The sound of fairly thick raindrops falling irritated his ears. Greyson was sitting on the basement floor, humming a meaningless tune. Just like he used to do when he was young.
Passing time like this was familiar to him. If he fantasized, sang songs, or even slept, eventually the locked door would open and the time of liberation would come. It would be the same this time too. Greyson just had to endure the boring time.
As he hummed a song with mismatched notes while sitting leaning against the wall, he heard the sound of a key turning with a clatter, mixed with the sound of rain. Someone had entered the house.
Is it Santiago's father?
Greyson thought as he remained in the same place. He'll open the door soon. And after walking around the house a bit, he'll come here last.
His prediction wasn't far off. He heard footsteps repeatedly coming closer and moving away, as if the person was going back and forth between the kitchen and the entrance.
When will he open the door?
Greyson sat whistling softly. Time always feels infinitely long to someone who is waiting. He knew that fact well. When he was left alone in the basement like this, or when all his siblings had found their destiny but he alone remained solitary, Greyson thought the same way. That waiting feels several times longer than it actually is, which is why one becomes so impatient. In reality, not much time has passed. So I can wait as long as it takes, he told himself.
Look even now.
The man's footsteps drew closer again. Finally, as the sound of him inserting and turning the key at the basement door was heard, Greyson stopped whistling and raised the corners of his mouth as if he had expected this.
That man hasn't come and gone even a hundred times.
The sound of old hinges creaking echoed. And finally, the door connecting the living room to the basement opened.
(......)
Shooting Greyson Miller was something that only happened in his imagination, but when it was actually happening before his eyes, Dane felt complicated emotions. The reason he hadn't done it in reality was because the aftermath would be troublesome, but having to go through hell for someone else's actions was absurd.
He needed to resolve this situation somehow before things got ugly. Just as he was about to make an unavoidable choice and move his body, the man shouted.
"Shut up, you son of a bitch! Where's my son, give me back my Santiago!"
"That's what I'm trying to tell you."
In contrast to the man's indignant shout, Greyson's voice was only calm. He continued in his characteristic grinning tone.
"You put your son in the basement because he did something wrong. But due to circumstances, he's not here now. I'm alone here. Wait, don't get angry that the child left in the middle, I stayed here instead. So the punishment is complete now, right? As long as someone fills the headcount, it doesn't matter who it is, right?"
It was nonsensical gibberish. Of course, Dane wasn't the only one who thought so.
"What the hell are you talking about, you fucking bastard..."
Santiago's father mumbled in a trembling voice as if dumbfounded. "So," Greyson continued.
"I took the punishment instead of Santiago. Since you opened the basement door yourself, it's all over, right? You opened the door because the punishment was complete. To take the child out. It's done now, everything's over, happy ending!"
Greyson seemed genuinely happy, but no one was sympathizing with him.
Ch16 NOVEL version
The sound of fairly thick raindrops falling irritated his ears. Greyson was sitting on the basement floor, humming a meaningless tune. Just like he used to do when he was young.
Passing time like this was familiar to him. If he fantasized, sang songs, or even slept, eventually the locked door would open and the time of liberation would come. It would be the same this time too. Greyson just had to endure the boring time.
As he hummed a song with mismatched notes while sitting leaning against the wall, he heard the sound of a key turning with a clatter, mixed with the sound of rain. Someone had entered the house.
Is it Santiago's father?
Greyson thought as he remained in the same place. He'll open the door soon. And after walking around the house a bit, he'll come here last.
His prediction wasn't far off. He heard footsteps repeatedly coming closer and moving away, as if the person was going back and forth between the kitchen and the entrance.
When will he open the door?
Greyson sat whistling softly. Time always feels infinitely long to someone who is waiting. He knew that fact well. When he was left alone in the basement like this, or when all his siblings had found their destiny but he alone remained solitary, Greyson thought the same way. That waiting feels several times longer than it actually is, which is why one becomes so impatient. In reality, not much time has passed. So I can wait as long as it takes, he told himself.
Look even now.
The man's footsteps drew closer again. Finally, as the sound of him inserting and turning the key at the basement door was heard, Greyson stopped whistling and raised the corners of his mouth as if he had expected this.
That man hasn't come and gone even a hundred times.
The sound of old hinges creaking echoed. And finally, the door connecting the living room to the basement opened.
(......)
Shooting Greyson Miller was something that only happened in his imagination, but when it was actually happening before his eyes, Dane felt complicated emotions. The reason he hadn't done it in reality was because the aftermath would be troublesome, but having to go through hell for someone else's actions was absurd.
He needed to resolve this situation somehow before things got ugly. Just as he was about to make an unavoidable choice and move his body, the man shouted.
"Shut up, you son of a bitch! Where's my son, give me back my Santiago!"
"That's what I'm trying to tell you."
In contrast to the man's indignant shout, Greyson's voice was only calm. He continued in his characteristic grinning tone.
"You put your son in the basement because he did something wrong. But due to circumstances, he's not here now. I'm alone here. Wait, don't get angry that the child left in the middle, I stayed here instead. So the punishment is complete now, right? As long as someone fills the headcount, it doesn't matter who it is, right?"
It was nonsensical gibberish. Of course, Dane wasn't the only one who thought so.
"What the hell are you talking about, you fucking bastard..."
Santiago's father mumbled in a trembling voice as if dumbfounded. "So," Greyson continued.
"I took the punishment instead of Santiago. Since you opened the basement door yourself, it's all over, right? You opened the door because the punishment was complete. To take the child out. It's done now, everything's over, happy ending!"
Greyson seemed genuinely happy, but no one was sympathizing with him.