As he drove away, he observed in the rearview mirror as Sue escorted Owen inside the house, giving him one final glance before the door shut.
William attempted to assess papers at home, but the words were hazy. He brewed coffee and poured it out without drinking. He had checked his phone seventeen times by six o’clock. “Staying for dinner,” Marsha texted at 6:47. Mom wants to speak. I’ll Uber home.”
It took her ten minutes to respond to his SMS inquiring about Owen’s well-being: “Fine.” Give up hovering.
His phone rang around 8:30 p.m. The number is unknown.
William Edwards, is that right?The voice was that of a terrified, frantic lady.
“Yes. Who is this?”
“My name is Genevieve Fuller. Sue Melton lives next door to me. Your son came running over to my house. He’s covered in blood, Mr. Edwards.
The world tilted. “What?”
He squeezed through a hole in the fence and entered the backyard. He’s currently hiding beneath my bed. He can’t stop trembling. I believed you should know right away, so I contacted 911. There’s a lot of blood.
William had already started to move, reaching for his keys. “Is he awake? Is he speaking?”
“He refuses to allow me to touch him. “Don’t let them find me,” he continues saying. “Mr. Edwards, what happened to your little boy?””
“I’ll be there in twenty minutes. Protect him. Keep him from being taken by anyone. I’ll be there.
His mind was spinning with terrifying possibilities as he drove like a lunatic. Owen had blood all over him.
William screeched to a halt, illuminating Genevieve Fuller’s home. An ambulance arrived, and police cars filled the driveway. He hurried toward the door, but a police stopped him.
“You can’t, sir—”
“My son is that!”
The officer’s face softened. “Mr. Edwards. Join me.
Paramedics gathered in front of a bedroom door inside. With flour on her apron, Genevieve Fuller stood wringing her hands. “He refuses to come out. He requested you.
At the door of the bedroom, William fell on his knees. He could see Owen’s tiny body squeezed beneath the bed through the breach, his Spider-Man clothing drenched in blood.
“This is Dad, Owen, my friend. I’m present. Remember how I said I will return?”
From beneath the bed came a sob.
“Please come out so we can assist you. Now you’re secure. You’re safe, I assure you.
“They will be angry. I can never tell, they said.
William felt his blood chill. Nobody will be upset with you. You are not to blame for whatever occurred.
“But Mommy said—”
“What Mommy said doesn’t matter to me. I will protect you if you come to me immediately. Are you able to believe me?”
A pause. Owen then crawled out gently.
William came dangerously close to throwing up. Owen’s face, arms, and chest were all covered in blood. William was shocked to see that Owen didn’t seem hurt as the paramedics arrived.
A paramedic murmured, “The blood isn’t his.” “No obvious injuries.”
She raised her gaze to William. Whose blood is this, sir?”
With eyes too ancient for his face, Owen gazed at William. “Daddy, I retaliated. like you instructed me. When someone wounds you, you fight back.”
The policeman moved to the front. “Son, who hurt you? You engaged in combat with whom?”
However, Owen had stopped talking and buried his face in William’s chest while shaking fiercely.
Genevieve came over holding her phone. “I have security cameras.” My backyard is covered by them. I witnessed what made him rush over here.
After thirty seconds of observation, the officer’s face turned pale. “Mr. I need you to see this, Edwards.
William’s legs trembled as he stood. Owen was carefully taken by a female paramedic, who covered him with a blanket.
Through holes in the fence, a portion of Sue Melton’s yard and Genevieve’s backyard were seen in the security footage. 8:17 p.m. was the timestamp.
Sue was seen dragging something in the direction of a shed in the video. Nothing—Owen. The youngster was being dragged by his arm and was limp. Sue shoved him inside the shed after opening the door, then secured it with a padlock. Five minutes elapsed. The shed door then started to tremble. Owen was awake and attempting to escape. The pounding grew louder before ceasing.
The shed door burst forth eight minutes later. Sue fled the house as Owen lost his temper. Grabbing his shirt, she spun him around and raised her fist to attack, but the lad reacted more quickly. He picked up something off the floor. A garden spade. With a desperate, survival-driven strength, he swung it. Sue was struck across the face by the blade. She fell heavily. Owen dropped the spade and ran, squeezing over the fence, his grandmother’s blood coating him.
“Where is she?William was able to inquire.
The radio of the cop crackled. “We have a medical emergency at 247 Maple—a female with severe facial trauma who is in her late sixties.”
William looked across at Owen. When the boy’s eyes met William’s, he sensed relief rather than regret.
A detective named Alberta Stark showed up. “Mr. Edwards, your kid used a weapon to attack his grandmother.
“In self-defense,” William declared right away. “Have you watched the video? He was imprisoned in a shed by her.
“We witnessed it. However, you must realize that this is a serious matter. We must ascertain what caused this.
“I’d like to see my wife. Right now.
