The note Karma had in her hand was chilling. Cut out letters from various magazines were glued on to the paper in a haphazard fashion, just like a deranged criminal in a crime drama might. Though hastily done and eratic it spelled out a hateful message:
'Demon spawn like you have no place in this world. Leave now or else'
I balked when I read it, confused and horrified by the words. Of course we called the police.
It took a long time for them to get there because they were still dealing with the disaster at the school. When sirens finally arrived on our street I was relieved. I went over to the window just in time to see two officers get out of their patrol car and walk to the door. Mrs Green, who was waiting by the doorway, undid the lock and turned the knob. I could hear the conversation faintly from upstairs"Hello ma'am. We got a report that there may have been a possible break in?"
"Officers, thank goodness, yes my charges found a horrible note in their bedroom. Right this way," Mrs. Green let them inside. Moments later they came to talk to us directly. Both appeared skeptical of the claim as we told our story but remained polite and professional. I gave them the note and both of us studied their expressions as they read. Their faces darkened. I feared they might think that we were pranking them, but if they did they didn't show it.
"We're going to send this to the lab to see if we can get some prints other than yours," the deputy assisting the lead officer explained. "With any luck whoever did this will have slipped up, but this was a very meticulously done." He tried to hide it, but I could tell he was worried. The four of us had to have our finger prints so that our prints wouldn't be confused for the culprit. We gave our initial statements, and investigators looked around for any other evidence. The general area was dusted for prints. Karma told them to check the lamp and desk.
The whole process took hours
Karma of course was devastated and by extension so were we. What was worse, none of us could figure out how the intruder had gotten in. Ms. Green was almost always home very thorough about securing the doors and windows. There there was no sign of forced entry other than the treat and possibly the lamp that had been knocked onto the floor, though the jury was still out on that one- it was possible that it had simply fallen on accident somehow.
Zack and Ms. Green took the officers to check the security camera footage to see if they could see who had broke in. Karma and I waited for the results with baited breath. My twin paced the room like a caged animal, occasionally looking over to the note with a mournful expression. I clutched my pink Hello Kitty, my eyes occasionally drifting to the safety pins, chains, and spikes Karma had given her a few years back when she had decided the plush doll had needed a makeover. For whatever reason, I had left the enhancements intact.
"The police are working on it," I told Karma in a way that I hoped would be reassuring.
"You think so? They already have their hands full with an arsonist on the loose." She snapped as she finally turned to face me, her face taking on a slightly red hue.
"We will find out who did this," I insisted calmly, "you've got to keep a cool head."
Karma sighed and the color drained from her face as she crashed down on the bed next to me. "First the fire, now this? Something's just not right."
"I know,"
"What are we going to do?"
"Ask me again when Ms. the officers finish checking the security cameras."
They came back looking grim.
"Well?" Karma demanded, though her tone wasn't unkind.
"There's good news and bad news," the lead officer began curtly.
"The good news?" I asked cautiously.
"We were able to catch them on camera."
"What's the bad news?" My twin cut in sharply.
"Whoever did this knew what they were doing. We couldn't identify him."
The police promised to be in touch, but the damage was done- none of us felt safe anymore. We spent the rest of the afternoon huddled together in our room. Zack kept a constant watch on our home security system and Mrs. Green called my parents. A lengthy conversation was had. I got a call almost immediately as she hung up. I knew who it was before I even read the caller ID: my mom and dad.
I picked up before the third ring. "Hi mom, hi dad. It's been one heck of a day,"
"Tell us everything," my father's voice instructed through the speaker "and don't leave anything out. I had to suppress a laugh. Leaving things out was more of Karma's thing, not mine. I gave them a brief rundown, pausing enough to give them enough to ask questions if they wanted to.
"We're coming back home early," my mom informed me, no room for debate. "We just booked a fight, we should be back by morning,"
"Okay," I told them, relieved, but hoping it didn't show too much. "Just be careful," I cautioned and I could hear my father chuckling in the background.
"We should be saying that to you," he pointed out, a mix of both humor and seriousness lacing his tone.
"I know and we will," I promised. "Do you want me to give the phone to Zack and Karma?" Once I got the affirmative I passed the phone to my brother. They talked for a long time, a similar conversation to the one we just had, though it seemed to be more detailed. Zack eventually handed the phone to Karma.
"Yeah I'm okay," I heard her reply as I fidgeted with my stuffed animal. "Just a little shaken up."
"Don't leave the house unless it's an emergency," I heard my mom's stern voice instruct faintly.
"I won't," she rolled her eyes, "Just get here." Karma hung up and handed back my cell.
"They seem worried," I commented in a way that I hoped sounded casual.
"Someone broke into their home and when they were abroad and threatened their children," Zack cut in sharply. "If that doesn't cause some alarm, I don't know what would."