The Sinners

Sin: Part 9 (c)

"Run to the car, hurry,"

With all four of them, we sped to my house after giving charge to our juniors and calling for backup. By now the whole department had the news of the kidnapping and the cult. They all were coming for help just in time as the matter was getting out of my hand.

I was repeatedly calling Joshua to be aware of the danger and not to open the door at any cost, but the call didn't connect even once. After some beeps, it was saying the network is unreachable. This heavy downpour was hindering the network. 

Shit! Shit! Shit! Joshua, please honey, don't get outside. They can't reach there before me, they shouldn't.  

But who knew that I was not going to be right about all decisions in my life, that I'm not actually a main hero in any novel, that not always the universe works in my favor, and that I too can be wrong.

 As we reached there, the harsh reality gave a solid punch to my face. 

Only a dim porch light was on, I was unable to make out anything in this heavy rain, but as we went closer, "Oh shit! No, no, no, no, no, no," I uttered, running out of the car when I saw my house door wide open, my breath stuck in my throat. "How in the universe can it be possible?! How?!" I yelled. Oh, Joshua, please tell me you're inside.

"Oh my God, Jeonghan!" Everyone felt the same shock. The sole good news was that all three children were safe and sound on my porch, tied together with a rope, and duct tape on their mouths. But if they're here, then according to their deal, does it mean— Joshua?

 "Guys, send them back to the department and make sure they get home safely, I'll go find Joshua," I ran inside to look for him despite knowing the situation. My heart was still not able to admit the fact. Maybe he hid himself under the bed, maybe he's in the bathroom, or in the garage?

But the situation was telling otherwise. All the lights were off, coldness had spread around the house because of the rain, and no person was in view.

"Joshua?!" I yelled his name, "Joshua? Where are you?!" I straightly went to the bedroom and as soon as I opened the door, I already knew that they got here. The bedsheet and the pillows were ruined, and all the stuff was scattered here and there. It reminded me of the day when I found Joshua's bedroom in the same condition during the first murder investigation. 

Suddenly I heard a meow, I put my guard up and took out my gun. Marty came out from behind the bed, his fur was wet in the rain. "Marty?" I crouched down to his level. Seeing him here this late, a frown came upon my forehead, and then my eyes widened with realization, The window! I ran to the kitchen. And as I presumed, it was entirely opened, wide enough that a grown man could effortlessly enter inside.  "Fuck, no! No!" I held my head in frustration, I just wanted to rip every single one of my hair right at this moment, "How many times Joshua?! Just how many times I have told you to lock it!" I screamed in my empty kitchen. 

My cop mind could imagine the scenario pretty well, how those people would have leaped into my backyard and how Joshua couldn't have heard them because of the rain. He must have tried to escape from them, he's a fighter. But how those people always render their victims unconscious made me shudder. What must they have used? Did they use force on him? Did they hurt him?  I couldn't control my emotions for another second.

"Someone wake me up from this nightmare!" I cried as my heart broke into a million pieces thinking about him, "Please! Wake me the hell up!"