and grab him. There was a crash in the pantry 475 00:23:21,759 --> 00:23:26,599 under the stairs, then stillness. Dad. Robbi whispered as loudly 476 00:23:26,599 --> 00:23:29,759 as he dared, then Dad, breaking the whisper, He called 477 00:23:29,759 --> 00:23:32,440 for his dad again. At the sound of Robby's voice. 478 00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:35,440 The chain slithered toward the pantry door. Robbi looked back 479 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:38,039 at lel on all fours in the hallway. The pantry 480 00:23:38,039 --> 00:23:42,079 door slowly opened below him. Dad, wake up, Robby screamed. 481 00:23:42,759 --> 00:23:46,000 The pantry burst open, slamming against the fruge. The broom 482 00:23:46,039 --> 00:23:49,279 fell out, its wooden handle banging against the tile. Tanner 483 00:23:49,319 --> 00:23:52,440 snorted and his snoring stopped, but he didn't rise from 484 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:55,519 the couch. Robbi tried to scream again, but his throat 485 00:23:55,519 --> 00:23:58,000 seized when he saw a tall figure emerge from the pantry, 486 00:23:58,039 --> 00:24:02,480 accompanied by the unhindered clinking and rattling of chains this way, 487 00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:05,359 Robbi yelled to Layelah. He pulled her to her feet 488 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:07,640 and led her back to his room. Once she was 489 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:10,400 safely inside, Robbie dragged his knightstand in front of the 490 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:12,759 door and sat in front of it. He told Leilah 491 00:24:12,799 --> 00:24:14,720 to open the window, which she did with some effort. 492 00:24:15,319 --> 00:24:18,359 We have to jump, Robbie said, with disbelief. But it's 493 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:22,359 too high, Layelah said, appalled. The chains drew nearer they 494 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:25,160 were coming down the hall. The carpet outside padded their 495 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:28,400 wares footsteps. I'll keep the door shut until you're safe, 496 00:24:28,559 --> 00:24:32,039 Robbie said. Then I'll be right behind you. But Robbie, 497 00:24:32,039 --> 00:24:34,680 I can't jump that far. I hand clamped around the 498 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:37,680 door knob and twisted. Robbie pushed back against the knight 499 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:41,119 stand chain struck the door and jingled. Then a big 500 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:44,200 third rock the Knights m forward. Robbie kept pushing, but 501 00:24:44,279 --> 00:24:46,359 even the first blow told him he wouldn't last long. 502 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:50,119 Layelah go, he yelled. He needed his sister to jump 503 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:52,119 first so he could follow her, or they would both 504 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:55,319 be killed. Another impact against the door forced Robbie and 505 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:57,160 the Knights and forward a few inches, not for the 506 00:24:57,160 --> 00:25:00,119 door to open slightly. Robby pushed against the door with 507 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:03,440 all his strength, forcing the door closed again. Layelah. Robbie 508 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:06,839 whispered out of Beth, looking like she had completely disassociated 509 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:09,240 from the world. Layelah turned away from him and climbed 510 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:11,640 into the window cell. The door broke free from the 511 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:13,759 upper two hinges and cracked in the middle, splitting from 512 00:25:13,759 --> 00:25:16,880 the heaviest blow yet. The broken door fell on Roby's 513 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:19,079 head and chains clattered against it as something tried to 514 00:25:19,119 --> 00:25:22,519 climb through the opening. Robbie rolled away, just barely dodging 515 00:25:22,519 --> 00:25:24,720 the fingers of two hands bound together at the wrists. 516 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:28,119 There was a flash, then two more, each only lasting 517 00:25:28,119 --> 00:25:31,880 a fraction of a second. Robby's ears ran. He covered 518 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:34,119 them instinctively and culled into a ball on the floor. 519 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:36,559 The only sound he was vaguely aware of was his 520 00:25:36,599 --> 00:25:39,799 sister's continuous screaming. All at once, hands were on him, 521 00:25:39,799 --> 00:25:42,559 grabbing at his clothes. His arms were upping around his head. 522 00:25:43,039 --> 00:25:46,160 He smelt wet and cologne and alcohol. Then the hand 523 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:49,000 released him. Robbie opened his eyes and watched the tall, 524 00:25:49,079 --> 00:25:52,119 dark figure grabbed his sister from the winder so ere 525 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:54,720 still ringing. He stood and ran at the figure. He 526 00:25:54,799 --> 00:25:57,960 flung wild fists wherever they would land. Figure tried to 527 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:01,279 dodge them, but didn't fight back. After a few seconds, 528 00:26:01,279 --> 00:26:03,799 a familiar voice kept through the ringing in Roby's ears. 529 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:07,200 It shouted his name over and over. The voice belonged 530 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:11,079 to his father. Robbie opened his eyes he hadn't realized 531 00:26:11,119 --> 00:26:13,680 he clenched them shut again when he started battering his dad. 532 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:17,680 First he saw Layelah called upon his bed, sobbing. Then 533 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:19,440 he looked into the ghost white face of his father. 534 00:26:20,079 --> 00:26:22,720 Tanner was looking past Robbi over his head at the 535 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:25,039 broken door, and the large figure collapsed on top of it. 536 00:26:25,559 --> 00:26:28,079 The figure was laying face down with the ten stretched 537 00:26:28,079 --> 00:26:31,039 above its head. One chain bound its hands together and 538 00:26:31,079 --> 00:26:33,559 another connected its hands to a long belt which dangled 539 00:26:33,599 --> 00:26:36,240 just above the floor. Blood ran down the Knight's end, 540 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:39,440 pulling on the floor beneath the belt. Robby turned back 541 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:41,359 to his father and noticed for the first time the 542 00:26:41,359 --> 00:26:44,440 pistol in his right hand. Tanner pushed Robby toward the 543 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:47,039 bed and handed him the pistol. You remember how to 544 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:51,960 use it, he asked. Robbie nodded, keep it pointed at him. 545 00:26:52,279 --> 00:26:54,480 Tanner drowted the heavy body out of the doorway, pushed 546 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:56,440 the knightston over the puddle of blood, then beckoned his 547 00:26:56,519 --> 00:26:58,880 children to follow him out of the room. He took 548 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:02,039 the gun from Robbie, then led him downstairs. Go out 549 00:27:02,079 --> 00:27:04,799 the back door. I need to get my phone, Tanner said. 550 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:08,279 He went to the living room. Robbie followed Layelah to 551 00:27:08,319 --> 00:27:10,839 the back door, but then looked over his shoulder. He 552 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:13,400 saw the open pantry the broom, which had fallen out. 553 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:16,119 Once Layelah had gone outside, Robby knew she wouldn't go 554 00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:19,759 out without him. He turned back. Tanner returned to the 555 00:27:19,839 --> 00:27:23,119 kitchen just as Robbi stepped into the pantry. Robbie, don't, 556 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:26,880 he commanded, You don't know what's in there. Robbi understood 557 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:30,000 the implication. He heard the underlying grief an apprehension in 558 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:32,759 his father's voice. He had a feeling they both knew 559 00:27:32,759 --> 00:27:34,880 what was in there to some degree, but he had 560 00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:37,759 to see for himself. He remembered sitting on his bed 561 00:27:37,839 --> 00:27:40,400 just minutes ago, wondering if his mother was hurt somewhere, 562 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:44,400 possibly dying. He remembered wondering what he could do. Well, 563 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:47,240 this was it. Robby flipped in the pantry light and 564 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:49,240 saw a panel had been slid away near the back. 565 00:27:49,759 --> 00:27:52,400 The underside of the stairs was totally exposed, and beneath 566 00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:54,039 them was a space not tall enough for a man 567 00:27:54,079 --> 00:27:56,799 to stand, but certainly for one to sit, lay and wait. 568 00:27:57,440 --> 00:28:00,960 Robbie crawled into the open space theaircase near the floor. 569 00:28:01,319 --> 00:28:04,119 Robbi found his mother. She had been stuffed beneath the 570 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:06,279 lust free steps and now lay with her back to him, 571 00:28:06,759 --> 00:28:09,720 her knees curled up into her stomach. Robbie called over 572 00:28:09,759 --> 00:28:11,759 to her, put a hand on her bare neck, which 573 00:28:11,759 --> 00:28:14,119 had been darkened with purple and black bruises and felt 574 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:17,119 her eyes cold skin. Raddle, it turned out, had been 575 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:20,279 very real. Indeed, he hadn't been some elevolent ghost or 576 00:28:20,319 --> 00:28:23,720 evil spirit. He had just been an ordinary man, ordinary 577 00:28:23,799 --> 00:28:25,680 in the sense that he was just flush and bones 578 00:28:25,799 --> 00:28:28,799 at least. Raddle's real name was is Kil mac ray, 579 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:30,839 a man who had mridered his wife after claiming to 580 00:28:30,839 --> 00:28:33,359 have found her with another man. The thing was, he 581 00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:35,160 claimed he had killed the other man too, but no 582 00:28:35,240 --> 00:28:37,119 evidence could be found to prove any one else had 583 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:39,839 ever been in the house. Ezekiel had escaped from a 584 00:28:39,839 --> 00:28:42,319 maximum security prison two states over when a fire broke 585 00:28:42,359 --> 00:28:45,119 out in the kitchen. Each prisoner had been laid upside 586 00:28:45,119 --> 00:28:47,319 in belts with hancuffs attached to the front and cuffs 587 00:28:47,359 --> 00:28:50,079 chaining their ankles together. They seemed that even though mc 588 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:52,200 ray had managed to sneak away and climb on to train, 589 00:28:52,279 --> 00:28:54,680 he had been unable to escape the bonds. Yet. The 590 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:57,119 police told Tenor that u Gray likely hadn't been staying 591 00:28:57,119 --> 00:28:59,160 in their home with the intention of killing anyone, but 592 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:02,559 rather just await plan his next steps. They speculated that 593 00:29:02,599 --> 00:29:05,039 Sauna had just been unfortunate enough to discover the lurker. 594 00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:07,680 Killing the mother and hearing the police in the house 595 00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:10,680 had turned the man desperate, perhaps even caused another mental break, 596 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:13,720 hence his attempt at midnight escape, which had been interrupted 597 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:16,480 by children he probably thought were asleep. You did a 598 00:29:16,480 --> 00:29:19,559 good thing, a detective said to Tanner. He could clearly 599 00:29:19,599 --> 00:29:21,880 see the father was getting lost in a collapsing wild 600 00:29:22,519 --> 00:29:25,880 Don't forget that, But ey'd I should have. He saved 601 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:29,079 your kits. They're still alive because of you, and that's 602 00:29:29,119 --> 00:29:31,839 what matters. Now. You have to keep being there for them. 603 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:34,839 The detective glanced at the nearly empty bottle of old 604 00:29:34,839 --> 00:29:38,079 Forester and the coffee table. He picked it up. It's 605 00:29:38,119 --> 00:29:40,359 going to be hard to move on, I know. He 606 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:42,440 walked the bottle to the sink and dumped his remaining 607 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:45,200 contents down the drain. But you'll be strong for them, 608 00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:48,759 won't you. Tanner nodded, solemnly, watching the last drop strip 609 00:29:48,759 --> 00:29:51,119 from the mouth of the bottle. He rose and shook 610 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:54,960 the detective's hand. He said, yes, sir, I will. A 611 00:29:55,039 --> 00:29:57,359 surprised Tanner to learn that deep down he had the 612 00:29:57,359 --> 00:30:00,200 strength to be there for his two children. Sometime it 613 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:02,200 felt like he only Bailey had enough, but enough is 614 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:05,079 all he needed. On top of losing their mother, both 615 00:30:05,160 --> 00:30:07,440 children would occasionally confine him late at night while he 616 00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:09,680 sat on the couch trying to convince himself to sleep. 617 00:30:10,319 --> 00:30:12,200 All three of them would from time to time, when 618 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:14,400 they closed their eyes hear a change rattling beneath the 619 00:30:14,400 --> 00:30:18,079 stairs at night. And that is the end. Thank you 620 00:30:18,119 --> 00:30:28,079 for listening, and I will see you in the next one.