Chapter 4 - The Silver Lighter
Three days passed. The media was kept outside the gates, and the mansion felt like a fortress.
Lily and Julian became inseparable. The little girl shared all her toys, showing Julian how the television worked and slipping him extra cookies from the kitchen. Slowly, the haunted look in Julian’s eyes began to soften—but only when Richard wasn't around.
Whenever Richard entered a room, Julian would shrink into himself, hiding behind furniture or clutching Eleanor’s leg.
One stormy evening, the power flickered. Lily screamed playfully, but Julian dove under the heavy mahogany dining table, covering his ears.
Richard sighed in exasperation. "Eleanor, the boy is severely traumatized. He needs a facility. A psychiatric hospital where professionals can handle him. You can't keep babying him."
"He is my son, Richard. He is staying right here," Eleanor snapped, her maternal instincts flaring into rage.
"I am just thinking of what's best for our family," Richard said coldly. To emphasize his frustration, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a heavy, vintage silver lighter, and flicked it open to light a cigar.
Clink. Clink.
From under the table, Julian gasped.
Eleanor knelt down, peering into the darkness. "Julian? Are you okay?"
Julian’s eyes were fixed on the silver lighter in Richard’s hand. The lighter had a distinct engraving of a howling wolf on the side.
"The clicking," Julian whispered, his whole body vibrating with fear. "The man with the clicking fire. He locked the door. He took my pictures."
Eleanor felt the breath knocked out of her lungs. She stared at the silver lighter in Richard’s hand—a lighter Richard claimed he had purchased from an antique shop just two years ago. But suddenly, the timeline in Eleanor’s head began to warp and shift.
May you like
She looked up at Richard. He was staring back at her, his eyes cold, calculating, and dangerous.
"Time for bed, Julian," Richard said softly. Too softly.
