Chapter 7: The Warning

Uncle Frank squatted down and examined the woman’s corpse, his face growing darker by the second. He ran a calloused hand over his face, eyes narrowed. The tension in the air was so thick, it felt like the whole house might collapse under its weight.

My mother called out to him twice, but he only sighed and stood up. She tried to get his attention, her voice shaking, but he ignored her. The sigh he let out was long and heavy, like he was carrying a hundred pounds on his shoulders.

“This is not something easy to deal with. If you aren’t careful, your whole family could end up buried with her.”

His words sent a chill through the room. The warning was clear—this was bigger than any of us. Even Derek looked uneasy.

My mother panicked. “Uncle Frank, you have to think of something. Derek—he’s your...” She reached out, desperate for help, but her voice faltered. Even she knew how deep the trouble ran.

Before she could finish, Uncle Frank cut her off sharply. He gave my mother a cold glance, and she immediately shut up. He didn’t need to say a word. His glare was enough to freeze her mid-sentence. She backed away, biting her lip.

Derek is my brother’s name. The fact echoed in my mind, as if it mattered more now than ever. I watched the way everyone moved around him—careful, scared.

I instinctively felt they were hiding something from me, but since they wouldn’t say, I didn’t dare ask. A knot tightened in my stomach. There were secrets here I was too afraid to touch, and no one was going to let me in on them.