1428 Ellis Avenue

Marcia

Marcia heard the man above her cry out again. They had heard thumping from upstairs for a while now and knew it was him getting beat. She knew that sound all too well. Brady had his headphones on like usual when the police officer from upstairs used his machine. She didn't know if he was a wood worker or something, but he used it often and Brady would always ask to go play with him and learn something new. Marcia had a sneaky suspicion that it wasn't something Brady should be doing when she heard his soft moans and cracking noises every so often.

The baby always slept through it like it was nothing. She could at least thank her luck stars that she had a quiet and happy baby. At least he wouldn't turn out like his father hopefully.

There had been a murder investigation when girl who lived here disappeared. Somehow they came to the conclusion quickly she was murdered. Marcia knew she was because she passed by that evil looking nephew of her landlord. He may have passed himself off as lacking in the head, but she knew a turkey evil man when she met one. She had experience.

Tate was a whole other ballgame. He was never one to say anything, but Marcia knew he had secrets. He always gave her a genuine smile and she appreciated it. Other people looked down on her because she was a single mom to two wonderful children and the ex-wife of a convicted serial killer. She was not proud of the last life choice, but it happened and she got two beautiful children out of it.

Arden was a wolf in sheep's clothing. He had worked his way into her heart and out of trouble. The one problem was, Arden had a knack for skinning little boys. He enjoyed their screams and their soft skin.

When Marcia was pregnant the first time, Arden moved them into this building. Tate was much younger, but still wheelchair bound and Marcia took a liking to the generous man right away. Arden, not so much. He knew a fellow psychopath when he saw one. Encroaching on another's territory was not looked highly on and could lead to death.

Marcia stayed at home while Arden worked his bum off to make ends meet. Marcia would already cook extra food and bring it to Tate so he would have a little company.

Right after Cody was delivered, Arden changed. He had always been a little strict and had a heavy hand rarely, but it had drastically increased. Marcia sported bruises consistently and was thinking of ways to leave her s husband with their child, but she had no income and he may have had partial custody of the baby.

The pain grew everyday to where Marcia could only see out of one eye daily and walk with a slight limp. And then, it all stopped. Arden was the perfect gentleman again although Marcia was still frightened for her life if he ever changed his mind.

What pushed her over the edge was when Cody went missing. She had heard neighborhood boys had gone missing recently and no one could find them.

"Cody, don't run off. You can go play at the park, but don't run off," Marcia was trying to give Cody a normal life after suffering for three years with constant abuse from his father towards his mother and sometimes himself.

"Ok mom!" He was overjoyed that his mom finally let him out. His friends were all gone and he was only one of three boys playing at the playground.

Marcia heard her name from Danny's mother and went to talk with her in another chair that didn't have a straight view of Cody. She would stand up every so often to check on him as she chatted away with the sweet lady.

One time, she didn't see Cody. "Cody! Come her Cody!" She got nothing in response. No one saw anyone strange come from the angle they were at so she was sure Cody was just hiding. He loved hide and seek.

All the parents searched for hours finally calling the police in to see where he could be. They wrote him off as another victim of the Childnapper.