Knock.
Percy's head quickly turned towards the door.
Knock.
Now the window.
Knock.
Now from inside the ceiling?
It wasn't just a small little tap, it was strong and firm. Full of authority. It wasn't just a minuscule sound you sometimes heard in the middle of the night when everyone else was sleeping, it was somebody. Somebody begging for attention.
And it was coming from three places.
How?
The knocks at the door were the loudest, the most terrifying. They got more powerful every second. With each knock Percy felt himself growing more and more horrified, full of anticipation as to who was here and what was happening.
The ones at the window and in the ceiling sounded just like normal knocks, just mysterious. He couldn't see anybody out the window, but he felt like he was being watched from outside, like invisible eyes were observing his every move. Someone, or something, wanted him.
He tried to do something. Ask simple questions. Who's there? What do you want? But he found himself unable to speak.
Suddenly, the knocking stopped. Everything was suddenly calm, as it had been before.
Except it wasn't. It wasn't right. He thought of Cindy, his mom, and now the knocking. For obvious reasons, today was an odd day.
His fear suddenly changed to curiosity. He wanted to know what was going on.
Slowly, he walked towards the door.
AaAaAaAaAa
The door creaked open, revealing an extremely skinny police officer with brown, graying hair. Percy frowned. He hadn't known what exactly to expect, but this certainly wasn't it.
The officer seemed to be studying him with his dark brown eyes.
"This the Jackson residence?" He asked, his voiced sounding southern, like he was from New Orleans or Savannah.
Percy didn't know what to think. All he could say was one word: "Yes."
"Yes sir will do, boy." The officer sneered. "Where's your parents?"
"I- I don't know. I don't know where my mom is."
"You don't, do you? I'll give you another chance to answer that."
Percy narrowed his eyes, now even more confused. "I told you, I don't know."
"What about your dad?" The cop seemed to be trying to hide a smirk.
Percy looked down at the floor. He wished this guy would stop asking questions. "Can you please just tell me what's happening?"
"I think you know well what's happening," he said, raising an eyebrow. "I think you know better than any of us. Now come on, boy. We're not finished here yet."
AaAaAaAaAa
Five cop cars were waiting for them outside. About ten men were standing around with little notepads, quickly jotting down notes and having rushed conversations with each other. Curious people around them stared at the scene, wondering what was going on, just like Percy.
The largest cop rushed over to Percy and the skinny officer. He had huge muscles, black hair and an intimidating scowl.
"This him?" He asked the other officer, pointing to Percy.
"Can you tell me-"
"Quite, boy! You already in enough trouble."
"B-but why?" Percy stuttered.
The larger cop's gaze became piercing, before he turned his attention back to the other cop. "His trial won't be for a while. We'll have to keep him for a while, the no good murderer."
Trail. Keep him.*
Murderer.
Percy felt like breaking down to the ground and crying. This wasn't right. This wasn't right and the cops had to know that. They had to know that no matter what they thought, they were wrong. They couldn't be right.
The skinny cop looked down at Percy, seemingly wanting to comfort him.
"Oh, stop, Roy!" The other one said. "Don't show him no pity."
He eyed Percy, a look of disgust taking over his face. But it wasn't just disgust.
It was conspiracy. Like something he had been planning for years was finally in action.
"He don't deserve none."
I do. Please, I do.
The other cops were waving away the curious bystanders, who were apparently getting to close for their liking.
They all left.
Except two. His best friend and the most popular girl in school.
And they looked frantic.
