Whisper in the Shadows

goodnight moon

The room spun. I scanned over the paper multiple times. This had to be a mistake. Why did my mother never tell me about this. Why did Rumen never tell me?! I could feel the tears clouding up my vision. I folded the paper back and threw everything back in the box. I put it under my arm and started out of the room, not bother to look anywhere but the floor. I slammed the book shelf back against the wall until I hear it click shut. I dropped to my knees and buried my face in my eyes.

This man looked like a werewolf. What did that mean for me? Werewolves. Is that why Miles ran away from me that day outside my office? Could he tell something was wrong with me? Why hadn't I ever pressed the issue about my real father with my mother? She told me to not bring it up around Rumen, because he raised me, he was my father. So why couldn't she tell me when he wasn't around? We had plenty of mother daughter dates. I shook my head trying to push the tears back. My whole body started to shake, even though the room wasn't cold at all. My entire life had been a lie.

-

I must have sat on the floor for hours going over different details and thoughts trying to come up with something. Maybe this was a certificate for someone with the same name as me. Maybe my mother had a twin and never told me. Maybe she was in witness protection and this was her old cover story. Each idea got more outlandish until I finally got the strength to pull myself up from the floor.

I walked into the kitchen. My head was pounding. I'm sure a combination of the knock out and the stuff in the box that I wasn't going to think about.

I drank a glass of water and sat it on the counter and just stared. Stared in nothing. Praying for some sort of answer to come. Of course one did not. I walked to the doorway entry and grabbed my phone. 11PM. Wow I was out for a while. I pulled up google and typed in the name on the birth certificate that may or may not have been mine.

Ganon Cole Leif

Multiple searches came up, most of which were in other languages, but after clicking page after page, a story came up about a farming village in Norway that donated half of their harvest for the year to a neighboring village who's crops had been devastated by a fire. I clicked on the article. A photo came up with an older version of the man from the photo, standing beside him was a girl who resembled him. She had the same long dark hair as mine, but her eyes were a deep ocean blue, where mine were a sea foam color. She also had curves that I only dreamed of. She was stunning. I quickly looked for the date and saw it was from two years earlier. I noted the address, and jotted down and gathered information I would need for my next plan of action.

-

I tried to dial the number for Dorian. This is the information he wanted. It was just a dial tone. Of course. So I did the only other thing I could think of and dialed Mr. Bogdan.

"Hello?" He answered groggily.

"Mr. Bogdan, I have a couple things of Rumen's I think you would like, do you think you could stop by sometime tomorrow?" I hurriedly and said.

"Uh, Mihaela, would it be easier to just drop them by my office tomorrow? Are you com-" he was mid-sentence when I interrupted him.

"I don't think this would be appropriate for the office", I said quietly.

"I understand. He said as if he was fully awake all of a sudden. I will leave now. Look for me in an hour". He said and hung up the phone.

Great, I can get this weird shit out of this house, and I know he will be discreet with disposing of everything as it will reflect on him if it got out. I ran to the bathroom and started pulling items I would need for my trip. My suitcase was stuck in the corner of the room, so I tossed it on the bed and started throwing stuff in it. It was the warm months in Norway, so nothing bulky was needed, but I wanted to dress in a way that was respectful, and not in my usually leggings and tees. I decided on packing only my favorite thin button down long sleeves (I don't get out in the sun much, don't want to blind anyone with my pale skin) and a mix of jeans and some shorts that had only been worn a hand full of times.

-knock knock knock-

I heard a loud bang on the door. I threw everything in my suitcase, and ran down stairs. I flung the door open, and there stood Mr. Bogdan looking very confused.

"Follow me", I commanded him, and he followed behind me as if he had no words. The last time he had seen me was when I was waving a gun in his face.

I pushed open the study doors, and he made a sound, "Mihaela, what in the hell did you do?" he asked looking around at all the books.

"Oh don't worry about those, I will get those fixed." I pointed at the step ladder I had placed behind the desk and then motioned upwards to the book. His eyes followed what I was pointing, and then shot back to me. "What's the book doing hanging there with no shelfs?" he asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I'll be packing in my room and will be leaving immediately. I have already sent an email for you to read when you arrive to work tomorrow morning. Please don't expect me back. I also have paperwork on the desk transferring ownership of my shares of the firm to you, effective tomorrow. We're going to act like you didn't come here today, but I promise you, whatever that book is doing, is more concerning to you, than it is to me", I finished without taking a breath.

He looked at me and nodded. "You know, I told him he should have told you, but he didn't want you to find out." He said quietly.

I only nodded in understanding but didn't ask any questions. I didn't know what he knew, and didn't want to know. I walked away. "Please lock up after you leave" I called to him as I closed the doors.

Back in my room I finished packing the last couple items I thought I would need. Extra socks, boots, sandals. I almost forgot a hat, so I walked to my dresser to grabbed my favorite ball cap, one from a carnival we had went to when I was a teenager, and Rumen insisted on buying because I was getting sunburnt from running around. It was so dirty and faded, but years of wearing had it broken in and made it so soft. I then placed the delicate box from the secret room that I had carefully wrapped in a towel at the top of my suit case. At that moment my phone started buzzing. The driver was here to take me to the airport. I quickly zipped up my suitcase, and hurriedly ran down the stairs. I slipped on my sneakers I had sitting by the front door, and opened the door. I sat my suitcase on the stairs for the driver to grab, and walked back to the table in the entry way. I double checked my flight tickets, and passport was in order. I slid my laptop case in my oversized purse, and took one last look at the inside of the house I had lived almost my entire life. I stepped outside and closed the door behind me. I took a deep breath and slid into the back seat of the car, not daring to look at the house getting smaller and smaller behind me as we drove off.