The Loophole

Chapter 2- Catherine Peterson- Pretending To Be Valiant

HELLO everybody!!!!! sooo this is the second chapter of my story..... hope u like it. I dedicated this chapter to Abeera for being such a sweet and adorable friend :D:)))

So this chapter is from Catherine Peterson- the main character's point of view.

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Darkness falls across the land,

The midnight hour is close at hand.

Creatures crawl in search of blood

To terrorize y'alls neighborhood…….

Michael Jackson’s thriller from Dona’s party last night was still playing in my head. It was my mom who woke me up. I think she even slept in my room last night; I vaguely remembered feeling her firm grip around my waist all night. But I was too exhausted and sleepy to make sure.

“How was the party, pumpkin?” she asked gently, trying to sound very normal. But I could sense the anxiety and fear in her tone. I placed my head on her lap and wrapped her hands in mine.

“It was great, mom. Dona played a wonderful host as always. The food was utterly delicious. The music was amazingly groovy. The guys were insanely hot.” I winked at her and she winked back at me. Then her smile slowly faded away and her face resumed wearing a worried expression. I finally sat up and said, “Mom, stop bothering yourself about me, you are not worth it.”

“Do you hear yourself, pumpkin? I am a mother and it is my job to bother myself about my child!” mom got annoyed.

Stop being so adorable, mom!

“Mom, have faith in me. I am different. That rascal has to go through hell and back to harm me. Besides, dad didn’t make me a black belt for nothing!”

Then I took her lovely face in my cold hands and said, “No one can hurt me when I have you, when I have dad, when I have Cedric….” I could not hold back my tears this time.

Mom wiped my cheeks and asked, “Are you sure about that boy, pumpkin? I mean he seems too old- ”

“Mom, stop being so over-protective!” I whined childishly.

“Ok! Ok!” said mom, trying to defend herself but in vain. “Now, get ready quickly, or you’ll get late for school.” Mom left my room but her sweet fragrance was still lingering in the air.

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I went down for breakfast and found my punctual dad already at the table, reading the newspaper as if he needed to know it by heart. As with every other morning, the monotonous voice of the morning news reader on TV played like background music.

“Dad, you read news, you hear news, you eat news, you breathe news- ”

“Anything for you, pumpkin….” Dad cut me off and planted a soft kiss on my forehead.

What’s wrong with you, dad……?

“Dad, so a serial killer is out combing the London city to get rid of all the Catherines. But even serial killers have a life, don’t they? Don’t you see? It’s been a month already and no other Catherine had to give her life. That looser must have given up by now, or he must have found a Catherine good enough to bring his humanity back. Besides, the media always exaggerates a bit too much!”

“You don’t get it, pumpkin!” dad objected. “This killer tends to have one month gap between each of the murder that he commits. Seems like our days of ignorance and repose are over. Now, we need to be careful more than ever. It’s about time he finishes a fifth Catherine and there is no way you can deny this ugly fact.” Dad looked really vulnerable, and the sight made me feel more insecured than I already was.

“Dad, I understand mom’s womanly nerves,” Mom gave me a glare. “But you are my tough guy, aren’t you?” Dad smiled feebly and took both me and mom in his robust arms. “I just want my family to be safe and happy,” he whispered.

“You want it, you got it!” I assured my dad.

On this emotional note we finished our breakfast. I packed my bag and my dad escorted me to our car. He had even started to drive me to school. Eyes roll….

“I talked with the local police station….. The cops are willing to provide us with extra security at night” Dad informed me. I did not say anything.

“Oh, by the way, the fourth Catherine has finally come out of her coma.” Dad broke the silence again.

“Oh, that’s good news…..” I said absent-mindedly.

I could not help feel guilty. I was being such a pain in the butt to all the good people around me. And yet they would never stop loving me and protecting me. All of a sudden, my very existence had turned against me.

I was waiting to get punished…… And my only fault was that my name is Catherine.

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