Befriended ✔️

Chapter 13: Loose Mystery

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Layla's POV

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1995

I wasn't able to sleep lately and it was because of the damn cast. It got in my way a lot and plus it was on my right hand, which makes things worse, because I was right-handed. Lucky, eh?

It was also really hot and I had to go and drink like five cups of water each hour. It's still October, and it is cold out, but our house is the opposites.

While thinking, I realized I never really spend much time with Amina. I think I'll go over to her house tomorrow, if she's not busy.

After few minutes of frustration, I get up and go to my desk. I think I could finish up Friday's homework right now and it's not like I could go to sleep. I turn my lamp on and prepare to use my left-hand. I've been using it a lot and I'd gotten better with my hand-writing.

I grabbed the pencil and started to finish the social studies questions and socials was my favourite subject.

It wasn't until I began to feel even hotter because I was beside the lamp so I went over to the window and opened it slightly. I wasn't allowed to open it fully because there was no net, and no net means trouble. Our street is quiet and it's dangerous to leave a window open.

I looked over at Amina's place. It seemed a little weird that their basement light was open and a faint light was coming from their living room. I glanced at my clock and raise an eyebrow. It was around one and certainly not their kind. They never stay up this late.

I open the window fully and poke my head outside. Amina's window is broken? I squint to see if I was right and yes I was.

I live right across from her, but her house is like, way over there. Again, we live in a cul-de-sac.

There was also a faint screaming coming out and now I was scared. What's happening?! I saw books falling down from where her bedroom window was. I couldn't see anything inside though.

Her front door opened and I saw someone trying to come out, but was dragged inside. I gasped and concluded something horrible. Was their house being attacked?

I started panicking. I'm the only witness and I frantically looked around. Was there anyone else who noticed it? I looked at her close neighbours and it seemed like the house was soundproof. Not even the closest house can hear.

Then there were sirens in the distance. I peered down the street and a few police cars, along with three ambulance coming. I stared at them, with my eyes wide. Something big has happened. The chimney was smoking a lot and a huge burst of flames caught my eye.

The fire spread and I was hoping the firetruck was called. They were lucky because there was a fire department in Cougar.

Some neighbours came out this time. No way could they have missed this. I fled upstairs and knocked loudly on my parents' door and burst inside.

"Uh...Layla?" Mom got up and looked up at me sleepily.

***

We ran down the front lawn and went around the small garden on the street, reaching the police cars.

"What's happening, Officer Jackson?" My Dad asked the police man. He didn't reply right away.

"We have a lot of questions ourselves." Jackson looked at the house. They managed to put the fire off. "I wonder what caused the fire." He murmured.

"Have you went inside yet?" Dad blurted out.

"The door's locked. We're waiting for a while when everything calms down."