That was just the beginning of the end. Here's the full story.

There was a knock at the door. How odd. Normally we don't have visitors.

"Star Dream, could you get the door for me?" I called. No answer, as usual. He was probably up in his room sitting at his desk, writing in that dumb journal of his. I leave the kitchen and go answer the door.

Standing in the doorway was a short, slightly chubby man in a blue police uniform, smiling warmly. He had curly, navy blue hair and freckles dotted across his face. His eyes were a lighter shade of blue and full of life. I could guess what his favorite color is on the first try.

"Oh, hello, officer," I greeted. "How may I help you?" I gestured for him to come inside.

"Well, ma'am, we've gotten a missing persons report, and we want to know if you or anyone else in your household have any information on the individual who went missing." The officer sounded awfully cheery for just telling me about a person who went missing.

I had read in the newspaper that someone mysteriously disappeared a few weeks ago. What was his name again? Oh yeah, that's right! Zero, the billionaire. Star Dream had made a business deal with him not that long ago. Though I don't think I told Star Dream about what I read.

"Hey, Star Dream! Get down here!" I yelled. A few minutes pass, and then Star Dream trudged down the stairs, annoyed by me disturbing his writing time. He had his precious journal held close to him. It's so funny how he treats that journal like it's his child. He carries it around wherever he goes and never leaves it behind. Whatever's in it must be really important to him.

"What do you want?" He hissed at me, not yet noticing the police officer standing in the entranceway. "Oh." he then looks at the officer. I noticed that Star Dream's expression went from stone to slightly anxious.

"Good afternoon, sir," says the officer. "Do you know anything about the disappearance of Mr. Zero?"

"No. I was not aware that he went missing."

"Well, according to the report I received from his son, Mr. Zero went missing approximately three weeks ago."

"Oh, what a shame," Star Dream said, ever so sarcastically.

The officer raised an eyebrow at my husband's tone. "Did you know Mr. Zero at all?" He seems to be paying closer attention to Star Dream.

"Of course I did. I had made a business deal with him." Star Dream couldn't look more uninterested. Though, he seems uninterested in everything. "I kind of wish I had not done that, actually. Zero is infamous for tricking his business partners."

The officer is writing down each word that comes out of Star Dream's mouth. Is Star Dream some sort of suspect? I mean, it makes sense, since Star Dream was probably one of the last people to see Zero before he went off the grid. But would Star Dream actually be responsible for something like that? I begin to think of his nervous expression, his sarcastic tone, and then my eyes become fixed on the brownish-red stain on his blazer. I remembered when I first saw the stain there, which coincidentally was a few weeks ago. Star Dream told me that it was transmission fluid, which I found quite believable, since transmission fluid is one of his favorite drinks.

The officer asked us a few more questions, and by us, I mean Star Dream. I just stood there, quietly listening. Star Dream was reluctant to answering everything he was asked, often stopping to think and choose his answers carefully. Or, at least, that's what it looked like he was doing.

The officer soon left, Star Dream went back up the stairs and into his room, presumably to keep writing in his journal. I shake my head as I watch him go up the stairs.

Just….. Something in his behavior didn't settle well with me. I decide to stay on my toes for the next few days, but when the officer left, Star Dream appeared to be acting normal again, other than slamming his head against a wall occasionally and muttering to himself in some language I couldn't even recognize. That I never really think much of, I just assume it's normal for a schizophrenic.

However, when everything seemed to be going just fine, I wake up in the middle of the night to hear what seems to be maniacal laughter. Star Dream's laughter. I glance at the clock. 3:12 AM. Why would be up this early in the morning? Doesn't he have to recharge his battery or something? I roll out of my bed and shuffle my feet to the other end of the hallway.

I knock on his bedroom door. "Star Dream?" I whispered.

After a few minutes, the door cracks open. Star Dream's claw-like fingers were gripping the edge of the door. He pokes his head through the crack. He has a neurotic grin spread across his face.

"What do you want?" His voice sounded frantic. His eyes darted from left to right, even though there was nothing for him to look at except for me.

"Why are you being so loud at this hour?! I'm trying to sleep!" I cross my arms. I then try to enter his room.

"DON'T COME IN!" He slams the door in my face, followed by more laughter.

I stand outside the door a little longer, listening for any suspicious noises. I don't hear anything, so I go back to my room and crawl into my bed. I pick my phone up off of my nightstand and text my brother-in-law and tell him about everything that just happened.

S: Hey Nova, sorry for the unreasonable hour, but I just want to tell you that Star Dream has been acting pretty weird lately and I'd like to know if you have any information as to why he's behaving like this.

Nova texted back almost immediately.

N: What's he been doing?

S: He's just acting like he's hiding something. It all started when a police officer came to our house a couple days ago and asked him a few questions about a missing person. He seemed pretty nervous, which is weird because Star Dream barely ever shows any emotion.

N: Go on.

S: And then he woke me up a few minutes ago (not intentionally) by laughing like a maniac. I went over to his room, and when I tried to come in, he just shut the door right in my face and yelled at me not to come in. I just left it all at that, I didn't want to bother him any more, since he already seemed to be in an unpleasant mood.

N: Interesting. Why don't you come over tomorrow, er, later today, and we can discuss everything over a cup of tea.

S: Sounds good. Thanks.

I put my phone down and tried to fall back asleep, but my eyelids couldn't seem to get heavy again. I don't know if it was because I had stared at a bright screen for ten minutes or if it was because I couldn't get Star Dream off of my mind. Something's wrong with him. I know it.