Chapter 761:

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Mickey wasn’t interested, but Minnie couldn’t let it go. She had to know.

That day, she was determined to find out what they were up to.

She went upstairs again and knocked on the door. “Mum, Dad, what are you doing in there? When are you coming out to play with us?”

The door was still locked.

𝗪𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀.𝗰𝗼𝗺

After the last time Minnie had used the spare key to get in, Dad had made Uncle Geoffrey install a new lock that could only be opened from the inside.

“Ah, Minnie, sweetheart, Mum’s—” Mum’s voice was cut off by something, as if she’d been suddenly muffled.

Minnie pressed her ear to the door.

Her mother’s voice sounded strange, weak somehow, almost breathless, like she was doing something tiring.

“Mum!” Minnie called again, knocking harder. “Mum, are you alright? Come out and let me see you, please?”

“Minnie!” This time it was Dad, his voice rough and deep. “We’ll come out when we’re done.”

“What are you doing in there? Can I come in and have a look?” she asked, frowning in confusion.

Silence followed.

They didn’t even answer her.

Frustrated, Minnie decided she wasn’t giving up that easily.

After thinking it over, she went to Uncle Geoffrey to borrow a ladder, planning to climb in through the window.

Uncle Geoffrey refused. “They’re probably just busy,” he said.

“Busy with what?” Minnie shot back.

He didn’t answer. No matter how much she pleaded, he just wouldn’t lend her the ladder.

Minnie, however, had her own ways. Once Uncle Geoffrey left, she sneaked into the storage room and found a small extendable aluminum ladder, light enough for her to drag on her own.

She dragged it outside, leaned it against the wall, and started climbing.

Strong little thing that she was, she made it up in one go, reaching the second-floor balcony.

She climbed through the window into her parents’ room, but to her surprise, no one was there.

“Dad? Mum? Where are you?”

She called softly as she looked around, but there wasn’t a soul in sight.

“Weird,” she muttered.

Just then, a faint sound caught her attention.

She froze and held her breath.

It came from the bathroom, a low, strained noise, like someone groaning.

Could they be in there?

Cautiously, she stepped closer.

The nearer she got, the clearer the sound became.

She reached for the handle and slowly pulled the door open.

The noises she’d been hearing stopped dead.

As she pushed the door all the way open, the shower curtain snapped shut, hiding whatever was inside.

Minnie froze, then called softly, “Mum? Dad?”

“Get out!” Dad’s voice was so low and cold it made her flinch.

“Dad!”

“I said get out!” His tone rose sharply, full of irritation, so icy it made her shiver.

Minnie swallowed hard. “Oh… okay.”

She turned and left, carefully closing the door behind her.

But before she went, she couldn’t help glancing under the shower curtain.

There were four legs.

Four.

She gasped, her mind blank for a moment.

Her dad had four legs.

.

.

.