Chapter 34: A Visit
Throughout the day, Mr. Beach had been trying to get in touch with Miles, only to end up feeling irate when the audacious teenager, who hadn’t even grown a full beard, demanded a staggering fee of half a million dollars. If not for his daughter’s insistence on seeking Miles’s assistance, Mr. Beach would have never entertained such an idea. He doubted whether an adolescent could comprehend, let alone handle a situation as grave as a haunting.
The stress of his daughter’s predicament had weighed heavily on Mr. Beach, compelling him to take a few days off from work. He wanted to provide her with emotional support during this challenging time.
“Coral’s health seems to be deteriorating,” Mrs. Ocean, Mr. Beach’s wife, voiced her concern. “Despite being physically healthy, she appears to have a weak nervous system, probably due to a traumatic event. Should we consider consulting a psychiatrist tomorrow?”
“Yes, it seems like the only viable solution,” Mr. Beach responded, his voice laced with frustration. “That Miles’s demand for such an exorbitant fee is unreasonable. How did Coral get mixed up with such an audacious individual? We need to limit her interaction with him.”
“I’ve been skeptical about Miles since our first encounter. His audacity knows no bounds, even demanding two hundred dollars,” Mrs. Ocean concurred, her face twisted in disdain.
As the couple was engrossed in their discussion in the living room, a loud bang reverberated. Coral’s bedroom door had slammed shut abruptly. Out of the corner of their eyes, they saw a figure darting into her room.
Mr. Beach’s expression transformed instantly, and he swiftly rose from his seat. Mrs. Ocean was equally shocked, stammering, “Dear, did you see that… it looked like a child just ran into Coral’s room.”
“Let’s not jump to conclusions and scare ourselves,” Mr. Beach cautioned, despite looking ashen himself. He had seen it too – a childlike figure with skin resembling a stillborn’s, bolting into Coral’s room. This seemed impossible since they lived on the sixteenth floor, and the main door was securely closed.
Suddenly, a piercing scream emanated from Coral’s room. Mr. Beach immediately rushed towards the door and swung it open, revealing a room swallowed in darkness, an unusual sight given Coral’s recent fear of the dark.