The list of sinners

...Celia...

Now that, Tian, and Vicky realized where I was staying, they didn't leave me alone for a single moment. They started by giving me their numbers and my phone would ring from time to time. They asked me about everything, even in school as soon as I sat down in the bench, they would approach and stare at me with investigative eyes.

Even at the cafeteria where I worked, it was obvious they knew me, but ultimately this was helpful for me, as where I worked, there was a rule that if you brought friends, a bonus would be added to your salary. It was good business. For every question from a friend at the café.

Tian's sick obsession seemed endless, so I decided to try it. Tian had started calling me lucky because I lived in that house, and the climax was when he had told me if something happened to switch places. So I decided to ask Mr. Rodger for permission for Tian to explore and uncover the "mystery."

"We are here, I can't believe it," he said.

Thanks to Mr. Rodger's kindness, the permission was approved, and Tian and Vicky were a few centimeters away from my room. A door separated us. I turned the key in the lock and with a simple motion, I opened the door. Tian rushed in to not waste any more time while Viki and I stood amazed at the threshold of the door.

"Come on, don't stay there," Tian called.

After Tian's call, we went inside. I closed the door behind me and started taking off my shoes, leaving them on a small shelf. Tian's movements had taken over the house. His hands were on every piece of furniture. He looked under them, behind them, and everywhere.

"You would truly make a great detective, Tian," I said.

"I know, it's fantastic."

"I'm going to take the bag to the room and come back."

I left the bag on the study table as quickly as possible to join Tian and Vicky, but Tian was already inside, pulling Vicky in who was trying to stop him, which he didn't actually manage.

"I couldn't stop him, Celia," he said.

"It's okay, Vicky, after all, there are no state secrets here."

Tian looked around and scrutinized everything.

"The victim's bed," he said.

He immediately lay on the bed, placing his arms behind his head.

"What the hell are you doing?" Vicky exclaimed.

"It's nothing, Vicky."

Vicky's face turned red with embarrassment, but it wasn't a big deal anyway.

"Get up, Tian, it's just a bed."

"Tsk tsk tsk, Vicky," he said, wagging his finger in a disapproving manner. "This bed could have been touched by Donovan's hands during the investigation."

"Here we go again with the 'Mayfire' theme."

"Why are you speaking like that, Vicky?"

"It's a fact that doesn't interest me, Tian."

"Oh, Vicky... wow, what a house that is!"

"Yes, it is really beautiful."

They noticed it too. That house. I clenched my fists in anxiety and looked out the window, which seemed very quiet in the morning, covered with half-closed blinds.

"Who lives there, I wonder?"

"I don't know, and I'm not interested plus it's better if we leave, Tian."

"So quickly?"

"Could Celia have a problem or not?"

"Celia?" Tian asked. "Celia... CELIA !"

"What's wrong?!"

"You were completely lost."

"Y-yes, I was just looking closely at that house, that's all."

"It seems like that house bothers you."

"W-what... no... why?"

"Celia take a deep breath."

Tian's words startled me, and I did as he said. I didn't know how to hide the fear that had arisen within me. The fear that little black square revived along with the silence it held. What was hiding behind it?

"Celia, sit down here," Tian said. "You know you can tell us everything. You can trust us."

"Can I?!"

"Of course, we are already your friends, right?"

"Friends?!"

Friendship. A name I only heard and never embraced. Something beautiful to be true for me. It seemed now that it had a name. I clenched my fists in anxiety. Vicky sat on the floor and placed her hand on mine.

"In truth, it may not be a big deal but... just..."

"Just what?"

"Just a night... I saw a silhouette watching me."

"A silhouette?!"

"Yes... it was facing my room and seemed to be looking this way."

"Did it stare for a long time?"

"It stayed there for a moment...looking like a man from his physique."

"Most likely there is nothing to worry about...I mean, he was passing by and maybe caught your attention," Vicky said.

"I don't think so, Vicky," Tian replied.

"What does the detective mind say?" Vicky asked.

"This is the same room where Rebecca stayed. Maybe they have also observed her. That silhouette could even be the murderer."

"Let's leave the speculations, Tian...we can't tarnish someone without evidence."

"It's a hypothesis, Vicky, we're not accusing anyone. We don't even know who lives in that house."

"Do you really think the person has a connection to Rebecca?"

"Maybe Celia," he says thoughtfully. "Did the silhouette glance again towards your room?"

"No...I mean, occasionally but not as the first time."

"Maybe now that it's certain someone else lives here, they might be plotting something."

"Don't listen to Tian, Celia," Vicky says. "You've rambled enough, Tian. He doesn't even know Celia at all and has no reason to plot against her."

"That's what you think, Vicky, but Rebecca wasn't from Connecticut neither but they killed her."