Chapter 2: Five Days In Darkness
The first day inside the wall was the hardest.
Not because of the cold.
Not because of the darkness.
Because I still believed Rebecca would come back.
I thought maybe she was angry.
Maybe this was some horrible punishment.
Maybe she would open the panel and say, “I’m sorry, Lily.””
But she didn’t.
The only thing that came through the wall was silence.
I counted time by sounds.
The refrigerator humming.
The pipes shaking.
Rebecca walking through the house.
At some point, I heard her laughing.
She was laughing while I was trapped inches away.
I pressed my ear against the wall.
“Rebecca?””
No answer.
I knew she could hear me.
I knew she was choosing not to respond.
The second day was worse.
My voice became weaker.
I had found a small bottle of water inside the storage space, probably left behind by workers. There was also an old blanket covered in dust.
I wrapped myself in it and held the recorder.
The battery was low.
I had to save it.
That little device was the only proof I had.
The only thing that could fight for me if I couldn’t.
Around noon, I heard Rebecca talking again.
This time she was on the phone with my father.
I crawled closer.
“Lily?””
Dad’s voice.
My heart exploded.
I hit the wall.
“Dad!””
But the wall swallowed my voice.
Rebecca answered.
“Oh, she’s probably playing outside.””
A pause.
“No, I haven’t seen her for a while.””
My hands shook.
She was lying.
She was lying directly to him.
Dad sounded worried.
“What do you mean you haven’t seen her?””
Rebecca sighed.
“She’s been upset since you left.””
“That doesn’t explain why she’s missing.””
“I think she ran away.””
My tears fell silently.
I wanted to scream.
Dad, I’m here.
I’m right here.
But the wall was stronger than my voice.
Then Dad said something that broke my heart.
“I’m coming home.””
Rebecca became quiet.
“No, honey, don’t panic.””
“I’m coming home tonight.””
The call ended.
For the first time, Rebecca sounded afraid.
I heard her footsteps moving quickly around the house.
Doors opening.
Drawers closing.
She was preparing.
Not to rescue me.
To protect herself.
A few hours later, the panel moved slightly.
Light entered the darkness.
I covered my eyes.
Rebecca stood there.
She looked different.
No fake smile.
No kindness.
Only anger.
“You made this much harder than it needed to be.””
I backed away.
“Please let me go.””
She crouched down.
“You’re going to tell your father you ran away.””
“No.””
Her eyes narrowed.
“You don’t understand.””
“I recorded you.””
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
Rebecca froze.
“What?””
I grabbed the recorder.
“This recorded everything.””
For a second, fear crossed her face.
Then she laughed.
A cold, empty laugh.
“You think anyone will believe a child over me?””
She reached toward me.
I held the recorder behind my back.
“You’re not getting it.””
Her expression changed.
“You really are your mother’s daughter.””
I hated how she said it.
Like it was an insult.
She closed the panel again.
But before darkness returned, she whispered:
“Your father will hear my story first.””
That night, I heard the front door open.
Dad was home.
I pressed my hand against the wall.
“Dad!””
I screamed until my throat burned.
Then I heard footsteps.
Fast footsteps.
“Rebecca?””
Dad.
His voice.
Closer.
“What happened? Where is Lily?””
Rebecca started crying.
Real crying.
The kind adults believe.
“She disappeared.””
My heart sank.
“No…”
Dad’s voice cracked.
“Where were you?””
“I don’t know.””
Then silence.
A terrible silence.
I knocked.
Once.
Twice.
Nothing.
I knocked again.
And then…
May you like
A knock came back.
From the other side.