HAUNTED PRINCE by DENIS DANIEL (children's ebooks free online txt) 📕

“Steven Adams,” I heard someone calling from far and suddenly the sound snatched me back to the present which wasn’t very good either. I was in this room, the same room I was in two years ago answering the same questions. With the same man staring at me, “What is that thing you are doing?” for the first time he didn’t look angry, rather scared.

I blinked several times and helped the few tears drops that were at the edge of my eyes to flow down my cheeks and wiped them away as quickly as they came out. I didn’t want him to notice how sensitive that topic was to me. It was too late though, because he quickly gained his composure. I guess he thought this was the time to press harder maybe he finally managed to crack my defenses. He sat straight ready to start over. But we heard someone yelling outside, at first I thought it was a criminal shouting his last wishes for revenge after getting out of jail.

However, the voice became familiar each second, and when I finally recognized it I knew things were about to get a whole lot more interesting. Mom was shouting outside demanding to see me. Since I knew what kind of temper her and Ashley had there was no way the police could use to stop her, unless they arrest her as well. I couldn’t help the smile that was escaping my lips at that time, finally I was going to get out.

“It’s your mother, isn’t it?” he asked raged,

I couldn’t help the amusement. So I just raised my hands and shoulders as in I’m not really sure. But I was sure he already knew from someone struck by stupor to someone smiling widely. I’m sure he already read the signs.

And of course he did, he stomped out of the room to go handle the situation because it seemed like his deputy wasn’t doing a very good job. Mom was shouting and the man’s voice was speaking in the same volume, assuming that was the deputy. It sounded chaotic.

After couple seconds the shouting ceased. I waited to see what will happen next, since I was still in interrogation, sort of. I had no right to get out at least not yet. I didn’t know what he was going to do with her since the man wanted me in jail really bad. Especially now that he knew my sensitive parts. I was sure he was cooking something good for me on his mind.

But quite a while passed without him coming back. I thought he forgot about me or he was trying to hide me from mom and Ashley. I didn’t like the idea at all, if he was going to succeed I was never going to get out, ever. I was sure he would turn me into a lab rat just to mutilate the truth out of me. I wished he could just believe me. But that concept too was futile, he would never believe.

Out of the depth of my frustration I heard the door suddenly opened roughly and snatched me back to the present. I didn’t know what to think. First I was shocked and terrified because of the action. I thought it was him coming back for more questioning.

But thankful it wasn’t him, it was Ashley standing by the door her eyes all puffy and wet. I didn’t know how she managed to get to me but I was glad. The obvious signs that she’d cried worried me. I got up relieved but a little sad seeing her that way. Surprisingly I couldn’t even take a single step before she rushed to me and threw herself to me, to a bear hug.

I stumbled on the chair a little before gaining my balance again and then hugged her back. She held on tight to me as if something was pulling her back and she was clinging to me not wanting to go.

“I thought they took you away from me forever.” She stammered on her cry.

“You saw when they took me?”

“Yes, and I was very worried. I didn’t know what to do that’s why I called mom. I’m sorry.”

“Ash, its fine. That was the right thing to do. There is no way you could get me out without calling mom.” She was worried that I would be mad because she told mom I was arrested.

I pulled back and wiped the tears from her cheeks, she looked so vulnerable. One of the rarest moments you’ll find Ashley in such condition. She was a strong girl who never showed her weaknesses easily. Except for me on rare occasions. If I was someone else I would’ve been pretty surprised with her, but it was me and I knew her better than anyone.

She looked into my eyes after she stopped crying and caressed my cheeks gently and left her hands on my cheeks for a while. But out of nowhere her expression changed,

“And why did you leave without saying anything? Did you think I wouldn’t know?” she slapped on my right cheek feigning anger.

“Well because I didn’t think it was something serious, and I would be back even before you know it.” But that wasn’t the reason I didn’t tell her. I didn’t want her to get involved.

“Police officers coming to your house, isn’t something serious. Who are you kidding?” she raised an eyebrow.

“I wasn’t thinking of it that way. Anyways can we get out of here, it makes me nauseated. We can keep talking on our way home.” I took her arm with both my hands and put it around my shoulder because of the handcuffs, and got out of the Room.

That was such a relief to me because I expected Ashley to see the pictures on the table the moment she got in the room. But she never took her eyes off me. The sheriff was really going out of his mind. How could he leave that folder on the table just like that? But considering the amount of anger he had, he certainly wasn’t thinking straight.

Outside there was a huge office and desks were on both our sides. The sheriff office was at the corner. Once he saw me through his glass door he bolted on his feet and came out leaving mom inside. I felt a cold shiver going down my spine. This action wasn’t a good sign he was either going to punch me or shove me back inside that room.

It only took him five huge steps, or maybe I imagined but he got to us really fast. And found myself froze in place unable to move. Ashley stood by my side unshaken and without a single sign of fright on her face. If I was right she was rather furious at the man, but she didn’t do anything crazy.

“Who told you, you could get out?” he almost snarled with those hissing words.

Fortunately mom was right behind him so she came to my rescue because my only instinct was to run crawling back into that room, even though I didn’t like it in there. I had no balls to rebel against someone like him.

“He will not go back in there. You and I both know you can’t keep him here. So you’ll let him go or I will take other measures. It’s your call.” She was calm but nothing about her expression showed calmness. It was intense and she had this soul piercing look. Even I got shivers.

The sheriff wasn’t willing to go down easily, he was reluctantly agreeing despite his body going rigid for it. But eventually he gave in and shrugged. He even looked like he’d been smacked with something on the face.

“I’m not done with you boy.” He sneered while he was removing my handcuffs. If he was a dragon he would’ve swallowed me whole in a heartbeat.

“Come on Steve, let’s get out of here.” Ashley pulled my hand and led us to the door, while her eyes were still on the sheriff. I was sure she hated the guy.

Once we were out mom was behind us. We got in the back seat of her car, and in a matter of seconds we were on the road going home.

“Thanks mom, for coming to get me out.”

“Steven there is no need to thank me. Which mother won’t run to help their children in trouble? Besides you were innocent.” she looked back for a second and smiled.

“Did he tell you why he arrested me?” I got a little nervous because I didn’t want her to find out my big problem yet.

“He said you are a part of murder case investigation which is completely ridiculous. So I assured him he was totally mistaken.” She sounded so sure.

But I couldn’t say anything I wasn’t really sure where I stood. I couldn’t tell if I was completely innocent or not. And the conversation ended like that. Ashley was beside me her head on my shoulder while she was playing with my fingers twining them with hers and releasing them. It was the distraction I needed to keep myself from getting lost in my own thoughts.

Another week started; I was lying on my bed around five in the morning. I was thinking about what happened yesterday. Why did that girl had to die? Especially the same way as the victims on my case. But the strange thing was that I didn’t know the girl. Could it be possible that thing, the one that killed my friends was now killing random people? But why haunt me for so long and all over sudden start killing randomly.

I didn’t know what to think anymore. At first I thought I had invincible skilled personal enemy who was bent on making my life miserable, but now I started to think differently. This person, thing or whatever it was, was just a clever criminal, a serial killer with resources and would like making people’s lives miserable. Just like the way a serial killer would kill random people for sport.

But with that realization my search for answers became even more complicated if I wanted to start one. If I wanted to find my tormentor, I would need to find someone with some criminal background. If this person was only after me I would’ve watched out for a stalker or something. That was out of options though, this person was done with me and was going to torment other people.

And searching for he/she would be quite a challenge, first it’s not like I could get public records just like that. Because everybody hated me and it would raise some serious suspicions. And I was never a good thief either. Besides getting those records would just be as useless because I didn’t know who I was looking for, or what I was looking for.

“Mhhr,” I groaned out of frustration. Who was I kidding? I was no detective and I couldn’t be even if I wanted to. No matter how much I wanted to solve the puzzle, I always ended up getting more and more questions.

It mostly got me devastated knowing that there was someone out there determined to