I looked into the mirror and saw the killer. The killer is me. Zack Hyde.
Shocked by the truth, I stared at the mirror for a quite long time.
"Mister? Are you ok? You look pale." The girl asked.
"...no..its nothing."
I returned her mirror to her tiny hands.
"Thank you....err.. come to think of it.. I never got your name."
"Its Elisa , nice to meet you Mister!"
"Nice to meet you to Elisa, I am ...Michael"
"Mister mister, can we play something?"
"Play? I'm not sure if it's a good time though, you see Mister is kind busy at the moment."
Elisa frowns.
"Does that mean a no?"
I looked into her eyes..feeling bad, I decide to play with her.
"Sure, what should we play?"
"Let's play doll! I have a doll house right over here."
She ran inside her room and showed her doll house.
As I was about to come in she stopped me.
"This is the guard, to enter the castle please clean yourself first."
She said that as she was mimicking a guard.
"huh?"
"Mister! There is something at your face. Clean it."
"Ah! You're right."
I ran to the bathroom and washes my face.
I walk back to Elisa room and she have already prepared the toys.
"So? what are we going to play today?"
She grabbed two dolls, one doll have a mustache with a top hat and one doll wears a beautiful dress.
"You will be playing this one mister!"
She hands me the doll with a mustache.
"So,how do we play this?"
She started with her doll, she grab herself a mini cup and started talking.
"Mr.Michael, nice weather we are having today."
suprisingly she is quite good at this, she sure can ventriloquy.
"Indeed, the weather is really nice."
We continued to play for hours. Suprisingly, playing with her was honestly fun and relaxing. All my anxiety is gone. I'm grateful, if it were not for her. I would never calm down.
"Heeey! Dinner's ready!"
Oh, Dave is calling us? Wait..its Dinner already ?!
"Coming!" Elisa replied.
She immediately ran downstairs and went straight to the kitchen.
I stare at the messy toys scattered all around.
"Sheesh, atleast clean up the mess."
I clean up her toys and went straight for dinner. Suprisingly, Dave didn't force me to speak up about the murder.
After we are done, we clean up and went straight to bed.
That night, I think to myself.
Should I tell him the truth, should I lie or should I pretend that I can't see the murderer.
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If I were to lie...I would feel bad. He is trying soo hard to find the murderer...
But... If i were to tell the truth... What would happen to me?
Will i be sent to the Asylum?
Will he kill me?
I don't want neither of those... I don't want to die.
As the night the falls, I began to feel sleepy.
.....................................................
I woke up early in the morning...
I went to the living room and meet Dave.
I told him.
I can't seem to remember everything.
He seems to believe me...
I asked Dave.
"Can I stay here for another day?"
"Sure, stay here as long as you like. Elisa seems to like having you around since I am quite busy with work."
"..Can I ask you? What do you do for a living?"
"I used to work as a wizard at the Arangard King's Castle.. I retired eversince I got married. Now I'm working as a researcher."
"I see..."
For some reason..I felt really guilty. I..I... I can't continue this.
I told him the truth.
"Dave..I'm the murderer.
I told him everything...I even told him about my reincarnation. About the asylum. Everything...
Shocked by the truth. He yells.
"GET OUT!!"
I was kicked out from the house... Luckily he doesn't kill me or call the police on me.
I decide to leave the house and never return.
.......................................................................
Inside a room filled with books there is a man. He is crying. That man is Dave.
"DAMN IT!!"
He threws his book.
"THIS...all things...was I talking to a crazy man? is that what I WAS DOING! ALL OF THIS? IS A FUCKING WASTE OF TIME!"
He yells loudly.
*knock* *knock*
Someone is knocking at the door.
"Come in"
It is Elisa.
"Papa..Where is Mr.Michael?"
"...Michael is no longer here, forget about him."
Elisa is worried about her father.
"Papa..Is everything ok?"
"Yes,everything is ok. Please get out"
"No! Papa is lying, Papa is always telling everything is ok. Papa never tells his problem to Elisa! Elisa wanted to help papa too!"
"ENOUGH!...Elisa...please just... get out"
Elisa rans out from the room..crying.
An hour passes....
Dave calmed down and get out from his room. He went to Elisa room.
"Elisa, papa is making dinner...is there anything that you wa-?"
Dave sees the room empty.
"Elisa? Elisa!"
Dave searches around the house for Elisa.
But then, He saw Maria..at the living room....Maria is sleeping soundly.
He started to gather his thought......
If Maria didn't invite my wife to her random date...IF ONLY SHE LEFT HER OUT FROM THE TROUBLE!
.................................................................................
Meanwhile, Elisa is at the town. She seems to be searching for someone.
"Mister! Where are you!"
"Mister!"
A guard then approaches Elisa.
"Excuse me, little girl. Are you perhaps are lost?"
"...No..I .. I"
Elisa slowly started to tears up.
"Excuse me, I am her guardian"
Elisa looks up and wipe her tears. It is Michael!
"Mister! I've been searching for you"
"Searching for me?"
After listening to Elisa story. I immediately rush back.
As I arrive. I had a bad feeling.
I opened the door slowly...
The living room is empty.
We explored the house.
We check the rooms, the kitchen and even the bathroom. There is no one there.
There is only one place we didn't check.
It was Dave work area. The room that is filled with books.
As we enter the room...The room is a mess. However I knew something is wrong.
I checked the room and I saw something suspicious.
There is a paper on the floor, but it have a wheelchair's tyre printed on it.They are close by.
Elisa is also helping. She searched around the room with me. While she is walking. Elisa tripped and fell.
THUMP
"Hey, Elisa are you ok?"
"Ouch...!"
Elisa saw something under the bed. It looks like a switch. She immediately pressed it.
"Hey wait!"
Suddenly the book case opens up. It is a stairs that lead downstairs. It doesn't seem deep, but it is dark.
"Something smells" Said Elisa.
This smells...!
I immediately ran downstairs hoping that I was wrong.
"Wait up!" Said Elisa.
I arrived first and it is what I expected, it is the smell of blood. It is Maria and Dave bodies.
It is a sight that all kids should have not experience.
As Elisa walks down the stairs, I immediately covers her eyes.
"Elisa..lets get out from here."
"Huh? but what about papa?"
"Elisa. Let's have dinner!"
I tried to change the topic but I failed.
Elisa bit my arm and I accidently let go of my hand.
"Ouch! Elisa CLOSE YOUR EYES!"
She saw it. She saw the body of her father that she loved so much. The father that tried his best to raise her.
Tears began to build up and falls. Elisa cries .
"Papa...talk to me..papa Elisa won't be bad anymore please wake up."
She touches Dave hands...it is cold.
"Aunty...Aunty Maria...let's play like we always used to.."
I grabbed Elisa shoulder.
"Elisa..Let's get out."
We get out from the house.
I thought to myself..What should I do? Should I report it to the guards? But...If they started asking question, they would found out who I am,
What should I do?
I asked Elisa a question.
"Elisa, do you have any other relatives?"
"No."
"..Elisa, do you want to stay here?"
"...I..don't know..."
"Then, do you want to leave this place?"
"Leave? But where should we go?"
"I don't know, but it is better than staying here doing nothing."
"But what about papa and aunty?"
".... Elisa....I'm sorry...all of this...happen because of me... "
I started to cry, this is the guilt that I would carry for the rest of my life.
.........................................................................
That night, while Elisa is sleeping.. I make a report to the guard about Dave and Maria death.
That night, I also left Elisa. I don't want Elisa to be with me. I don't want to hurt her more.
I left the town and promise to myself. I will never ever return back here.
..........................................................................
The case of Maria and Dave's death have been solved within a day.
According to the guards Dave killed Maria with a knife. After that, due to guilt, Dave commit suicide.
for Elisa their daughter. She was transferred to foster home.
.....................................................................
If only I reject Dave proposal, If only I didn't tell him the truth... None of this would have happen.
I....really don't know what to do anymore.
I pack my stuff and go on my way.