One! Two! in Three!"
"Daddy wait! Daddy wait. You are cheating. Count again so I can hide." Little Grayzleigh begged.
"No. You're the one who has cheated. I counted to ten before but you didn't hide."
"Really? Okay, this time around I'll hide."
"We'll continue this game later. Let's go and have some of your mother's delicious tea and cookies. Come over here."
"No! I want to play hide and seek."
"See my beautiful Leigh. You are just 5yrs but you are smarter and more beautiful than your mum. Let's make a deal."
"Huh?"
"After having lunch, we will come out and play hide and seek ten times."
"Deal. But daddy,"
"Yes?"
"Yesterday, I saw you discussing with three men. They seemed pretty mad about something. Who are they?"
"They are my friends."
"That's not true. You looked scared yesterday. It was like they were threatening you. Daddy, I've seen this kind of thing in movies so don't lie to me."
"I've warned your mum to stop letting you watch movies with her but she wouldn't listen. Now you are acting like a total detective."
"Daddy, another question."
"My Lil question daughter. What do you want to ask again?"
"Why do I always have to dress like a boy? Mum said I shouldn't let anyone know that I'm a girl. Does this have anything to do with the guys that came yesterday?"
"I will tell you why when you are 10 years old."
"But dad,"
"No buts. If your mum found out that you are dressed as a girl now, she's going to scold me. Get changed and come join us in the living room."
"Too late, dad." Gilbert turned back and saw his wife, Rosy running towards him with fear written all over her face. She pulled him to the corner and whispered something into his ear.
"Take Leigh to the back. I'll be right back."
"No. You can't go. I'll not let you go and face him all by yourself. Let's just run away together."
"I wish I could. But for the sake of our daughter's future, we can't keep running away like Cowards. I'll have to face them today. No matter what happens, I want you to take good care of our baby Leigh and yourself."
"Papa." Grayzleigh cried.
"Hide and seek. Papa wants to play hide and seek now. I'll count to ten. Go and hide, I'll seek you."
"What about cookies?"
"Later. Now I want to play with you. I want to enjoy this moment with my angel. Plus, your mum said she isn't done cooking. So I guess, we have enough time to play."
"Yay! Count. Don't cheat."
"1.....2...... Rosy," Mr. Gilbert, called out after Grayzleigh had gone hiding. "Please, please take care of our baby. Until I return, don't let Grayzleigh ever feel lonely."
"Gil,"
"Bye. 3.......4........5," His voice kept fading till he was out of sight.
Little Grayzleigh stayed in her hiding place till the sun went down.
"Dad, I'm still hiding. I want to use the bathroom. Dad? Dad." She came out of her hiding place and rushed into the house where she heard a loud car noise.
She couldn't see the men very well, but she was able to recognize one's voice from the previous day.
"The job is finally done. He's dead."
"And his wife?" The other man in a black suit asked.
"She's dead too."
"What about his daughter? We can't let anyone in this house live, okay?"
"Sir, we didn't see his daughter anywhere."
"Dad is dead." Sobbed Grayzleigh. She brought out the gun in the drawer close to her and shot the man in the suit making one of his fingers fall out.
"Shit. Boss, you are bleeding."
"Catch that girl and kill her."
"Ok boss."
"Wait. She's probably hiding in here as there is no way out of here. Come on, let's go out. We are going to burn down this house. Everyone and everything in this house will end today."
"Ok boss."
"Mr Gilbert's story is closed. Now, no one else will know this secret I've kept for many years.
