Friends Files

Chapter 9: HIDE AND SEEK CASE (SKINNED)

Chapter 9: HIDE AND SEEK CASE (SKINNED)

Willow's Pov

After I went home, I saw everyone there crying, I just stand there and keep watching them. A minute later, Mom noticed me and come in front of me. She looks at me with teary eyes before she pulled me into a hug.

"It's fine now, Scarlet. You can cry now," she comforts. I hugged her back saying, "It's not over Mom,"

She looks at me confusedly. "I still didn't manage to give Uncle full justice," I continue.

"What do you mean?"

"We caught the killer that is responsible for this but not the mastermind. That's why I can't cry now, Mom. I need to finish this before letting my emotions take over me,"

She stepped back slowly and looks at me scared. I noticed that everyone was now looking at me shocked. "A-are you g-going to meddle with police work again?! Willow! Your aunt told me that you sacrifice yourself and got shot and hit on your head!! And you're still going to meddle with the police work! Are you planning to die?!! Look, Willow, we already lose your uncle, I can't manage it if I also lost you too. Please, don't do this," Mom begged. I just look at nothing blankly but deep inside I was hurting. I know how worried Mom is but I can't just let this set aside. If I don't do this, many people will die. I'm sorry Mom.

"Mom, if I don't do this many people will meet the same thing as Uncle, and I can't do that. I need to do this even if you don't want to Mom. If it's to bring justice to those that they killed, I'll do it," I look at Mom who is already kneeling and crying. "Mom, you told me before 'if no one gonna be brave enough to step up to tell or find the truth, then do it yourself,' and that's what I'm going to do,"

I leave them behind and went to my room. I throw myself on the bed and try to stop the tears that are begging to fall. I close my eyes trying to ease the pain I'm feeling inside my heart. Without knowing I fell asleep.

****

I open my eyes when I felt thirsty.  I went downstairs to drink some water and when I turned around, I saw Faith. If I didn't experience too much shock the past few days, I already flinch badly when I saw her.

"What are you doing here, Faith? How do you get inside?" I asked her but she was just looking at me sadly. "Is something wrong?"

"Scar, be careful. Protect yourself and our friends. I'm counting on you," she said smiling sadly.

After that, I woke up, sweating badly. A dream? Why am I dreaming of Faith now? Why is she telling me to be careful and protect our friends? I look at the clock and it's already past 9 a.m. I know that I'm late for class but I have no energy to go to school.

I stand up and do my morning routine.  When I finished I look at my phone and saw 5 missed calls from Captain Li. I dialed her number and after a few rings, she answered.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Captain Li? Why are you calling me?"

"Scar, come to xxx, something happened,"

"What happened?"

"Faith................. she's dead,"

After she said that I immediately run outside the house. I arrived at the place she told me. There were so many people and I squeeze through to see Faith's situation. I manage to get in front and I saw her situation. I got frozen by what I saw until I felt someone cover my eyes.

"Don't look at it," he said but I already saw it. She was

Skinned.

I removed his hand and look at him. "What happened to her, Mr. Li?" yes, it was him. Captain Li's son.

"Somebody reported earlier that they found a dead body so we immediately came here. Mom recognizes the uniform she was wearing and thought that it was related to the case we were investigating. After we found her belongings, we confirmed that she was related to you that's why Mom called you to come here," he explained.

I clenched my hands knowing the reason why this happens. Suddenly, a medical came to us. "Did you manage to find the cause of her death?" Captain Li's son asked.

"Yeah, the one who did this is a cruel monster. We didn't find any major injuries on her neither minor injuries. It looks like the cause of her death was blood loss due to being skinned alive,"

Both of us got stuck where we were standing and my face darkened. How dare he? How dare he to do this? Why is he doing this?

I want to shout and let out my anger but I need to calm myself. I can't let my emotions take over me, being angry won't solve this. I need to calm down.

I close my eyes and breathe in and out to calm down myself. After a few minutes, I calmed down. Captain Li's son is still in front of me and looking at me.

"Do you manage to calm down now?" he asked and I nodded. "Come to think of it, I didn't manage to introduce myself to you yesterday. I'm Elliott. Elliott Matthew Li. I'm 20. You are?".

"Scarlet. Willow Scarlet Smith. 18," I reply and turn around since he was behind me when covered my eyes earlier. When I turned around my eyes widened. Faith. She was looking at me.

"I'm 2 years older than you?" I ignored him and keep looking at Faith. Then, she pointed out something. I look at where she was pointing and I saw someone acting suspiciously. I immediately run at him and he started to run away.

Elliott's Pov

I got confused when she suddenly run away and I look in the direction she was going. There I saw someone running away from her and I immediately know why.

"Mom! He's here!!," I shouted and run after him too. I heard many footsteps behind me indicating they are also following us.

We keep chasing him inside the forest since the crime happened in front of the forest. I saw the guy pull out a gun and shoot at something. I saw a large trunk going to hit Scarlet, making me run was start and pulled her. We fell to the ground and look in the direction where the suspect ran. Damn it! We lost him. I stand up and help Scarlet to stand up.

"We lost him," she said anger plastering in her face.

"Don't worry, we will manage to catch him soon. Now that he has no other option but to kill his target on his own," I said and she hummed.

"You two go back to the headquarters.  Archie, deploy our man to search the area, he must be still right here," Mom ordered when they manage to catch up on us. Scarlet started to walk back and I followed her. She back to thinking again ignoring my presence. 'She's really something else' I thought. Only talking to me when it's necessary and ignoring me like I wasn't here at all. She's really different from other girls.