I inserted a toe filler inside my bunny slippers as I slid my feet into the house slippers and walked downstairs towards the coffeehouse and sat down, facing Aunt Inara and Grandma. With the Children of Balance Bible in her hands, my aunt gaped at me. "Could you explain to me again about this group?" she asked. 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKPE9uanBn
"The Children of Balance is a doomsday cult," I reiterated. "Where they believe that their 'messiah', Nathanel Roth would bring balance to the world."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5tetblksW
"That sounds ridiculous," Aunt Inara snorted. "This Nathanel guy is just a con man."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFHhqGQKml
"Exactly," I agreed with my aunt's statement. "But his followers just believed him like a bunch of sheep."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzVkktT7si2
"Idiots. I bet they give up all their money to Nathanel."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkomkWdPHhq
"Nathanel even persuaded his followers to commit murder."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcr8fK1w3mL
"Is it true?" gasped Grandma. 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15lvq83jmF
"It's true, Grandma," I nodded. "I was at the cult meeting."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUd8wfQ3Ddu
"First, what are you even doing at the commune anyways?" questioned Aunt Inara. "You could have gotten yourselves killed."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBGvJGf2y2
"Well, I encountered the Children of Balance on Naomi's birthday at an abandoned cabin."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxJSCDlNg5
"An abandoned cabin?" she raised her voice. 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUv9CuFuMv
"Calm down, Ina," Grandma placed her hand on Aunt Inara's shoulder. "Bugsy, what did you hear at the meeting?"682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8aFkRfYvm
"They planned to wipe out the vermin that caused the imbalance on Earth," I recalled. "Then, we offered a drop of blood on the fountain."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQsbb2sKc1
"What else did you saw?" Grandma held my hands. 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4ax5QrK24
"They all wear white hoods and chanted on how Nathanel Roth was our saviour and the Chosen One. I almost got caught but Ferdinand, Naomi and Lisa managed to save me."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbTgQvDoei
"Thank God," Aunt Inara sighed in relief. "I'm just glad you're safe."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQASI7ecmYR
"Aunt Inara," I looked at her. "I know they were responsible for Malcolm's death 29 years ago."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9K7KWR1A8G
"The police might not believe you, but maybe they'll believe David."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2mQejV2vm
I raised my eyebrows as Aunt Inara put on a beige coat. "Who's David?"682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO75Sh8IFd6
"The mayor," answered Aunt Inara. 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXvD6cqcq97
"You mean Mayor Yearns?"682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzu2XmNcBo6
"Yes, Bugsy," she waved as she left the Little Owl Coffeehouse. I stood up and walked towards the kitchen, pouring two cups of warm water. I walked towards our seat and placed our warm water on the coffee table. Grandma thanked me as she sipped her warm water. "Grandma, did you know Malcolm Nguyen?" 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFeZY1Vh0O
"I knew his parents, Eric Nguyen and Martha Trans. Eric worked as a clerk for the town council. Whenever they came to this coffeehouse, little Malcolm would always jump about."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpTDQPKpdu
"That's sad. What happened to their parents?"682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwLpooqsvk
"I don't know," Grandma sighed. "I never saw them since the boy's death."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq53lqMQckl
"Do you know anyone else in town who disappeared or killed?" I sipped. 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqIKWZY5GJ
"Do you remember Jessie?"682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySDiHEGpUq
"I do," I let out another sniffle. 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65c7MZqJWO
"Her parents, Mr Khan and Mrs Abbasi disappeared after her funeral, never to be seen again."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ56u43wAFLe
"I always thought they moved to the city," I stared in disbelief. 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJfObCD51hk
"Most of the people I've known personally disappeared, Bugsy. Amara, Zuko, Ezra...."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFN6rsEFeRH
I stood up and put on my blue jacket and a white beret as I opened the front door, letting in a breeze of snow inside the store. "I'll be at the archives, Grandma," I assured her. "Be back in a few hours."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtvXJNmjD13
"Wait," Grandma stopped me at the front door. "I'm coming with you."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFz8WKcr5ST
"But it's too dangerous," I protested. "You might slip on the icy pavements and break your bones."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHU70em3bup
"I'll be fine, Bugsy," she insisted. "Besides, the more the merrier."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOY3O0dIO77
I sighed as I watched her putting on layers of woolly cardigan around her and walked outside of our townhouse. I closed the door behind me and held her hands as we strolled along the pavements together, admiring the crimson lanterns hanging above us. "Lunar New Year's in another 3 weeks," noted Grandma. 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OrvjrZrLP
"I know, Grandma," I chuckled. "Can't wait."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOpFyFUyfV
"We should get new clothes for you," she gazed at the store mannequin, clad in rose- red cheongsam with flowery motifs. "You're out sizing some of your clothes."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNvw2K4ThpA
We passed the clothing store and headed inside the archives building, only to notice Ferdinand seated on a table in the middle, studying. I snickered as I tiptoed towards him and poked both his waist, causing him to jump from his seat. "Good god, Bugsy," he freaked. "You scare me."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDMNOzFLGj
"But it was funny," I amused. "Your reaction is priceless."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCOQJ1GJNy
"Whatever, Bugsy," he rolled his eye. "I'm currently studying cults."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSgZTLAr9Nf
We sat down, facing him. "Did you find anything about the Children of Balance?" I asked. 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5yhytI8j7L
"Unfortunately, no," Ferdinand shook his head. "All I could find was The People's Temple, Heaven's Gate and the Manson Family."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSzIplzBtYZ
"Keep searching, Ferdinand, while I'll search for the missing and murdered people in Slaborough."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZx9VwVBPEt
I walked towards the counter and rang the bell, prompting Miss Yves to put down her newspaper and look at me. "Morning, Bugsy," she greeted with a smile. "What can I do for you today?"682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7PQlJ6meFQ
"I need reports of missing and murdered people in Slaborough from 1969 to present," I specified. Yves got up and walked through rows of shelves while I got back to my seat and grabbed an article Ferdinand was going through.682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3naF1mtx4v
"SIGNS YOU'RE IN A CULT", I read. "By Amara Onyo."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡON8crQsBHb
This must be interesting, I thought as I took out a triple five notebook and a pen. "Absolute authoritarianism, no tolerance for questions," I listed down. "The leader's always right, fear of the outside world, no financial disclosure."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2kiZS2UBOx
As I read another article, Yves approached our table and placed a pile of newspaper clippings next to me. "These are the one I could find," Yves wiped her sweat with her handkerchief.682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmGsBrmSdIr
I thanked her as I unearthed each newspaper clippings and filled up the entire table, making Ferdinand remove his articles away. With the dates of the clippings following the chronological timeline, I counted all the people of Slaborough missing or murdered. "There are 35 of them," I stated. 'Ferdinand, could you look at articles about Malcolm?"682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrI6B8utFHc
Ferdinand took out his magnifying glass and analyzed Malcolm's article. "According to the article, Malcolm was found dead on January 20 approximately at 10.43 a.m," Ferdinand read. 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqoZHteA86
"Grandma," I called her. "Do you recognize anyone here who you suspect was taken or killed by the Children of Balance?"682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtGdgQKBsF
Grandma put on her spectacles and scanned the clippings, placing them on top of each other, making a mini mountain. "I could be wrong," Grandma doubted. "But I think these were the ones taken by the Children of Balance."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoOSJ5bWkh6
Ferdinand pushed the remaining clippings to the side and spread them out on the table, filling three-quarters of the table. "29," I counted. "29 was the number of years Malcolm was found dead."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXmllqHEro
With his magnifying glass, Ferdinand read the second article and jotted down the date on his glitter notebook. "January 20." 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAEhZr9fVB
He goes through the next one, and the next, and the next, until he reaches the last one. "January 20," he repeated throughout the whole time. 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCACmZiPimz
"All the murder and kidnapping that the Children of Balance had committed were done on January 20," I noticed. 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhcugKgAg1h
"But why the same date?" Ferdinand questioned. "If they wanted secrecy, they could've committed those things randomly."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8OoJU5lEf4
"Good question, Ferdinand. The police would've noticed this pattern by now but yet no actions were taken."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1pOK4LC3C9
"And how did they get the guns?" 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0NybJXgOG
"What do you mean by guns?" Grandma raised her eyebrows, her hands trembling.682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoeFpHJu1ah
"The other day when we were in an abandoned cabin, we encountered the Children of Balance. They threatened us at gunpoint."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ264xTFGBPj
"But we can't have guns," Grandma expressed her surprise. "How did they get those rifles?"682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBnhCtigJ5
"That is the questions we couldn't answer," I lifted my shoulders. Grandma took one of the newspaper clippings on the table and stared at a picture of a dark-skinned woman, with frizzy hair and a grin on her face. "Who is that, Grandma?" I asked. 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWQLTEhOrq
"Amara Onyo. She was always carrying a notebook everywhere."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTDqplSaN0y
Amara Onyo. Now that sounds familiar to me.682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcanTHozkGZ
"So now what?" Ferdinand wondered.682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbrNBliUFmf
We sat at the waiting room just outside the mayor's office, feeling slightly warm, with the sound of the secretary typing on a computer as background noise. Then, we heard the door swung opened, revealing Aunt Inara and Mayor Yearns.682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1AcTCFkZ6m
"Thank you for making time with me, David," said Aunt Inara, in a warm tone when she turned around and noticed us. "Mom, Ferdinand, Bugsy," her jaws dropped. "What are you all doing here?"682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4a0tpzrn2j
I stood up, hugging my notebook. "I have something extremely important about the Children of Balance," I spoke. 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8j2aH4eswc
"Alright," Mayor Yearns answered. "We'll discuss this in my office."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLp0zegPnqZ
I faced Mayor Yearns as he sat down. I slipped a notebook on his desk and opened it, showing and explaining all we've found in the archives. "So you're saying that the Children of Balance kidnapped and murdered 29 people each year on January 20?" he guessed his conclusion. 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxMDtNhEKP
"It's true, Mayor Yearns."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9XldUWI52
"If that's so, then why didn't the police noticed this pattern from 29 years?" he placed his clasped hands on his desk. 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgsn4bBe1RB
"That's what I wondered as well."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWyyH4221P
"And they have guns as well," Grandma pointed out. "Isn't it illegal?"682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpr87XKufip
Mayor Yearns opened his drawer and flipped the pages of his law book, and showed us the page for reference. "According to the firearm's law," lectured Mayor Yearns. "It is legal for a citizen to bear arms, but they must go through various tests. After they successfully obtained a gun, their guns would be in an ammunition centre. And if they want to use it for practice, the gun owner must inform the police or else face a fine or suspension of gun license."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGshN7S5vz
I pouted my lips. "That sounds difficult."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZU7SAOrxJ
"It is," said Mayor Yearns. "Which is why I'm making a police report based on the evidence provided by a witness of the crime."682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dei3OTafy
"That's great," Ferdinand gleamed. 682Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyLoaZIUZt4
"Now all of you just go home and rest while the police would take care of this."
"Yes, sir."
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