Aria pushed through the swing door of the police station, her heart pounding with each step. The sterile scent of the building overwhelmed her, a harsh reminder of the reality she was about to face. She approached the front desk, where a female officer sat, her expression unreadable.
"My name is Aria Morrison," she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "I'm here for Cody Morrison, my brother who was missing a few days ago. I heard that he was found, and I want to see his body."
The officer looked up, her brow furrowing in concern. "I'm sorry, but you need to have someone with you to see the body. You can't just come in here and say you want to see your brother's body like that."
As Aria felt her resolve wavering, a familiar figure entered through the same door—the officer who had delivered the terrible news to her family. He stepped forward, his expression sympathetic. "She's with me. I'm the one inspecting the body. Please, let us both go inside."
The female officer nodded reluctantly, glancing between them before granting access. Aria felt a flicker of hope as they moved past the desk, the weight of the moment hanging heavily in the air.
They entered a small room, and Aria's breath caught in her throat as they approached the gurney draped in white sheets. The officer gently pulled back the covering, revealing her brother's body.
Aria's heart shattered as she laid eyes on Cody. The sight of his burnt, lifeless form sent her spiraling into despair. The once bright smile she knew was replaced by the harsh reality of charred skin and singed hair. Everything about him was unrecognizable, his face twisted in a grotesque manner.
But there, amid the devastation, glinted the pearl necklace she had given him for his fourth birthday—a beautiful reminder of happier times that now felt like a cruel joke. "Cody," she gasped, the name barely a whisper as tears streamed down her face.
Sobbing, she fell to her knees. "Who would do this? Why would anyone do this? What kind of monster could do this to my brother?" Her cries echoed in the sterile room, raw and filled with anguish.
The officer standing by tried to maintain a professional demeanor but couldn't help the sympathy that softened his gaze. "Now that you've seen the body, do you want to leave?" he asked gently.
Aria shook her head, unable to comprehend the enormity of her loss. She stumbled out of the room and sank onto the cold floor outside the door, her body wracked with sobs. The weight of her grief was suffocating.
Moments later, the officer emerged, concern etched on his face. "I know this is incredibly hard for you," he said softly. "But you need to go home and take care of yourself. You could get a concussion from this emotional strain."
She wiped her eyes, anger bubbling beneath the surface. "I'm fine," she snapped, her voice sharper than she intended. "I'm going home now."
With a deep breath, Aria stood and adjusted her clothes, forcing herself to walk towards the exit. As she pushed open the door, a fire ignited within her. Whoever did this to Cody was going to pay. She couldn't shake the feeling that justice needed to be served, and she would not rest until she found the person responsible.
Determined, she made her way home, each step fueled by a mix of grief and rage.
As Aria pushed open the door to her house, the familiar scent of home enveloped her, but the warmth it once brought felt distant. Her mother stood by the kitchen island, worry etched across her face. "Aria, are you okay?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
"Mom, I'm fine," Aria replied, her tone sharper than intended as she brushed past her mother, heading toward the living room. She turned to her father, who was sitting on the couch, his eyes heavy with exhaustion. "Dad, can I have the keys to the treehouse?"
Her father looked up, confusion furrowing his brow. "Why do you want to go to the treehouse? It's far away. I built that thing so we could enjoy family time there, not for you to run off."
"Dad, I need the keys to the treehouse," she insisted, her voice firm and unyielding. The sternness in her tone shocked both her parents.
"What are you going to do in the treehouse?" her dad asked, concern mingling with disbelief.
"I just want to be there for a while," she said, trying to sound casual. "I'm going to take permission from school, but I can't be around all this… drama right now. I need to clear my head."
Her father hesitated, sensing the underlying tension in her words. "I'm not sure about that, Aria. It's a long way from here, and—"
"Why can't you just give me this?" she snapped, frustration bubbling over. "Why can't you just let me have this?"
"Don't raise your voice at me!" he shouted back, the volume of his voice echoing off the walls, filling the room with an uncomfortable silence.
Aria's heart raced, anger coursing through her veins. She wanted to scream, to express the whirlwind of emotions churning inside her, but she couldn't. "I just need some space!" she shouted, feeling the tears threaten to spill over again.
Her father crossed his arms, his expression hardening. "I'll think about it," he finally said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "But I don't want you out there alone."
As Aria stormed up to her room, her mind raced with thoughts of her brother and the determination to uncover the truth. She had to get to the treehouse. She needed to investigate what happened to Cody.
When Aria reached her room, she knew in her heart that staying in the house to investigate what happened to Cody was a recipe for disaster. Her parents would undoubtedly find out, and they would want her to stop—arguing that it would affect her studies. That's why she needed to get permission from the school to leave, to escape the suffocating atmosphere of their home.
But her dad was proving to be a problem. He wouldn't just hand over the keys to the treehouse. As night settled in, thoughts of Cody swirled in her mind—how she had seen him lying there, lifeless and burned. The image haunted her, and she couldn't shake the disbelief that had gripped her since that day. Pain pierced her heart as she wondered how much suffering he had endured before meeting his end.
Before she realized it, tears streamed down her cheeks. Curling up in bed, she wrapped herself in a blanket and cried, letting her anguish spill over. The hours slipped away, and eventually, exhaustion took over, pulling her into a restless sleep.
The next morning, she woke up feeling a mix of energy and fatigue, driven by the urgency of her plans. She jumped out of bed, dashed to the bathroom, and took a quick shower. After brushing her teeth, she raced downstairs, her heart pounding with determination.
Her mother was already in the living room when Aria appeared, purse in hand but no school bag in sight.
"Aria, where are you going? You're not taking your school bag?" her mother asked, a note of worry creeping into her voice.
"No, I'm not going to school. I just need to get permission," she replied, trying to keep her tone even.
"Aria, please don't do this. Don't let this take such a toll on you," her mom pleaded. "We need you to concentrate on your studies."
"Nothing is stopping me from my studies!" Aria shot back, the frustration boiling over. Realizing she was raising her voice, she took a breath and softened her tone. "Mom, I understand you're worried, but I need to do this. I would really appreciate it if you let me. If I don't, I'll never find peace."
"I'll think about it," her mom replied, but just then, Aria heard her father's footsteps coming down the stairs. The moment she sensed him, her elven ears twitched instinctively.
"Aria!" her father called, but she didn't answer. She simply walked out the door and started running, her feet pounding against the ground as she sprinted toward the bus station.
Once she boarded the bus and arrived at the university, her heart raced with purpose. She approached the administration office and explained her situation, using Cody's tragic death to request permission for time off. They agreed, and relief washed over her.
But instead of heading home immediately, she went straight to the police station. When she entered, the same female officer was there. "You again?" she remarked, raising an eyebrow. "You really need to stop barging in here like that."
"I need to see the officer who came to tell my parents about Cody," Aria insisted, her voice firm.
The officer sighed heavily but relented. "Alright, hold on." She picked up the phone and made a call. A few minutes later, the officer appeared, recognition flickering in his eyes. "Aria, it's you again."
"I need to see my brother's body one more time," she said, her heart pounding.
The officer studied her for a moment. "Are you sure?"
"Yes. I really need to see him again," she affirmed.
Frustration and anger churned within Aria as she looked down at Cody's burnt, lifeless body, preserved in the chill of the morgue. Every detail seemed wrong—too still, too cold. Fighting the tightness in her throat, she reached into her book bag, pulled out her camera, and began taking photos. She captured every scratch, every symbol etched into his skin, every burn mark that stood out darker and more intense than the others, each click of the camera cutting through the silence. She couldn't believe this was her brother lying before her, every detail making the mystery of his death heavier and more real.
As she worked, the police officer nearby watched her in silence, a mix of sympathy and respect softening his gaze. When she finally finished, she slipped the camera back into her bag and turned to him, managing a quiet, "Thank you for your time."
As she started to leave, he reached out gently, touching her hand. "If you ever need my help, I'm here for you," he said softly.
She gave him a grateful nod. "Thank you," she replied, then slipped out the door.
By the time she got home, it was earlier than usual, her day clear of any plans for classes. But when she walked into the apartment, she was shocked to see her parents already in the living room. They rarely returned home this early, and she'd expected a quiet house to quickly grab the treehouse key and slip away.
Trying to avoid their gaze, she headed for the stairs, but her father's voice stopped her. "Aria."
"Dad, I'm sorry, but I really don't have the energy to argue right now," she said, her voice tight.
He replied calmly, "I'm not here to argue. I need to talk with you."
She paused, two steps up, then sighed and came back down. "Okay, I'm listening."
Her father looked at her with a thoughtful expression and then held up the treehouse key. "I'm giving you the key to the treehouse."
Her eyes lit up with surprise. "Thank you! Thank you so much." She reached out eagerly, but before handing over the key, he continued.
"On one condition. I'm going to have someone guard you."
"What?" she asked, her excitement dimming. "Why do I need a bodyguard? It's just the treehouse, Dad. I'm not going anywhere dangerous."
"The treehouse is in the middle of the woods. It can be dangerous if you're out there alone," he said firmly.
She opened her mouth to argue but knew it was useless. Finally, she sighed and nodded. "Fine. I'll agree if that's the only way I can go."
Her mother stepped closer, cupping Aria's cheek. "You're so stubborn, just like your dad," she said with a faint smile. "But please understand—this might affect you more than you know."
Aria met her mother's gaze and nodded. "I know, Mom. But if I don't do this, I'll never find peace."
Her mom nodded and let go, giving her the silent signal that she could head upstairs to gather her things. But as Aria turned to go, her mother spoke up again. "Everything you need is already packed in the car waiting for you."
Aria's eyes widened as she looked between her parents, stunned. Her father held out the car key with a gentle smile, and her mother continued, "I've packed your clothes, food, water, and even your bow and arrows."
Before her mother could finish listing the supplies, Aria threw her arms around her, hugging her tightly. "Thank you so much," she whispered, then rushed to embrace her father.
With one last look at her parents, she took the car key and hurried out the door, ready to finally set out on the journey that would bring her closer to the truth.