Tyler arrived at the family home completely out of breath, his chest burning and sweat dripping down his forehead. The two-story suburban house sat quietly at the end of the suburban cul-de-sac under the bright midday sun. The long asphalt driveway was empty, except for Arthur's secondary black SUV parked near the garage. Tyler ran up the front porch steps and tried the brass doorknob, but it was locked tight. He pulled out his house key, pushed it into the keyhole, and turned it, but the lock would not budge from the outside.
Tyler: Chloe! Are you in there? Answer the door!
He knocked hard against the heavy wood, waiting for any sound from inside the main hallway. Silence answered him from the other side. Tyler walked quickly around the perimeter of the house, his sneakers crunching against the dry wood chips along the flower garden beds. He reached the back patio, where the large glass doors led directly into the sunroom. The sunroom was a bright, spacious room with white crown molding, hardwood oak floors, and a large framed painting of the USA flag hanging proudly on the central wall. To his absolute surprise, the heavy glass sliding door on the patio was unlocked and resting open by an inch.
Tyler: Chloe? Is anyone inside?
He slid the glass door open and stepped onto the warm oak flooring. The room smelled strange, like freshly painted wood, heavy varnish, and cheap chemical disinfectant. Sitting right in the very center of the sunroom was a massive white wooden casket resting on two heavy folding metal stands. Tyler stopped dead in his tracks, his heart pounding like a hammer against his ribs. This was not the sleek brass casket that was currently sitting inside the funeral home across town. This was a crude, heavy wooden box painted with a thick coat of white paint that was barely dry to the touch.
Tyler: What is this doing in our house?
He stepped closer to the box, his hands trembling violently as he reached out to touch the smooth white painted wood. Heavy metal latches were bolted tightly along the side, secured with double padlocks that had been snapped shut. Tyler leaned his ear close to the wooden lid, holding his breath completely still. For three long seconds, there was only the quiet hum of the air conditioning vent overhead. Then, he heard it: a tiny, scraping sound from deep inside the box, followed by a soft, muffled sob that made his blood run completely ice cold.
Tyler: Oh my god. Chloe? Is that you in there?
Arthur: Get away from that box right now, Tyler!
Tyler spun around fast to see Arthur standing in the open doorway of the kitchen, holding a heavy ring of brass keys in his right hand. Arthur's hair was messy, and his grey suit jacket was unbuttoned, revealing dark sweat stains around his collared shirt. He walked into the sunroom with quick, angry steps, his face red with sudden panic.