I inserted a toe filler inside my bunny slippers as I slid my feet into the house slippers and walked downstairs towards the coffeehouse and sat down, facing Aunt Inara and Grandma. With the Children of Balance Bible in her hands, my aunt gaped at me. "Could you explain to me again about this group?" she asked. 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡklBSgzp1pA
"The Children of Balance is a doomsday cult," I reiterated. "Where they believe that their 'messiah', Nathanel Roth would bring balance to the world."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMa1OUrFdM7
"That sounds ridiculous," Aunt Inara snorted. "This Nathanel guy is just a con man."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOcW4EH5ez
"Exactly," I agreed with my aunt's statement. "But his followers just believed him like a bunch of sheep."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ136TKM9A3z
"Idiots. I bet they give up all their money to Nathanel."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjP5XgsTJfB
"Nathanel even persuaded his followers to commit murder."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVz7BbJVpLx
"Is it true?" gasped Grandma. 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6vFXTQza0
"It's true, Grandma," I nodded. "I was at the cult meeting."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8GMKvwQUn
"First, what are you even doing at the commune anyways?" questioned Aunt Inara. "You could have gotten yourselves killed."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9AYhq91vJM
"Well, I encountered the Children of Balance on Naomi's birthday at an abandoned cabin."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SHYmixGbk
"An abandoned cabin?" she raised her voice. 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmER2ZsdYA
"Calm down, Ina," Grandma placed her hand on Aunt Inara's shoulder. "Bugsy, what did you hear at the meeting?"700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDt3c5DYSiQ
"They planned to wipe out the vermin that caused the imbalance on Earth," I recalled. "Then, we offered a drop of blood on the fountain."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2RQrcBU9d
"What else did you saw?" Grandma held my hands. 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbrBSIAu5w
"They all wear white hoods and chanted on how Nathanel Roth was our saviour and the Chosen One. I almost got caught but Ferdinand, Naomi and Lisa managed to save me."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡroOPPjxjKu
"Thank God," Aunt Inara sighed in relief. "I'm just glad you're safe."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFGVTMHXX1
"Aunt Inara," I looked at her. "I know they were responsible for Malcolm's death 29 years ago."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3qhTM9zqe
"The police might not believe you, but maybe they'll believe David."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkLgKlCsA2V
I raised my eyebrows as Aunt Inara put on a beige coat. "Who's David?"700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7L3MUcTMp
"The mayor," answered Aunt Inara. 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhxuTkaG4D
"You mean Mayor Yearns?"700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdAnJ86HDl
"Yes, Bugsy," she waved as she left the Little Owl Coffeehouse. I stood up and walked towards the kitchen, pouring two cups of warm water. I walked towards our seat and placed our warm water on the coffee table. Grandma thanked me as she sipped her warm water. "Grandma, did you know Malcolm Nguyen?" 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC2y9T62qrF
"I knew his parents, Eric Nguyen and Martha Trans. Eric worked as a clerk for the town council. Whenever they came to this coffeehouse, little Malcolm would always jump about."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfn5nTBgmw
"That's sad. What happened to their parents?"700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrq82sXdNOI
"I don't know," Grandma sighed. "I never saw them since the boy's death."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0z2QZjNsGc
"Do you know anyone else in town who disappeared or killed?" I sipped. 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7zU0yFBHVb
"Do you remember Jessie?"700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIo0kZacdm
"I do," I let out another sniffle. 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrge8Bqaxk
"Her parents, Mr Khan and Mrs Abbasi disappeared after her funeral, never to be seen again."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThfNYXOODH
"I always thought they moved to the city," I stared in disbelief. 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbAhYU47qC
"Most of the people I've known personally disappeared, Bugsy. Amara, Zuko, Ezra...."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAVSsdfVLL
I stood up and put on my blue jacket and a white beret as I opened the front door, letting in a breeze of snow inside the store. "I'll be at the archives, Grandma," I assured her. "Be back in a few hours."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0FCNdeJqK
"Wait," Grandma stopped me at the front door. "I'm coming with you."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9w84k4FruK
"But it's too dangerous," I protested. "You might slip on the icy pavements and break your bones."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhHAXNMsIp
"I'll be fine, Bugsy," she insisted. "Besides, the more the merrier."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmo1LJnoXs
I sighed as I watched her putting on layers of woolly cardigan around her and walked outside of our townhouse. I closed the door behind me and held her hands as we strolled along the pavements together, admiring the crimson lanterns hanging above us. "Lunar New Year's in another 3 weeks," noted Grandma. 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGcR9R8qwDS
"I know, Grandma," I chuckled. "Can't wait."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcMRjeKEIE
"We should get new clothes for you," she gazed at the store mannequin, clad in rose- red cheongsam with flowery motifs. "You're out sizing some of your clothes."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FGnHU7Gsp
We passed the clothing store and headed inside the archives building, only to notice Ferdinand seated on a table in the middle, studying. I snickered as I tiptoed towards him and poked both his waist, causing him to jump from his seat. "Good god, Bugsy," he freaked. "You scare me."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs45WMm4264
"But it was funny," I amused. "Your reaction is priceless."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc732Q8dkg4
"Whatever, Bugsy," he rolled his eye. "I'm currently studying cults."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpc5a8bd2UQ
We sat down, facing him. "Did you find anything about the Children of Balance?" I asked. 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn2uCcnX2PV
"Unfortunately, no," Ferdinand shook his head. "All I could find was The People's Temple, Heaven's Gate and the Manson Family."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqoicBCETK
"Keep searching, Ferdinand, while I'll search for the missing and murdered people in Slaborough."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwF44UqQzeS
I walked towards the counter and rang the bell, prompting Miss Yves to put down her newspaper and look at me. "Morning, Bugsy," she greeted with a smile. "What can I do for you today?"700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9YwNMIZSvD
"I need reports of missing and murdered people in Slaborough from 1969 to present," I specified. Yves got up and walked through rows of shelves while I got back to my seat and grabbed an article Ferdinand was going through.700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rc99lLIXu
"SIGNS YOU'RE IN A CULT", I read. "By Amara Onyo."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFa5teKwyEz
This must be interesting, I thought as I took out a triple five notebook and a pen. "Absolute authoritarianism, no tolerance for questions," I listed down. "The leader's always right, fear of the outside world, no financial disclosure."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBoivhwYMl
As I read another article, Yves approached our table and placed a pile of newspaper clippings next to me. "These are the one I could find," Yves wiped her sweat with her handkerchief.700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApKrg7Qywu
I thanked her as I unearthed each newspaper clippings and filled up the entire table, making Ferdinand remove his articles away. With the dates of the clippings following the chronological timeline, I counted all the people of Slaborough missing or murdered. "There are 35 of them," I stated. 'Ferdinand, could you look at articles about Malcolm?"700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa34rvC2b8T
Ferdinand took out his magnifying glass and analyzed Malcolm's article. "According to the article, Malcolm was found dead on January 20 approximately at 10.43 a.m," Ferdinand read. 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oz3TvalPC
"Grandma," I called her. "Do you recognize anyone here who you suspect was taken or killed by the Children of Balance?"700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugRbk6drSs
Grandma put on her spectacles and scanned the clippings, placing them on top of each other, making a mini mountain. "I could be wrong," Grandma doubted. "But I think these were the ones taken by the Children of Balance."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAj2qomotnh
Ferdinand pushed the remaining clippings to the side and spread them out on the table, filling three-quarters of the table. "29," I counted. "29 was the number of years Malcolm was found dead."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEQHGZ3xCy
With his magnifying glass, Ferdinand read the second article and jotted down the date on his glitter notebook. "January 20." 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVqpTa7DyL8
He goes through the next one, and the next, and the next, until he reaches the last one. "January 20," he repeated throughout the whole time. 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMWpeMWt6t
"All the murder and kidnapping that the Children of Balance had committed were done on January 20," I noticed. 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhq9ZmVPPMB
"But why the same date?" Ferdinand questioned. "If they wanted secrecy, they could've committed those things randomly."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOlqV6065ET
"Good question, Ferdinand. The police would've noticed this pattern by now but yet no actions were taken."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtqb52Eoig
"And how did they get the guns?" 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXEkqhNn6Q
"What do you mean by guns?" Grandma raised her eyebrows, her hands trembling.700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXCKSRc6Ibh
"The other day when we were in an abandoned cabin, we encountered the Children of Balance. They threatened us at gunpoint."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSzNql7Amb
"But we can't have guns," Grandma expressed her surprise. "How did they get those rifles?"700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGf5UMlkX0
"That is the questions we couldn't answer," I lifted my shoulders. Grandma took one of the newspaper clippings on the table and stared at a picture of a dark-skinned woman, with frizzy hair and a grin on her face. "Who is that, Grandma?" I asked. 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPBH4yVzIA
"Amara Onyo. She was always carrying a notebook everywhere."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jibyb0eF0
Amara Onyo. Now that sounds familiar to me.700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdu50v77XCO
"So now what?" Ferdinand wondered.700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqWszlOKzm
We sat at the waiting room just outside the mayor's office, feeling slightly warm, with the sound of the secretary typing on a computer as background noise. Then, we heard the door swung opened, revealing Aunt Inara and Mayor Yearns.700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtZMvShVEV
"Thank you for making time with me, David," said Aunt Inara, in a warm tone when she turned around and noticed us. "Mom, Ferdinand, Bugsy," her jaws dropped. "What are you all doing here?"700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qjqFhGwMQ
I stood up, hugging my notebook. "I have something extremely important about the Children of Balance," I spoke. 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFo8kih3NE
"Alright," Mayor Yearns answered. "We'll discuss this in my office."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEYr5iLqTW
I faced Mayor Yearns as he sat down. I slipped a notebook on his desk and opened it, showing and explaining all we've found in the archives. "So you're saying that the Children of Balance kidnapped and murdered 29 people each year on January 20?" he guessed his conclusion. 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLkFHkn1R3
"It's true, Mayor Yearns."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBUQ9RZWrc
"If that's so, then why didn't the police noticed this pattern from 29 years?" he placed his clasped hands on his desk. 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVu1A5Mx98
"That's what I wondered as well."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSG7EEclQID
"And they have guns as well," Grandma pointed out. "Isn't it illegal?"700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxjTAILEXYt
Mayor Yearns opened his drawer and flipped the pages of his law book, and showed us the page for reference. "According to the firearm's law," lectured Mayor Yearns. "It is legal for a citizen to bear arms, but they must go through various tests. After they successfully obtained a gun, their guns would be in an ammunition centre. And if they want to use it for practice, the gun owner must inform the police or else face a fine or suspension of gun license."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5Oi2x88hx
I pouted my lips. "That sounds difficult."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRROgxg7ofg
"It is," said Mayor Yearns. "Which is why I'm making a police report based on the evidence provided by a witness of the crime."700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXhfbOpTdS1
"That's great," Ferdinand gleamed. 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbZpqQIiUW
"Now all of you just go home and rest while the police would take care of this."
"Yes, sir."
ns216.73.216.32da2
