Chapter 5: The Truth Under the Floor
The police searched every inch of my house.
Every room.
Every closet.
Every shadow.
But whoever had been inside was already gone.
The message haunted me.
Because it wasn’t just a threat.
It was proof.
Someone had been watching my children.
I moved Mia and Leo to my sister Emma’s house while Detective Harris continued investigating.
For the first time in months, Leo slept without waking up screaming.
But he still carried the fear with him.
One afternoon, I sat beside him in the backyard.
“Leo, I need to ask you something.””
He looked at me.
“About Grandma?””
I nodded.
“When she kept you under the floor… was she alone?””
His face changed.
“No.””
The answer was immediate.
My stomach tightened.
“Who was with her?””
Leo picked at the grass.
“She talked to someone.””
“Who?””
“I don’t know.””
“Did you see them?””
He shook his head.
“Only their shoes.””
My blood froze.
“What kind of shoes?””
Leo looked up.
“Black boots.””
That night, Detective Harris called.
“We found Elina.””
I stood immediately.
“Where?””
“At an abandoned property outside town.””
“Is she alone?””
A pause.
“No.””
My hand tightened around the phone.
“Who is with her?””
His voice lowered.
“David, you need to come here.””
When I arrived, police cars surrounded the old building.
Elina sat inside, covered in a blanket.
She looked exhausted.
Older.
Broken.
But when she saw me, she smiled.
Not sadly.
Almost proudly.
“You found him.””
I stared at her.
“You kidnapped my son.””
Her expression hardened.
“You don’t understand.””
“No. I understand perfectly.””
“You think I wanted to hurt him?””
“You locked him under my house.””
“I protected him.””
I stepped closer.
“From what?””
Elina looked toward the officers.
Then back at me.
“From the person who wanted to take him away.””
My anger faded slightly.
“What are you talking about?””
She whispered:
“Sarah.””
The name hit me like a punch.
“Don’t say her name.””
Elina’s eyes filled with tears.
“She knew.””
“Knew what?””
“That Leo wasn’t the only child.””
The room went silent.
Detective Harris looked at me.
“Elina, explain.””
She reached into her pocket.
She pulled out a photograph.
A photograph of two babies.
Two newborn boys.
My hands started shaking.
One baby was Leo.
The other…
Looked exactly like him.
“I tried to stop it,” Elina whispered.
“Stop what?””
She looked directly at me.
“The truth about your son.””
I stared at the picture.
Two babies.
One family.
One secret.
Then Detective Harris’s radio crackled.
A voice came through.
“Detective, we found another hidden room beneath the Carter house.””
My blood ran cold.
The house.
My house.
The voice continued.
“There’s someone inside.””
Everyone looked at me.
May you like
Then the radio said:
“And they’re alive.””
