It was time for Will to go to sleep. His mother came to tuck him in. Once she closed the light and walked out of the room, Will took out a small flashlight he had hidden under his pillow. He took the book he had half-read from the bedside table and used the flashlight to continue where he left off. The story was getting exciting. He wanted to finish another chapter before he slept.
Once he finished that chapter, he thought about reading another chapter before he slept.
After reading a total of four chapters, he heard voices from outside his room. The voices sounded far but loud. He was sure the voices were not from outside the house. Their house was pretty big. He couldn't hear voices from outside the house, no matter how loud they were. Did they have guests so late at night?
Out of curiosity, he got off his bed and walked to the door. He was about to open the door when it opened by itself. Her mother rushed in before closing the door again. There was panic on her face. When she spoke, he could hear it in her voice as well.
"Will… There are… There are… bad people in the house. You must go into your secret hiding place," Her mother said with a shaking voice.
Will was confused. Wasn't it common for bad people to be inside their house? Didn't his father work with a lot of bad people? At least that was what his mother called the people working with his father. Why was it such a big deal now?
His mother didn't explain. She grabbed his hand and led him to a corner of the room. She was practically dragging him. The corner had a large pillar with fancy carvings.
Her mother pressed one spot of the pillar. A part of the pillar swung open, revealing a hollow space inside. The edges of the secret door were the lines of the carvings. When it was closed, no one would realize it was a door. Will was once told this secret hiding place was prepared when the house was built, so they could use it when playing hide and seek.
"Mother, why are we playing hide and seek so late in the night?" Will asked.
Her mother looked at him with a serious face. Will knew they were not playing then.
"Listen to me, Will. You listened carefully. Whatever you hear or see, do not come out. Do not come out until morning. Do you understand me?"
When Will didn't respond, she shook his body and said again, "Do you understand? Stay still and not make a sound until morning!"
She was trying to sound loud but kept her voice down at the same time.
"Ye… Yes, mother…," Will stammered.
His mother gently shoved him into the hollow space inside the pillar. It was not large. It was only enough for one person.
"Will you be hiding at your secret hiding place, too, mother?" Will asked.
"I will soon," her mother replied.
*BANG!*BANG!*
"What… What was that…?" Will asked. That loud sound came from outside. He also noticed her mother's face went pale at the sound.
His mother didn't move for a few seconds. When she did, she took out a small object and placed it in his hand. He looked at this small object and realized it was a flash drive.
"Will… If we are not with you when you come out in the morning, take this and go to Uncle Harrison…"
"Why are you not with me, mother…?" Will asked. He was scared.
"Damnit, Will! Just listen!"
This took him aback. His mother never used curse words on him.
"Listen carefully, honey. I love you," Will saw a tear roll down his mother's cheek. She hugged him tightly. She said again, "Go to Uncle Harrison. You remember him, don't you? He cut your hair several times. Do you remember his place?"
Will nodded.
"Good. Go to him and give him this flash drive. He will know what to do," His mother said. "And remember. Do not come out. Do not make a sound. Do you understand?"
Will nodded again.
His mother kissed his forehead, rather hard. When she let go, he saw another tear roll down her other cheek.
"I love you…," His mother said. She then closed the door to the secret hiding place.
It was dark inside. If the light outside were on, the light would usually come in through the tiny slit where the secret door's hinge was located.
He heard his mother's footsteps moving away. He heard the door to his room open, and he heard his mother gasp. A thin line of light appeared inside his hiding place, which meant someone had opened the light outside. He then heard an unfamiliar voice, a man's voice.
"Missus Tuton. We were wondering where you are. We couldn't find you in your bedroom. Where is little Will?"
Will tried to lean onto the small slit where the light was coming in to see what was going on outside, but the slit was too narrow. He could hardly see anything.
"He… He is staying overnight at his friend's house!" He heard his mother's voice.
"Is he, now?" The man's voice was heard again.
"Leave us alone, you bastard! Does your father know about this, Wade?"
"My father is already old. He still thinks the old way works. All that honor and bullshits. That garbage doesn't mean anything now. If I am to ensure my family's legacy, I must eliminate our competitor in this Fortune City. He might not be ambitious enough, but I am. I am here to make sure of that. Now… If you please, hand me that flash drive your husband has been keeping."
"I don't know what you are talking about…"
"Don't make this difficult, missus. I would hate to have to see my two boys get their hands on your body."
Will heard the voice of several men chuckling. She then heard her mother's voice again, "I will not let you lay your hands on me!"
Following that was the voice of the man his mother called Wade, "She has a gun!!"
*BANG!*BANG!*BANG!*
Everything went silent after three gunshot sounds.
No, not silent. Will was just too shocked by the sound. He now realized someone was groaning.
"Boss, Dean has been shot," A voice he had never heard before said.
"Fuck Dean," Wade replied. "Look at her! How are we supposed to question her now? Couldn't you aim at her arms or legs instead of her head? You, fucking idiot!"
"She… She was aiming at you, boss…"
"Fuck you! Now, search the house! Find that flash drive, or that kid. If that kid is not around, find out which friend's house he is staying at for the night!"
"What about Dean, boss…?"
"Do what you are told! If Dean is still alive after we find the flash drive, then we'll bring him to a doctor!"
Will leaned back into the wall inside his hiding place. He made no sound. What accompanied him was the darkness with the small slit of light, and the man's groaning. He didn't know how long it took, but the groaning finally stopped.
He remained silent while waiting in the dark.