Page 3 of Dark Moon Secrets

There had been something she wanted to tell me, but I’d refused to hear her out. My gut twisted uncomfortably, thinking how I’d fobbed her off over the last few months.

Why hadn’t I wanted to listen to her?

The chance of ever knowing seemed to slip away from me in a way I couldn’t explain. An emptiness grew inside me, reminding me how I’d felt when I found out my parents were dead.

I rushed to the window and peered inside, cupping my hands to try and block out the beams from the safety lights systematically placed in the small garden that lined the path by the building.

It was dark inside, and I couldn’t see a thing. That was odd. Why wasn’t she watching her favorite television shows? Something had to have happened.

“Tanjie, I didn’t know you were into spying on your neighbors,” Caleb called out.

“Shh, everyone can hear you,” Mia hissed. “Tanjie, come on. Let’s get up to your apartment, then you can tell us what’s bugging you.”

I couldn’t leave, not without seeing Maria first. I took out my phone, turned on the light, and tried to shine it through the window, hoping to see something.

Maybe Maria had fallen asleep, and the television had shut off on a timer. But that didn’t explain the room’s light not being on.

“I didn’t take you as a peeping Tom type,” Caleb spoke close to my ear.

“I think something’s happened to Maria.” I glanced at him.

“The old duck you keep chatting to that you’ve told us about? Nah, I’m sure she’s gone to bed early.”

My skin tingled. There was that warning again.

“Are you getting sick or something? You keep shivering.” Caleb draped his arm around me, but the warmth of his body close to mine did nothing to stop my skin from prickling.

“Here, I’ll help.” Caleb switched on his phone’s light and shone it into Maria’s apartment.

That’s why I loved these guys. They were there for me even when I wasn’t making sense and doing odd things like peering through a window with concern because a light wasn’t on.

Caleb angled his phone, and suddenly, I saw what I hoped I wouldn’t.

Maria lay unmoving, face down on the floor.

CHAPTER 2

Tanjie

My hands shook as I tried to remove my key chain from my clutch. I needed to get inside.

Maria had given me a key in case I needed to help her. It was as if she’d known that something like this would happen. I don’t know, was this how elderly people thought?

I found the key, then, with trembling hands, unlocked the door and rushed inside.

“Maria?” I kneeled by her side, shaking her, hoping she’d wake.

I knew before I’d even touched her that she was gone.

I sobbed, sitting back on my knees and taking her hand. Oddly, I wished I could’ve been there when she passed so she wouldn’t have been alone.

“Hey, come on, let’s get outside,” Mia spoke softly, resting her hands lightly on my shoulders.

I couldn’t move. I stared at Maria, tears streaking down my cheeks. Why did her death impact me so much?

Then I thought of my parents. Suddenly, I missed them more than I ever had before.

“The ambulance is on its way,” Caleb advised before putting away his phone.

---