Beneath a Different Sky

iii

Alego curled herself between Imbo and Andrew at the supper table. Her laugh illuminated the room. The sky outside darkened menacingly, a sharp contrast to their home's light and warmth. Excitement spread across Alego's eyes as the first raindrops fell. She asked, her voice tinted with anticipation, "Can we watch the storm, Daddy?"

Imbo and Andrew looked at each other, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "My dear. But first, let's finish our food, please? Alego gave a happy nod. She continued to munch her dish. However, while they were still eating, the storm grew stronger. It rapidly became increasingly alarming. The rain smashed the windows. The wind roared like a savage beast. Alego watched the situation play out. Her small fists gripped the edge of her seat nervously. Her excitement immediately turned to anxiety. Her voice struggled to be heard over the commotion.

She said, "Is everything okay, Daddy?" Imbo mustered a comforting grin, but worry tightened in his chest. "Sweetheart, everything is OK. It is just a minor storm."

But deep down, he knew that this was no ordinary storm. And as the tension in the room mounted, Alego's fear mirrored his own, her eyes wide with uncertainty.

Just then, a sudden crash echoed through the house, sending Alego scrambling into her father's arms, her tiny frame trembling with fear. Imbo held her close, his heart pounding in his chest as he tried to shield her from the chaos unfolding around them.

"What's happening, Daddy?" Alego cried, her voice trembling with emotion.

Imbo exchanged a worried glance with Andrew, his mind racing with fear and uncertainty. "It's okay, sweetheart. We're going to stay safe, I promise."

But as they huddled together in the darkness, a sense of dread settled over them like a suffocating blanket. And then, amidst the chaos, a voice cut through the darkness – cold and menacing, sending shivers down Imbo's spine.

"Where?" the voice demanded, its tone filled with malice.

Only Imbo could hear the voice. But Andrew's eyes were fixated on her. He saw how troubled she looked. Her face focused on the darkness ahead of them. And he immediately knew they were present in their home.

Andrew's blood ran cold as he realized the gravity of their situation. They were not alone in their home, and whoever or whatever was lurking in the shadows posed a grave threat to their safety.

Andrew's heart raced. He saw something shiny beside him. He picked it up. When he held it close to his eyes he saw it was a knife. A feeling to draw the attention away from Imbo and towards himself grew in him. He threw the knife towards where Imbo's gaze was held. In the shadows, the figure laughed, a chilling sound that sent shivers down his spine.

"Your husband is smart," the voice taunted, its tone dripping with malice. "I've got to give it to you."

Imbo's jaw clenched with rage as he glared into the darkness. "Don't you dare touch him," he warned, his voice trembling with fury.

Alego lifted her head from her father's arms, her eyes wide with fear as she glanced at her mother. But before she could turn, Imbo quickly pushed her head back into her father's arms. Shielding her from the horror unfolding before them.

The figure in the darkness chuckled, a sound that sent chills down Imbo's spine. "Smart of you to keep her from seeing me," it remarked. "But she can hear me."

Imbo's heart sank as he realized the gravity of their situation. They were trapped, vulnerable, with nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.

"Andrew, we need to get out of here," Imbo urged, his voice filled with urgency.

Andrew opened his mouth to speak, but Imbo cut him off before he could utter a word. "You have to take her from here," he insisted, his eyes pleading with his husband to keep their daughter safe.

Andrew hesitated, torn between his instinct to protect his family and his desire to stand by Imbo's side. But when he looked into his wife's eyes, he saw the fear and concern reflected in them, and he knew what he had to do.

He took Alego in his arms and hurried upstairs to her room. He held her tight against his chest as they climbed the staircase. When they reached her bedroom, he gently placed her on her bed, his heart heavy with worry.

"Daddy, who is Mum speaking to?" Alego asked, her voice trembling with fear.

Andrew's mind raced as he searched for an answer, his thoughts clouded by uncertainty and dread. "No one, sweetheart," he replied, forcing a smile onto his face. "Just some... noises from outside."

But Alego's expression changed to one of knowing understanding, her eyes wide with realization. "Oh," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper. "He said you can't hear."

Andrew's heart pounded in his chest as he struggled to maintain his composure. He couldn't let his daughter see the fear that gnawed at him from within. Neither he couldn't let her know the danger they were all in.

"Dad, who could that be?" Alego asked, her voice filled with innocence and curiosity.

Andrew swallowed hard, his mind racing for a plausible explanation. But no words came to him, no comforting lies to shield his daughter from the truth.