Chereads / The Kingdom of Versimoil / Chapter 16 - Haselburg

Chapter 16 - Haselburg

Anneliese walked through the forest carrying the book in her hand which she couldn't put in her bag as her bag was soaked because of her being pushed into the river. When she reached near the town, she placed the book into her bag so her parents won't see it. Taking the turn to town's street, looking around, she tried not to get caught. She kept walking but did not encounter any Officer on the main town's route which made her suspicious and she questioned herself, "Am I lucky to walk so freely in the curfew or is it the silence before the storm?"

When she reached home, she looked at both sides of the street to see if she could find any officer but she couldn't. Opening the small wooden door of her home, she walked to the main door before knocking it twice. When she couldn't hear anyone coming, she called for her mother, "I am home Mumma, open the door!" Not hearing her mother's voice or any sound coming from inside, she frowned and said to herself, "That's weird!" and went around the back side of the house in the backyard. Stepping inside from the backdoor, she went to drawing room, Not finding her parents or sister, she called for them, "Mumma! pappa?"

Going to the kitchen, she noticed, half of the utensils were washed while other were dipped in water and she frowned as she knows how much her mother hates untidiness.

Anxiousness started to build in her mind, mounting the stairs she called for her sister, "Adlina? Where are you?" Not hearing any reply, she went to her room but her sister wasn't there, she noticed her slippers were at the side of the bed and Adlina never walk around the house without her slippers on!

Running to her parents room, Anneliese pushed the door open and looked for her parents and sister. Her heart started to beat louder and running downstair, she stepped out of her house. She went to her neighbour's house and called out for her mother's next door friend, "Mrs. Miller? Are you home?" Not receiving a reply, she called out again, "Mr. Miller? Mrs. Miller? This is Ann! I am here to ask if you have seen Mumma papa or Adlina?" When no one answered, she walked on the street, calling for her parents and sister, "Mumma Pappa? Adlina? Where are you?"

Right now she did not cared about getting caught by the Officers on patrol, she walked to the library and thumped by her palms on the helper boy's door and yelled, "Liam!! Are you inside, please open the door Liam!"

When she couldn't hear anyone except for herself or any noise except for her loud footsteps, She looked around the alley frantically and shouted, "Hello? Is anyone here? Can someone hear me? please come out! Please! hello?"

Going to the main town's route, She kept looking around hoping she will find an Officer on duty but even after an hour she couldn't find a single person. All sweaty and tired, putting her hands on her knee, she closed her eyes and breathed heavily!

"Mr. Herondale!! I should go there!" Ann's mind ran and she walked to the Bazaar road. Reaching at Mr. Herondale's, Ann banged the door while calling out for him but there was no response from the other side.

Her mind and body started to give up, she could not think to look anywhere else. Unable to walk up straight, she sat down one side of the Bazaar near a flower shop, where she couldn't see the florist.

Breathing shakily, she put her palms on her face and murmured, "What is happening? Where is everyone? What should I do now?"

"Mr. Enzo! Yes! I should contact him but where is his cat?" She looked around for the cat who followed her like a shadow past few days but is not there right now! She questioned herself, "Where did the cat go?" Exhaling sharply, she decided to go home and wait for the cat to come.

Walking to a home where she won't find her parents waiting for her return, It made her heart break and she blinked her eyes to stop her tears from spilling. No matter how hard she tried to shake off the distress, her mind couldn't stay calm.

When she took a turn from the Bazaar road to main town's route, she heard some noise coming from behind, turning around, she saw three carriage coming in her direction.

Inside the carriage, the coachman said to the person in the back, "Sir, there is a woman on the street!"

"Stop the carriage." ordered Envoy Egnatius.

Stepping down from the carriage, the coachman opened the door for the Head member. The other two carriage also came to halt and the members of Administrative Board stepped down.

Anneliese recognized the Conclave's Head member who was in the forest the other day, quickly coming to where he stood, She bowed at him and asked, "Is the Board here to investigate?"

Three hours ago, The Administrative Board received the news that something similar to Windborn's incident has transpired here, in the town of Haselburg! But not a single resident was found in Windborn town and here, In Haselburg, this girl is taking a stroll while other townsfolks has vanished into thin air similar to Windborn!

Noticing the suspicious look in the Head member's eyes, Ann remembered how he was so adamant on putting her into dungeon the other day.

Before Ann could clarify on what happened, Envoy Egnatius questioned, "Isn't it too much of a coincidence that you were found at crime scene in the forest and now here in Haselburg?"