Shutter

Chapter 15 - Act 2 (Part 2)

[Act 2 – Soren Chandler, Age 7 – First Meet (2)]

Once they heard the announcement, Soren and his brother looked at each other before watching all the servants and butlers scurry to the door. Their hurried footsteps echoed loudly in the room before disappearing as if they had just passed through a graveyard.

"Mikel?" Soren reiterated the name earlier and Allistair's ears perked up.

Right. He was so distracted by the announcement and the hurrying servants that he forgot the main context of the message itself.

Master Dimitri and Young Master Mikhail.

The older child instantly got up and climbed the couch that was positioned just right below the window of the living room with Soren following suit as if it was a game. He even giggled and then laughed heartily as he raced with his older brother to see who could climb the couch faster.

When they finished climbing, Allistair first peeked outside the window making sure that only half of his head was visible and Soren did the same thing.

"Al? Who's coming?" Soren inquired.

"It's the son of our sponsors!"

"Oh..." Soren went silent after.

The gates of the mansion were opened and drove inside a slick, black car that made the children's eyes sparkle in amazement. It looked like one of the toy models they often see at the local shop they go to when buying food that is too expensive for their daily budget.

But that didn't end there. After the first car followed four more. The first four including the one that Allistair and Soren saw had similar models but the last one had the best design and model out of all the cars that arrived.

Soon, a bunch of men got out of the cars. Four people from the first to the fourth vehicle emerged totaling twenty men in black. The kids were so amazed at what they were seeing until Allistair noticed the things they carried.

'Guns?!' He exclaimed in his mind as it was obvious he was surprised when he saw the unnormal-looking weapons. They weren't simple pistols that he often saw gangsters carry on the streets of the city. These were high-caliber rifles that could fire a lot of shots in a short moment.

All twenty men in black carried these guns.

Finally, the door of the last car opened, and came outside the scary-looking man that talked to them last night. Unlike the other men who wore black suits, Dimitri came out wearing khaki-colored pants and a navy blue polo shirt. His hand held the smaller hands of a person who started coming out of the passenger's seat where Dimitri came out.

Alistair and Soren couldn't keep their eyes off of the person's hands. It felt like time slowed down as the anticipated young master slowly got out of the car.

But amidst their wait, the two children were alarmed when it looked like there was a commotion when all of the men in black gathered around the last car.

Even the servants rushed to where the people gathered while Miss Sophia only watched from the porch with her observant yet stern expression.

"What's happening?" Soren asked as the people started to clump together.

"I don't know..."

"Pia! Pia!" Soren ran to the woman's side as he clutched the garden apron soiled with dirt she was wearing. "What's happening?" He asked again but she did not respond immediately. Her gaze was still directed to the gathering happening around the car.

Allistair then followed as he stood beside the two.

The murmurs of people were evident even though it was quite far. The panicked faces of the servants were the most remarkable expressions that were identifiable from the group.