Chapter 9: Accusations and Shadows
The night air was crisp against Noir's skin as he walked down the dimly lit streets, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. The streetlights flickered, casting long, distorted shadows on the pavement. He had stayed out later than he planned, but the time at the cyber café with Jerry had been fun, more fun than he'd had in a long while.
For a moment, he had felt normal.
But that feeling soon vanished when he spotted Molly's home.
Their house came into view, and his steps slowed. His keen instincts made him feel as if something was… off. There was a strange weight in the air, something heavy pressing down on his chest.
The lights in the living room were on. Through the window, even with the distance and faint light, he could see his family gathered and he meant all his family.
His parents, his sister Molly, and the kids. They were all staring at the television, their faces pale, worried.
Miles and Madison looked scared, their little bodies curled close together on the couch.
Noir swallowed hard, using his real speed to emerge before the door, without hesitation, he pushed it open.
"Whats going on, did something happen?!." he called out, stepping inside.
The moment his foot crossed the threshold, everything erupted.
"MURDERER!"
The scream came from Chloe.
Before Noir could even process what was happening, she was rushing toward him, her face twisted in fury.
Noir froze. "Wh—what?"
Chloe jabbed a finger at him, her whole body trembling. "You killed him, didn't you?!"
"What are you talking about?" Noir's voice was shaky, confusion twisting in his gut.
Chloe didn't answer. Instead, she whirled around and pointed at the television. Noir turned to look, his breath catching as he took in the news report.
The screen displayed a familiar face, blurred, but unmistakable.
It was Chloe's ex-boyfriend, Jason, or a picture of him anyways.
The news anchor's voice was calm and professional, but the words he heard from the screen made Noir's blood run cold.
"A brutal homicide occurred earlier this afternoon. The victim, a local high school student, was found dead in his own bedroom, seemingly mauled by an unknown assailant. Authorities are baffled by the severity of the injuries, which resemble an animal attack, yet no forced entry was detected—"
Noir didn't even pay attention to the rest of the news as his world began turning.
He felt his breath hitch, his heart pounding. In his bedroom? Mauled?
That didn't make sense.
He wasn't anywhere near that boy's house and even if he was, Why would he kill him because he didn't want to be Chloe's friend anymore?. It just didn't add up, no matter how many times you thought about it!.
"Chloe, I—I didn't do this," Noir stammered, shaking his head rapidly. "I was with my friend Jerry. We were playing games at a café all afternoon!, I couldn't have—"
But Chloe wasn't listening.
"Stop lying!!, just stop lying and admit the truth for once in your life!!!."
" I am saying the truth~!."
" No you aren't!, If your telling the truth then tell me!, Tell me why is it that you always show up when bad things happen!" she shouted. "Ever since we were kids, people keep dying around you!"
Noir flinched, a dull pain growing in his chest, his eyes moistening as he asked with a shaky voice." Just w-what are you trying to say~!."
Chloe's hesitated on seeing his severely hurt expression yet at the thought of Jason she pressed on.
Her voice cracked as she took a step closer, her eyes burning with something close to grief. "My dad… you were there when he died too!, weren't you?!"
" Chloe.." Noir's stomach twisted violently.
"That wasn't—" he started, but the words stuck in his throat.
Chloe clenched her fists. "He died that night, and you were the last person to see him. Just like now."
Noir felt like the ground beneath him was crumbling.
Before he could say anything else, Chloe spun around, snatching her phone from the table.
" I can't take this anymore!!!, it's obvious your a walking devil in human skin, first my dad and now Jason?!!"
" Just how many people close to me do you have to take before your satisfied!!."
" As far as I can remember, I never did anything to hurt you so why did you suddenly start hurting me!!!."
" Chloe..." Noir felt his heart ache seeing her so grief stricken.
" Don't you dare call my name!!!, I've had just about enough of you!!!."
"This time I'm calling the cops."
" W-what?!." Noir's heart stopped seeing her unlocking her phone.
But before she could dial a single number, a hand shot out and ripped the phone from her grip.
It was then that he realized it was Molly who had finally intervened and from the look on her face, it was obvious she was trying her best to hold back her brewing rage.
"That's enough!!," Molly said, her voice cold with anger.
Chloe's head snapped toward her. "Mom!, how could you—"
"I said that's enough, Chloe." Molly's voice was firm, unwavering. "You're accusing Noir of so many horrible things and the worst part about it is that you don't even have any proof!."
" Just how wicked can you be!!"
" He's your family and yet you keep treating him so harshly!."
" What happened to your father wasn't Noirs fault!, so stop blaming him when he was the only one who even tried to help!."
" If he had done a better job then dad wouldn't have died!!!!, it's his fault he's dead!!!." Chloe argued, not realizing just how cruel her words sounded, even Madison and Milles frowned the moment they heard her.
" Don't you dare say that!!!, you know your father was the one who asked him to protect us instead of him!, Noir tried his best and almost got killed because of it and yet you still don't care do you!!"
Molly felt her blood boiling at the thought of her daughter being this cruel and heartless towards her own brother just because she still couldn't get over the death of her husband, her father.
Not to mention that Noir was actually 12 when everything happened, blaming a 12 year old boy for trying his best, risking his life to protect them and even being forced to kill for the first time in his life was not only too much but pure and utter cruelty!!.