Chapter 7: The Music Box
The music box played the same four notes again.
Slow.
Thin.
Almost childish.
But the sound froze Pearl where she stood.
She looked at me as if I had suddenly become someone else.
"Pamela," she whispered, "don't go upstairs.""
Jack stepped between us.
"Why?""
Pearl shook her head.
"Because that's what he wants.""
Victor stood near the garage entrance, watching all of us.
His confidence had changed.
For the first time, he looked nervous.
Daniel noticed.
"So you were afraid of the recording.""
Victor's eyes narrowed.
"Don't flatter yourself.""
Daniel stepped toward him.
"You spent twenty years searching for that box.""
Victor said nothing.
Jack looked at me.
"Can you remember where it is?""
I nodded slowly.
"The nursery.""
Pearl grabbed my arm.
"No.""
I pulled away.
"You said you wanted the truth.""
"I do.""
"Then let me find it.""
Pearl's eyes filled with tears.
"You don't understand what your father recorded.""
"Then I'll listen.""
Victor suddenly reached inside his jacket.
Jack moved instantly.
"Don't.""
Victor stopped.
His hand remained inside his coat.
Jack pulled out his phone.
"I've already called the police.""
Victor smiled.
"Did you?""
Jack looked at his screen.
No signal.
Victor laughed.
"You still don't understand.""
He turned toward the house.
"This entire property is a dead zone.""
Daniel stared at him.
"You installed something.""
"Years ago.""
Jack's jaw tightened.
Victor looked at me.
"Go upstairs.""
Pearl whispered, "Pamela, don't.""
Victor's eyes hardened.
"Go upstairs, or Clara dies.""
Pearl froze.
Clara stepped backward.
"Don't listen to him.""
Victor looked at her.
"You know I keep my promises.""
Clara's face went pale.
I looked at Jack.
He shook his head.
"No.""
I squeezed his hand.
"If I don't go, he hurts her.""
"I'll go with you.""
Victor nodded.
"Of course.""
We entered the house.
The music box continued playing.
Every note seemed louder in the empty hallway.
Pearl followed.
Daniel came behind us.
Clara stayed near the doorway.
I climbed the stairs slowly.
Halfway up, I remembered something.
A child's hand gripping the banister.
My mother's voice.
"Don't be afraid of the dark, Pamela.""
Then my father's voice.
"She's lying.""
I stopped.
Jack touched my shoulder.
"What?""
"I remember this.""
"What?""
"My father and my mother arguing.""
Pearl closed her eyes.
"Keep going.""
We reached the nursery.
The door was covered in dust.
Pearl had painted over the original nameplate years ago, but I could still see the faint letters beneath the paint.
*PAMELA.*
I pushed the door open.
The room smelled of old wood and lavender.
Everything was still there.
The blue curtains.
The tiny bed.
The wooden horse.
The music box on the dresser.
My breath caught.
Jack whispered, "Is that it?""
I nodded.
I walked toward it.
Victor's voice came from the hallway.
"Open it.""
I picked up the music box.
My fingers trembled.
The lid was decorated with a silver crown.
I remembered my father's voice.
When the song stops, look beneath the crown.
The music slowed.
Four notes.
Three.
Two.
One.
Silence.
I turned the box upside down.
There was a tiny metal plate beneath the crown.
I pressed it.
A compartment opened.
Inside was a small cassette tape.
And beneath it—
a key.
Pearl made a strangled sound.
"No.""
Jack picked up the cassette.
"What is it?""
Pearl whispered, "The night your mother died.""
Victor stepped into the doorway.
"Give it to me.""
Jack shook his head.
"No.""
Victor pulled out his gun.
"Now.""
Jack moved in front of me.
Victor aimed.
Then Clara stepped into the hallway.
"Victor.""
He turned.
She held something in her hand.
A phone.
She raised it.
"I sent your picture to the police.""
Victor's face changed.
Clara smiled through her tears.
"You taught me to survive.""
Then she pressed a button.
A siren sounded in the distance.
Victor swore.
He grabbed Pearl.
"Move.""
Pearl fought him.
"Let her go!""
He dragged her backward.
Jack lunged.
Victor fired.
The bullet struck the wall.
Jack pulled me down.
Daniel rushed forward.
Clara ran.
Victor disappeared down the stairs with Pearl.
I crawled toward the cassette.
Jack grabbed my hand.
"We have to go.""
"No.""
I held up the tape.
"We need to know.""
Daniel looked toward the staircase.
"Not here.""
We ran into the bedroom and locked the door.
Jack found an old tape player in a cabinet.
He inserted the cassette.
The machine clicked.
Static filled the room.
Then my mother's voice.
"Paul, you can't do this.""
I stopped breathing.
My father's voice answered.
"You took my money.""
"It wasn't yours.""
"It was mine before she was born.""
"Pamela is your daughter.""
A chair scraped.
Then my father's voice became colder.
"She'll never know.""
My mother whispered, "I won't let you hurt her.""
There was a long silence.
Then Pearl's younger voice.
"Stop!""
I covered my mouth.
Pearl was there.
My mother shouted, "Pearl, take Pamela and go!""
My father said something too quiet to hear.
Then Pearl screamed.
A crash.
My mother cried out.
Then came a gunshot.
The tape went silent.
I couldn't breathe.
Jack reached for me.
Then another voice appeared.
A man's voice.
Victor.
"She's dead.""
Pearl sobbed.
"What did you do?""
Victor answered.
"Your father did it.""
The recording ended.
I stared at the tape player.
Daniel whispered, "That's not the whole recording.""
I looked at him.
"How do you know?""
"Because your father recorded everything.""
He picked up the small key.
"This opens the second compartment.""
I looked at the music box.
"Where?""
Daniel turned it over.
He found a tiny keyhole beneath the base.
He inserted the key.
Click.
A hidden panel opened.
Inside was a folded ledger.
And one final photograph.
I unfolded it.
My mother was alive in the picture.
But she wasn't alone.
She was holding a baby.
A baby girl.
The photograph had been taken after the night she supposedly died.
I stared at the baby.
Then at Pearl.
"That's impossible.""
Pearl stood in the doorway.
Her face was wet with tears.
May you like
She whispered,
"Your mother didn't die that night.""
