Don't Call Me 'Son' (Jeff the Killer Fanfic) [2nd Place in Jeff the Killer 2016]

Chapter 11

(^^^^^ Me, when I get a notification on this website.... I'll be genuinely surprised if people still read this poop.)

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After a month of searching, everything was settling into place.

Michael already looked into the weird website called Cleverbot,. So far, Michael found nothing, but Jake was there to support him financially (as well as emotionally). Liberty, on the other hand, was preoccupied with her own task. What was her purpose in all this? She had to find the origins of Natalie Moss, particularly the life she had before having Michael.

Addresses, names, origins, countermeasures: All of these were needed to set Liberty on the right path. It all started with the flier. Liberty had already looked into Natalie's old apartment and job, but each one was demolished or under new management. Without having to look through any back alleys, or having to scramble through encrypted documents, however....

Liberty found everything after a thorough investigation.

No- To put it simply, she was finally able to find this particular house.

Hands in her pockets, Liberty stood on an empty sidewalk, her eyes darting upwards to look up at a home that was groomed and well-kept. The grass was cut with care and the flowers were finely manicured to fit the welcoming atmosphere. It was almost alarming how straight the bushes were. Not a single leaf out of line. And the windows were spotless, not a trace of leaves on the yard despite there being a tree in front of their window.

On the side of the house, there was a gate that had a considerable amount of locks, indicating that they had a backyard and that the neighborhood wasn't as friendly as it seemed. Either that or the people living in this particular house were untrustworthy.

These people were very tidy....

Cautious.

And judging by the rosary and cross stickers printed on their car, they were highly religious.

Liberty made mental note of that as she walked up to the house, her expression hard and contemplative. Though she worked hard to become an investigator, Liberty had very little experience when it came to visitation. Particularly without a partner by her side. Liberty always had a habit of being too straightforward and stubborn. She couldn't just sit by while people were obviously suffering. She had that habit since she was a kid, after all. 

Swallowing, Liberty withdrew a hand from her pocket once she reached the door, her eyes scanning her surroundings like her life depended on it.

As the trees rustled above her, Liberty took it upon herself to scan the house one more time. A tidy, spotless house. Religious icons in -and outside- the windows. A bad, quiet neighborhood. Yeah, these were all signs Liberty wasn't enjoying. This was just like her childhood home. Her father always bought the most expensive interior and outdoor designers, just to keep up appearances. 

Not to mention, he often made her attend church, despite not being baptized himself. 

These people... They were living in this area to hide, to disappear. So, why here? Wouldn't they want to live in a safer neighborhood?

Another minute went by before she raised her finger to the doorbell and struck it.

Though there was so much to notice outside of the house, Liberty could only find more clues once she lowered her head to the ground.

The dirty brown of the doormat was what caught her attention first, and she steadily lowered her eyes along the outlines of the mat. A big, cursive "Welcome" greeted her eyes, but on further inspection, she was caught off guard. No- She was intrigued that the flat decoration was barely scrapped with dirt. The doormat was surprisingly clean despite the heavy rain that followed this area, which meant these people rarely had guests over.