From Cradle to the Grave

Chapter 36

Chris's POV

I had just gotten off the plane and was hurling through the airport out to the exit. I was excited to be back home. Seattle was horrible. Not the place, just the meetings I had to attend. I was way too glad to be back home.

I was way too glad and excited to meet my girlfriend.

Jasmine has been acting weird since the last few days. She might think I didn't notice, but I did. I notice every small detail about her. Yup, that's how crazy she makes me.

Sometimes it still scares me just how much I love her. If I even see myself as an outsider for just a second, I would be disappointed with me. But that's the thing. I wasn't disappointed. Not at all. She was the best thing to ever happen to me. And I would be damned if I fucked that up with my still nagging thoughts.

As my cab reached our street, a sudden feeling gripped me. I wasn't sure what it was, but something didn't feel right. Not the roads, not the houses, not the streetlights.

Something was definitely not right.

I was about to brush off my paranoia as something trivial and stupid when what I saw in front of me left me freezing to the core.

There were several police cars in front of Jasmine's house. People were crowding the area and there seemed to be chaos everywhere.

"Shit!"

I jumped out of the cab and ran towards the crowd. Once I reached there, I saw that the whole area was sealed. I saw Jasmine's parents outside on the porch talking to some police officers. Her mother was crying hysterically and her father was trying to console her. He himself looked close to tears.

I was about to run towards them when some police officers stopped me.

"I'm sorry sir but you can't go in. This whole area is sealed."

I wanted to punch something or someone. Damn it! I just wanted to be near Jasmine.

"What the hell happened here?!!!" I bellowed. "What's going on? Where's Jasmine?"

"Sir we've to ask you to please step back. This is a police case now. Only immediate family members can go in."

I was clutching my hair by now and could feel my heart ready to jump out of my chest. Not knowing what was going on was making me crazy.

"Listen, I need to go in. I need to talk to her family. I need to see, I need to know what's going on." I pleaded with the officer.

He gave me a not-so-pleased look. I would've punched all of his teeth out but I needed to stay calm.

Stay calm, Chris. Stay calm.

"And who would you be?"

I was about to say I was her boyfriend but stopped. Damn! I would've just blown the entire cover in a moment of panic.

"Cousin. I'm her cousin." I myself cringed internally at my submission. That was the only thing I could say. I couldn't say brother. I wasn't close to looking anything like her brother.

The officer regarded me for a moment but eventually sighed and let me go.

I ran towards the porch to confront her parents, when I saw him.

Andrew.

He was sitting on a dark corner of the porch, with his hands on his head. He looked distressed.

I tried to gulp down the fear and anxiety coursing up my throat as I approached him.

"Andrew?"

He looked up abruptly and widened his eyes in shock. His eyes were bloodshot as if he was about to cry.