It was around 6am in the morning or there about when the siren of an ambulance blasted through the air. I was so frightened.
Had my Parents successfully murdered themselves?
Lately, they have been comparing themselves to the Walters.
Not that I blame them though. They were the perfect couple and family ever! Quote me anywhere.
I rushed downstairs to see my Parents peeping behind the front door,
"What happened?"
They both shu-shed me and carried on looking,
I had to go look by myself.
A tragedy had befallen the Walter family.
I silently prayed it was just a minor accident.
Was it Charles? Did he fall off somewhere?
My mother whispered, like they could hear her if she talked normally, "Some minutes ago, your Father and I were awakened by Ms-J's screams"
"Do you know what happened?"
She nodded her head in denial but at that exact moment, a body was trolled into the ambulance.
A dead body.
My mother shrieked,"Oh my God!"
And my Father quickly rushed us out of sight. "That is enough! " He said
"We will go see them later. If they would let us. For now, let us rest"
"Rest?" My mother said.
How could anyone rest in a situation like this? Soon ,even the medias and paparazzi would be here.
"I do not know. Do anything, but go to the porch"
No one rested though!
I caught my dad glancing at the door ever minute
. My mom busied herself in the Nursery, singing rhymes she either repeated or skipped lines.
My Father even made me stay within sight, for fear that I would go sneaking on them and get caught
.
"They are powerful people. It could be murder and they would blame it on you to avoid investigation" he explained.
"Don't be ridiculous" my mother argued, "Only family members live there. Why would they want to kill their own?"
We were later allowed to see them after Father had put a call across to Mr Walter .
Ms-J rushed to my mom immediately she saw her
. "Oh my goodness J. I am so so sorry" mother lamented.
"What happened though?"
That was Father, always seeking clarity in things.
He was giving Mr Walter a consolation shake and a pat in the back when he answered,
"J, woke up this morning to see Andrew floating lifeless in the pool"
"He drowned?" My mother asked, shocked.
Ms J seemed taken aback. "Oh No. That is what the hospital thought to. But my boy couldn't have. He knew very well how to swim. You saw!"
"Of course, we did. We all did!" My mother confirmed, looking at all of us who nodded in agreement.
"What did the Police say? We saw them earlier today"
"That he hit his head and drowned"
"Unless that! Oh my God"
I looked at the pool just in time to see the remaining bloodied water being evacuated.
Ms J turned to me, "Go see Audrey, she's up in her room"
"I am so sorry for your loss, Ms J"
She nodded, sobbing silently into my mom's shoulders.
**************************************************
"You shouldn't have done that. I told you not to."
"That wasn't my intention. Besides he would have told on us"
"That doesn't mean you should have done it. It doesn't give you the right. I mean there could have been other options "
I stopped abruptly. I had been on my way to Audrey's room and overheard.
I turned to the direction of the voices , till I got to Charles room.
His door was cracked open, just a bit to see him and Audrey were having a serious conversation.
No way!
"It will be over soon, I promise you. The police are already suspecting an accident. They will close the case and we would be safe" Charles replied and Audrey sobbed loudly.
"He didn't deserve it, Charles. He didn't"
"You won't ever tell on me. Will you?"
Audrey moved over to the nearest window. "I already lost a brother. I will not lose another".
She sighed deeply resting her head against the window panes.
I could not move my feet anymore. There was no way, no way they killed their brother.
Charles went over to her and kissed her squarely in the mouth!
Jerking up, she asked, "Is that not Pat's mother?", she pointed her fingers to my mom downstairs.
And I knew that was a cue to leave
"They must have visited, which means—"
"Pat should be on her way up here" they chorused.
I turned to leave and my foot hit the large vase by the stairs.
I had always complained about that stupid vase.
Blood rushed to my ears, my adrenaline rose, and I found myself running.
Footsteps echoed behind me, voices calling my name, asking that I stopped.
Just as soon as I got to the compound, my mother saw me. "Pat! " She exclaimed, "What is wrong?"
"We have to go" I said, panting.
My Father creased his brow in confusion. "But we only just got here. What is wrong ? Where is Audrey?"
Charles appeared in the compound and I instinctively moved behind my mother
"Pat? Come on. It was a misunderstanding" he beaconed.
Hours ago, I would have believed him— his smile, His eyes.
Audrey appeared now, panting, crying.
"Pat, come on" he urged again.
Now everybody was confused. All eyes turned to me now.
"PAT, WHAT'S WRONG?!!"