Ultio's List

Chapter 17

      Amber closed the front door softly as water dripped from her body. She walked up the stairs in a daze almost tripping in the process.

   Her mother gasped in shock as she saw he daughter mindlessly walking up the stairs soaked with water. "Amber! You should have stayed at Dorothy's place instead of walking back home." She cautioned as she rushed to her daughter's side.

    Amber shrugged her mother off and walked into her room. She slammed the door and made sure to lock it. Her mind filled with thoughts of the innocent family she made bereaved. Time and time again she wanted to believe it wasn't her fault, that she didn't know the officer was going to be there yet guilt ate her up inside.

    "Amber!?" Her mother called, knocking on the door. The woman bit her fingers worriedly as she pressed her ears against the door. She didn't hear a word and she wondered what went on. "Amber! Open the door now!"

   Amber sunk down to the ground as she held her head in her hands. She closed her eyes and saw a blurry shape of a woman and baby staring at her.

    "No no no." She muttered, biting her nails nervously. She took a deep breath and stood up yet her knees buckled and she found herself back on the floor. Tiny black dots clouded her vision and before she knew it, darkness over took her.

   After hearing the loud thud, Amber's mother knocked frantically. Horrific images flashed through her mind and she dialed her husband's number instantly.

    Half an hour later, the teen was carried out of her room by her dad while her mother cried. She quickly drew a bath for the girl and took her from her father.

   "What happened?" Her husband asked but the woman shook her head as a few drops of tears slid down her cheeks.

   "I.. I have no idea." She replied as she carried her daughter into the bathroom.
***
   "You killed him. You're a devil. You'll die too." Amber woke up with a start, drenched in sweat. She looked around and realized she was in her parents' room. She felt her neck for any sign of being strangled but nothing.

   "Baby, come downstairs for breakfast." Her mother smiled softly at her from the door. Amber nodded slowly while putting on her slippers that were beside the bed.

    She got to the dinning and saw her parents setting the table. A ghost of a smile reached her face as she watched them.

    "I made your favourite." Her mother said, drawing out a seat for her in the three seater dinning set.

   "Take those medications when you are done eating. You caught a cold sweetie." Amber's face fell into a frown at the mention of medications. Her father let out a hearty laugh at her childish behavior.

    The doorbell rang and the family looked at each other in confusion.

   "I'll go and see who's at the gate." Her father said. He went to the intercom by the door. He was met with a clear view of the police badge placed at the front of the camera outside. He opened the gate and let the officer come in.

   "Darling, who's it?" His wife asked.

    "An officer." He replied as he opened the front door. Amber's eyes snapped to the door. Her heart pounded in its cage as she heard her father talk with someone. The spoon in her hand fell off when she heard the name 'Okoye'

   "I'm sorry for disturbing you but I'll like to ask you people a few questions." Detective Okoye said. He looked at the couple in front of him with a blank look on his face and they nodded. "Is this the house of Mrs Enyong?"

   "It once was officer. She was our housekeeper, stopped working three to four years ago. Why do you ask?" Amber's father asked.

   "A phone number bearing her name was used to commit a very serious crime and the address at the telecommunication office is here." Okoye explained.