After the Rain
Heavy rain accompanied by rolling thunderstorms. Rosy opened her umbrella and hurried toward the bus stand. She boarded the bus and, only after finding a seat, realized her keychain was missing. There was nothing she could do now; she couldn't exactly stop the bus and go searching for it.
She reached home with her rain-soaked umbrella and sank onto the sofa.
“Where’s Lilly?” she asked Suzy, who was doing the dishes.
Lilly stepped out of her bedroom, looking dull and exhausted.
“I’m not here...” she replied.
Suzy glanced at her. “Did something happen?”
She simply shook her head.
“Just tired.”
Rosy immediately sensed her mood and decided to cheer her up.
“How about a movie tonight?”
Suzy looked exhausted after finishing her chores, but she agreed, hoping it would lift Lilly’s spirits. She quickly searched Netflix for something to watch.
Lilly dragged herself over to her older sisters, who were already settled on the sofa. Soon, her favourite movie began playing on the TV.
The two older sisters did their best to cheer her up. She had been spending most of her time studying and barely had a moment to relax. By the time her favourite scenes came on, she had managed to smile again.
The movie finally ended.
It was a quarter to midnight when they headed to their rooms. Rosy and Suzy went straight to bed.
A little later, Lilly quietly slipped into the kitchen and reached for a snack bar.
Then she heard footsteps approaching from behind.
She froze.
Without turning around, she quickly grabbed a pan from the counter.
The moment she spun around, she raised it, ready to strike—
“Lilly!”
Suzy caught her hand just in time.
Rosy came rushing out of her room and burst into laughter when she saw what had happened.
A moment later, Suzy and Lilly were laughing too.
After a few minutes, they wished each other goodnight and returned to their rooms.
The very next morning...
Rosy prepared breakfast while Suzy and Lilly got ready.
Suzy came to the dining table with a bag in her hand. She switched on the TV and put on a music channel.
Rosy reached for the remote and changed it to the news.
A report appeared on the screen.
“The body of a man believed to be around thirty years old has been discovered. He was wearing green pants and a brown shirt.”
A picture of the dead man appeared.
Lilly stepped out of her room for breakfast. Her eyes briefly fell on the television.
Then she saw the photograph.
Her fingers suddenly went slack.
The glass of milk slipped from her hand and shattered against the floor, spilling milk everywhere.
Rosy and Suzy immediately rushed to her and helped her onto the sofa.
Rosy turned her attention back to the television, watching the report carefully.
Then she noticed something in the footage.
Near the dead man's body was a familiar object.
Her keychain.
Rosy froze.
Suzy looked at her.
She slowly looked back at Suzy.
Neither of them spoke.
The room fell completely silent.
