𝑮𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑩𝒐𝒚 ✓

Chapter 22

THE NEXT DAY, Mal woke up earlier than expected. She picked a black long-sleeved t-shirt and a pair of wide floral pants to match with black, wedge sandals, then hurried to the bathroom to change.

"Sweetie, are you awake?" her mother called through the door after a few minutes. Mal frantically ran out of the bathroom and opened the door for her mother.

"Oh, you're awake! And... dressed."

Mal nodded. "Yeah. Is Bryce awake yet?"

"Yeah, he's changing his clothes. Come downstairs to eat breakfast and then we can take off."

A few minutes later, Mal headed downstairs, to meet the sight of her four siblings, her mother, the dog Bella and their guests. Bryce sat next to his brother onto the dining table, drumming his fingers across the table in awkwardness.

Blake then reached out to grab his brother's hand to make him stop. Bryce gave him a look, then eventually stopped, by the time breakfast was served at the table.

"Here."

The breakfast consisted of baked beans, fried eggs, sausages, bacon, roasted mushrooms and tomatoes, along with orange juice. Mal smiled at the plate before digging in. Bryce, who sat to her left, was having a hard time eating whatsoever. The pair kept drifting off to what happened the day before.

Halfway through breakfast, Mal could hear police sirens in the distance. She glanced at Bryce, who was glancing back at her in shock.

"Okay, mum, time to go!" the girl spoke awkwardly, jumping up from her seat. Bryce did the same, causing Blake to send him a glare.

"I'm not done eating yet. This is so good it became my new addiction." Blake complimented. Nawal gave him an appreciative smile.

"Thank you, Blake, I made it from-"

"Mum! We need to go!"

Nawal sighed, getting up from her seat. "Fine, but wait till I wash my face."

"We'll wait for you at the car."

The three raced to the car, which was parked in the driveway. Since someone had to take the Gheisar's car home, they decided to take it instead of Nawal's Mercedes SUV.

"I'm scared." Bryce whispered. Mal nodded with a small 'me too' as she squeezed his hand, trying to reassure him.

The lady soon stepped in the car and turned on the engine. "You guys ready?"

"Yeah."

-

As soon as they arrived at the Gheisar Residence, Nawal stopped the car in shock. There were about three police cars parked in front of the house, which had an axe stuck at its door, as if someone tried to break in by smashing the door from the middle. Bryce gaped at the scenery in shock, then hurried out of the car, quickly followed by Mal. The pair spotted a familiar couple, recognized them as Nicole and Todd Gheisar. Bryce and Blake ran towards them, then wrapped them in tight hugs.

"Oh my God, we thought..."

"We're fine, we-"

Mal slowly stepped towards the family, causing Bryce to hurry towards her and hug her as tightly as possible.

"You just saved my life..."

"I... I didn't know he was actually going to do it."

Nawal approached the parents to greet them, then they all stood by their kids, trying to understand what was going on.

"Jake... Jake did it."

"What? How did you know?" Nawal asked her daughter. Mal shook her head, trying to stop her tears from filling her eyes.

"He has Schizophrenia. He killed his whole family and was planning to kill Bryce too."

Bryce gave her a questioning look. "But he... He talked to me yesterday, he was..."

"He thought you were God. He was asking God if he could forgive him for committing the ultimate sin- murder." Mal let out her phone and played the recording from the night before. As the family listened, they realized that she was right. It was all coming together.

"But then, if he was talking to God, he was planning on doing what he did, and then killing himself. Hence the I will come to you soon." Mal continued, making the others stare at her with wide eyes.

"Wait, so we have to stop him!"

"Sweetie, go give your phone to the police, and we'll see what happens after." Mal obeyed, then walked towards one of the police officers and gave her her phone. The police officer listened intently to Mal as she explained, then took the phone and put it in a plastic bag to bring it to the police station.

"Let's go to my house, okay? We'll spend the night there till the police are gone, okay?" Nawal offered. Nicole sighed gratefully as she gave her a hug.

"I don't know what we would do without you."

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