CHAPTER 8.

 AnniBerry came out of her room after what felt like hours. She looked around the house and realized she seemed to be home alone. As she wandered around, she took in her surroundings for the first time. Besides the beautifully arranged sitting room, she noticed the kitchen tucked neatly to the right. It looked rather bare, as though its owner rarely cooked. Near the entrance stood a small aquarium beside a table, adding a touch of life to the otherwise simple interior. The house wasn't lavishly decorated, yet it was exceptionally clean and had a quiet, elegant charm.

 "Um... Marchen?" she called softly.

 She walked through the house, eventually stopping in front of what she assumed was Marchen's bedroom. Although she was curious, she had no intention of barging in. Instead, she leaned against the door and gave it a gentle knock.

 "Marchen?" she called again.

 Silence.

 "I don't think he's home," she thought to herself.

 She had wanted to ask for his permission to visit Merrilyn and her family once more, but he was nowhere to be found.

 Glancing down at the dress she was wearing, she hesitated. It wasn't exactly what she wanted to wear outside, but she convinced herself it would only be for a few hours. Just as she was about to leave, she realized she wasn't wearing any shoes.

 "Damn," she muttered under her breath.

 She searched around the house but couldn't find any footwear. Then an idea crossed her mind.

 Quietly, she walked back to the room she believed belonged to Marchen. She slowly pushed the door open and stepped inside.

 The room was a complete disaster.

 It looked as though he had been in a hurry to find something to wear. Clothes were scattered all over the floor, and the bed was left unmade with blankets and pillows tossed carelessly about.

 AnniBerry stared in disbelief.

 "Whoa... why does his room look like this?" she wondered.

 Her eyes wandered around the room until they landed on a shoe rack that was almost empty. The few shoes he owned were scattered carelessly across the floor.

  AnniBerry was about to walk out of the room when she remembered how her mother used to scold her whenever she left her room untidy. A bright smile spread across her face as she turned back and began putting Marchen's room in order.

 She wasn't sure where some of his clothes belonged, so she folded and arranged them as best as she could. After finishing with the clothes, she moved to his shoe rack and neatly lined up every pair.

 One particular pair caught her attention. They looked like something she could manage to wear outside. Although they were obviously too big for her, she slipped them on anyway, making her tiny feet look awkwardly oversized. She tightened the shoelaces as much as she could.

 "Not so bad," she murmured, trying to convince herself.

 She looked around the room with satisfaction. After five long years, she had finally gotten the chance to tidy up a room that wasn't hers. The thought alone made her smile.

 Just as she reached the door, she remembered she would need a jacket.

 She walked back to Marchen's wardrobe and scanned through the neatly hung jackets, searching for one that might fit her. Her eyes settled on a black leather jacket that looked smaller than the others. She carefully removed it from its hanger and slipped it on.

 Excited, AnniBerry slid her hands into the jacket pockets.

 Her smile disappeared instantly.

 Her fingers touched something cold and metallic.

 Curious, she pulled it out.

 It was a bullet.

 Her eyes widened in horror.

 The bullet slipped from her trembling fingers and rolled beneath the bed.

 Panic seized her.

 The terrifying memories of the night she was attacked came flooding back. Her breathing became uneven as fear completely took over. She yanked the jacket off, threw it onto the floor, and bolted out of the room.

 She ran out of the house without looking back.

 She didn't stop until she was several streets away.

 Bent over, she struggled to catch her breath as her heart pounded violently against her chest.

 "Why does he have a bullet?" she whispered shakily.

 She paid no attention to the curious stares around her. Terror was written all over her face.

 Is he a killer? An assassin? Or... is he a police officer?

 The memory of the night she was attacked surfaced once again. The last person she had seen before losing consciousness was about the same height as Marchen.

 But she had never seen his face.

 "No... stop thinking like this," she muttered, smacking her forehead lightly with her palm as if she could knock the frightening thoughts out of her head.

 She glanced around and noticed several people staring at her. Embarrassed, she looked away.

 A little girl walked past and stared at her feet.

 AnniBerry immediately looked down.

 "Oh my God..."

 The shoes had looked much better inside the house.

 Now they looked ridiculously large, as though they belonged to a giant. She awkwardly tried hiding one foot behind the other, but it only made things worse.

 Trying to ignore the embarrassment, she began walking.

 Then reality struck her.

 "Where am I?"

 She looked around in confusion.

 She had completely forgotten that she wasn't anywhere near her own home. She didn't even know the way back to her house or Merrilyn's.

 Her eyes hurriedly scanned the street signs.

 Then she froze.

 "So... I've come this far... and I don't even have money," she said sadly.

 She slowly turned around.

 There was only one place she could go.

 Marchen's house.

 She let out an annoyed hiss before dragging her feet back the way she had come.

 When AnniBerry finally returned, she noticed a car parked outside the house.

 Her eyes narrowed.

 She recognized it immediately.

 It was the same car Marchen had driven to her house the second time he visited the day he had given her a phone.

 "He's back," she muttered under her breath.

 She quietly walked toward the front door.

 Just as she was about to push it open, the door suddenly swung open from the inside.

 She froze.

 Marchen stood there looking as though he had been in a hurry to leave.

 The moment he saw her, his eyes widened with shock.

 Without saying a word, he grabbed her wrist and hurriedly pulled her inside before slamming the door shut.

 "Damn it, AnniBerry!" he barked. "Who gave you permission to leave this house? Do you have a death wish?"

 His voice echoed through the room.

 His eyes were bloodshot.

 But beneath the anger in his expression...

 ...was unmistakable fear.