The Third Word

Chapter 66

After checking the guest room and every possible corner of the house, I recollected my breath while sitting on the cold floor,"What should I do?" I uttered helplessly. It seemed there was no way I could fix things. Another thought that was bugging me was that he could just appear in front of me outside the house, but he didn't. It directed that there wasn't something inside my house. And with that thought, I stopped searching and instead texted Elijah.

Me : I can't find it.

Me : And I think it's got nothing to do with my house.

Me : He didn't come to school or your house too.

Elijah : It's not possible. 

Elijah : Are you sure you checked thoroughly?

Me : Yes

Elijah : Tomorrow morning 10 AM at my place.

I sighed as I kept my phone away. A vain attempt. I just hoped Elijah had an answer to it, which could convince me that there was a way  to see Ethan again.

I went upstairs to my room and turned the lights on. My black T-shirt was lying on the bed and looking at it reminded me of the horrible day.

"Edwin Miler...You fucking prick." I grabbed the T-shirt and threw it on the floor, seating myself on the spot where the T-shirt was earlier. I glanced over at my study table. I wondered how much my progress would be affected if I didn't do my everyday four hour self-study. 

"I don't care." I said and fell back on the bed, my arms cross-folded under my head. It had been over an hour since dad had left. Even the thought of cooking dinner exhausted me, but I had to do it since dad was home too. Had it been just me, I would've cooked instant noodles.

I struggled to get back up and got off the bed. 

"Poor thing," I said, looking at the T-shirt on the floor," Let's get you back to the attic." I said when it rang a bell.

The attic! I didn't check there!

I rushed out of the room and upon reaching the hall, I grabbed a torch from the drawer and hurried to the attic. I pulled the ladder down and before climbing up, I hoped to find something. I then climbed up and making sure I locked the ladder at its position, I crawled inside through the rectangular space. 

It wasn't as small as I imagined it to be and thankfully, it had a few cobwebs but no rats. I could make do with it. I flashed the torch light around me just to get a view of any newly placed cartons. None. There was just a little wooden box with chess pieces inside. I had to bend low in order to prevent my head from banging into the roof, so I ambled like a little four-limbed animal towards the plastic box with neatly folded clothes and a few more objects. It was all useless. I couldn't believe mom had kept my favorite skirt from when I was 8. 

I was finding it really hard to breathe so I decided to stop my little, worthless expedition in my attic but right when I moved a little deeper into the attic, my palms rested on something wet.

Feeling really gross, I flashed the light over the wooden surface to see what it was. The wood looked damp and as I followed the damp trail, I saw a transparent, fancy bottle tossed on the side. Whatever was inside it was now seeping into the wood. I smelled my palm to find out what exactly it was, but it didn't have any smell. I grabbed the bottle without a cap and carried it downstairs with me.

Having no memory of that random bottle and why it was in our attic, I sat confused in the hall after I had clicked it's picture and sent it to Elijah. But it had been five minutes and he hadn't replied.

The bottle had no label or anything written on it, but judging by it's shape, it didn't look like a regular water bottle. Whatever it was, my irresponsible dad had probably knocked it down when he was looking for my T-shirt.

Elijah : It could be Holy water.

Elijah : But it's better you ask your parents.

I thought for a bit. I was shocked. It definitely was Holy Water, although I didn't know what it was doing in the attic. 

Me : If it is Holy Water...then does that mean Ethan will never be able to come here?

Elijah : Why would that be?

Me : The bottle is empty.

Me : The water was spilled all over in the attic.

Elijah : It'll dry off. You didn't bless the whole  house anyway.

Me : Then why can't he enter the house?

Me : He could just avoid the attic.

Me : I don't understand a bit of it.

Me : You there?

Elijah : What did you take from the attic?

Me : The black T-shirt I was wearing today.

Elijah : Throw it out along with the bottle.

"What does he mean?" I asked myself.

Elijah : Shower right now.

Me : Why?

Elijah : Wash off the Holy Water from your body. It keeps him away from you.