Chapter 2: The Door at the End of the Hall
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
The music from the backyard continued playing.
Children laughed.
Someone shouted that it was time for presents.
But all I could hear was my daughter's whisper.
"She locks me in there.""
I slowly turned toward Vanessa.
"What did she just say?""
Vanessa's expression changed instantly.
"Nothing.""
I looked at Lily.
"Sweetheart, which room?""
She pointed toward the hallway.
"The little bedroom.""
My stomach dropped.
That was the spare bedroom.
The room Vanessa had insisted on keeping locked because she claimed it contained important documents and expensive personal belongings.
I'd never questioned it.
I'd assumed she was simply particular about privacy.
Now I looked at the door differently.
There was a silver deadbolt on the outside.
Not the inside.
My heart began pounding.
I carried Lily toward it.
Vanessa rushed after us.
"Daniel, don't.""
I stopped.
"Why?""
"Because that's my private room.""
"Why is there a lock on the outside?""
"Because Madison's things are inside.""
I stared at her.
"Then why did Lily say you lock her in there?""
Vanessa gave a sharp laugh.
"She's making things up because she knows she's in trouble.""
Lily buried her face against my shoulder.
I felt her trembling.
I looked down at the lock.
"Open it.""
Vanessa's voice became cold.
"No.""
"Open the door, Vanessa.""
"I said no. You have absolutely no right to barge into my personal space.""
I took one step closer.
"This is my house.""
"And I'm your wife!""
Her voice echoed down the hallway.
A few guests had begun gathering near the kitchen entrance.
Rachel, Madison's mother, appeared behind Vanessa.
"Is everything okay?""
Vanessa immediately turned toward her.
"Everything is fine. Daniel is having one of his moods.""
I didn't look away from my wife.
"Where is the key?""
Vanessa folded her arms.
"I don't know.""
"You're telling me you don't know where the key to your own locked bedroom is?""
"I have several keys.""
"Then find the right one.""
She shook her head.
"Daniel, you're being ridiculous. Lily has a habit of exaggerating. She gets upset whenever I correct her.""
I looked at my daughter.
"Lily, baby, can you tell Daddy what happens in this room?""
She hesitated.
Vanessa immediately interrupted.
"Don't put words in her mouth!""
I turned toward her.
"Then stop talking.""
The hallway went silent.
Lily slowly lifted her head.
Her eyes were wet.
"She makes me sit on the floor.""
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
"Oh, for heaven's sake.""
Lily continued.
"She says I have to think about being bad.""
I swallowed.
"How long do you stay in there?""
Lily held up five fingers.
"Sometimes this many.""
"Five minutes?""
She shook her head.
"Five sleeps.""
My entire body went cold.
Vanessa stepped forward.
"That's a lie!""
Lily flinched so violently that I instinctively covered her ears.
"Don't you dare shout at her," I said.
Vanessa pointed at the child.
"She's manipulating you! She knows exactly how to get attention.""
I stared at her.
"Five days?""
"She means five minutes. She's confused.""
"Then open the door.""
Vanessa looked toward the backyard.
Her guests were watching now.
Her perfect birthday celebration was falling apart.
"Daniel, please. Think about what you're doing. Everyone is here.""
I reached for the handle.
It wouldn't move.
I tried the deadbolt.
Locked.
Then I noticed something else.
There were scratches near the bottom of the door.
Several small, uneven marks.
Almost like someone had been trying to scrape something away with their fingernails.
I crouched.
There was a faint line of pencil writing near the baseboard.
I leaned closer.
Three words.
PLEASE LET ME OUT.
My stomach twisted.
I turned toward Vanessa.
"What is this?""
She moved quickly, trying to step between me and the door.
"That's old. Madison probably wrote it.""
"Madison?""
"Yes.""
I looked at the writing again.
The letters were small and uneven.
I knew that handwriting.
Lily had written her name on my birthday card just two weeks earlier.
The same shaky letters.
The same way she formed the letter E.
I stood up.
"Vanessa, move.""
"No.""
"Move.""
She planted both feet in front of the door.
"You are not going in there.""
"Why?""
"Because I said so!""
For the first time since I'd married her, I saw something in Vanessa's face that I couldn't explain away.
Not annoyance.
Not embarrassment.
Fear.
She was frightened of what I might find.
I lowered my voice.
"How long has this been happening?""
Vanessa's eyes darted toward Lily.
"Daniel, we can discuss this privately.""
"How long?""
She pressed her lips together.
"She's difficult. You don't see what happens when you're gone.""
I stared at her.
"Tell me.""
"She throws tantrums. She refuses to listen. Sometimes she deliberately ruins things Madison cares about.""
"So you lock her in a room?""
"It's a consequence!""
"She's five!""
"And Madison deserves to feel safe in her own home!""
I looked at the door again.
Then I noticed the small metal vent near the floor.
It was covered from the inside.
I crouched and touched it.
The metal was warm.
A strange smell drifted through the narrow gap.
Stale air.
Dust.
And something sour.
I stood up.
"What's inside this room?""
Vanessa swallowed.
"Storage.""
"Then why does it smell like someone has been living in there?""
Her face went pale.
Behind me, Lily whispered.
"Daddy?""
I turned.
She was pointing at the door.
"Can you hear her?""
I froze.
"What?""
Lily's eyes filled with tears.
"Sometimes she talks to me from inside.""
I stared at the door.
Then, faintly, I heard it.
A soft scratching.
Three slow taps.
A pause.
Then three more.
Vanessa suddenly grabbed my arm.
"Don't open it!""
I pulled away.
"Get your hands off me.""
"Daniel, please!""
Her voice cracked.
For the first time, she sounded genuinely desperate.
And then someone inside the room began crying.
A small child's voice.
"Daddy?""
My heart nearly stopped.
I looked at Lily.
She was staring at the door with terror in her eyes.
Then she whispered:
"That's where Mommy puts me when she doesn't want me to eat.""
I turned toward Vanessa.
But before I could say another word, a second voice came from behind the locked door.
A voice that didn't belong to Lily.
May you like
A voice that sounded older.
"Mr. Daniel? Please don't leave me in here.""
