Kronos (Book One)

Setting Sail

They couldn't believe what they had seen yesterday. It had to be fake.

If I could have stopped him, this wouldn't have... He would be...

Hikari shook her head to reread the pages of the lab report she copied. There had to be something she's missing.

The report mentioned a possible weapon used in the stabbing incident:

      "Due to the nature of the attack, it wasn't multiple stab attempts that occurred. The best hypothesis is a blade with three sharp points that entered the victim's body simultaneously."

She got sick just from reading that, but she mustered onward. She researched online for a blade that fit the criteria.

If I can pinpoint the weapon and cross reference with past articles, I can find out who did it and report them to the authorities. Could it be a gang member or someone crazy? Either way, I need to find my little brother.

While this happened, Penelope's daughter wouldn't stop wailing. Her grandpa and grandma have been taking turns trying to soothe her, but nothing worked.

Penelope stared at the turned off TV thinking about the news. The tote bag had his blood on it. He was stabbed and she doesn't know if he's alive or.... She didn't know what to think. She just felt empty inside.

Misha wrapped a blanket around her best friend and held her for the longest time.

"Mom? I want to hold my girl", she finally spoke.

"Let me get her from your dad."

Delphine brought Penelope her daughter who's still crying her lungs out.

Penny rocked her back and forth. "I know you miss your dad, precious. I miss him too. He's just away, but he will be back to us. I promise you."

The comforting words of her mom soothed her frustration. She's finally quiet.

"We just need to be strong for a little bit longer. I'm going to put her down", she told Misha.

"Okay."

As Penny came down the stairs, she overheard a conversation among the clinking of dishes in the sink.

"I can't believe it", her father said.

"I don't want to", her mother puts away a washed dish.

"Should we admit that he's no longer here?"

"Don't say that, Nicholas! We don't know if he's still alive out there", his wife scolded in a hushed voice.

"I know. But those holes and his blood. I don't want to say it, but he could be-"

"He's not dead!", Penny stormed in with a yell.

Nicholas and Delphine were surprised that their daughter was listening to them. Her voice alarmed Misha and Hikari to walk over.

"He's not dead! I refuse to admit that!", Penny repeated.

"Penny, sooner or later, you have to face the truth that he-"

"SHUT UP! He promised to be here for me and our child! He wanted to use his vacation days for us to go as a family. He wanted to be the great dad that his father wasn't. He wanted to tie her shoes and fend off boys. That he would protect her from the world. That he would see her off to college. And that we would grow old together", she broke down into tears.

Nicholas goes to his daughter, but she pushed him away. "Don't touch me."

"It hurts me to see you like this. Do you think I'm happy to admit the truth? I lost a son today!"