Seeking Alaro: A Short Story

July 9, 2024

It has been six months since Alaro disappeared. The police quit the investigation three months ago once the snow came in and covered the forest. They’ve taken me off the case just because he was my brother. They thought I was getting too overwhelmed by the matters of this case but I was truly filled with so much dedication and determination. They tried to make me feel completely helpless and tried to convince me to get off this case, but no! I am a detective for Christ’s sake. I will not let them take away my job and title just for the sake of my own sanity. But, the reason why I am recalling this case after so many months is that I discovered something interesting about Alaro’s case. A mixtape was found inside of a stuffed panda that was given for Alaro in case he was ever found along with many other gifts hoping for Alaro’s return. I felt something inside the panda, trapped in the cotton. This wasn’t a mixtape with music on it, but an audio clip. I have not played it yet. But, I did run it on my computer and it was labeled a_messagefor_arno_elias.ac3. A message for Arno Elias. I do not know anything about this tape, but something about it seemed off and random. But, I just knew it had to be connected to Alaro’s case. I just knew it. How didn’t mom notice something was inside of it when she found it on her doorstep along with the other gifts? But, the stuffed panda did sing a harmonic tune when you squeezed it. Maybe the mixtape was thought to be a battery. I am not sure. But, something did not add up. Once I crack the rar.file in the audio clip, I will then be able to hear it.

July 12th, 2024

I am scared. I don’t want to admit it but I am. Two days and eighteen hours since I have discovered the mixtape. Yeah, I’ve been counting. On the 10th, I cracked the rar.file that was blocking access to the audio clip. I don’t know how to describe what I had to listen to in the audio through text, but it was mortifying. Alaro was kidnapped. I knew he was not dead but the OHPD (Orchid Heights Police Department) tried to convince me otherwise. The man behind the voice was hurting Alaro to convince me that he had him when I was already fully convinced once I found the mixtape in the stuffed panda. I had to sit and listen to his screams and not do anything. The man gave me some kind of choice. A choice that kept me fearful and not able to do anything, like write in my journal. He said I had to steal the Detective Association Funds (DAF) of $160,000 by Friday. That’s three days away and the DAF is highly secured. There is no way I can get to it. If I discovered the tape earlier, then I would have had months to do this and plan it. This man made this tape immediately after he kidnapped Alaro. I can tell. This tape was about five months ago. Alaro can be dead right now for all I know. But, I just can’t think like that right now. He wants me to risk getting thrown into jail to save my brother. What if I get the money but never make it to the anonymous man? What if the police catch me in the act? What if he kills Alaro either way or he is already dead? I do not have a lot of options because both options seem to have similar outcomes. But, I have to try. I will steal from the DAF. Being a detective, I have access. But, I only have access to deposit money into the system, not withdraw. I just have to try.

July 15th, 2047

No time for writing lately. Chief Daniels has been suspecting me. He thinks I probably stole $172,242 from the DAF. I panicked and stole more than I needed out of complete impatience. That was three days ago. Chief Daniels had me interrogated because I was the only officer clocked in that night when I withdraw from the system. There are only nine detectives in the entire department, including myself. I was an obvious suspect. Clearly, I talked my way out it smoothly. That is what happens when a high ranked detective is being interrogated by low ranked officers. Two officers questioned me and I just made it falsely clear that I was reviewing my brother’s case. That was a better excuse because I was taken off of my brother’s case. Therefore, that gave them something else to worry about as I went against my given orders. I had to deliver the money to 93752 Mayland Lane (an abandoned home built by Colton Hayes in the middle of the forest here in Orchid Heights). The drive took half an hour to get there. But, I made it. The house is big and in the middle of the small forest. It looks depressing and damaged. Broken windows, peeling paint and wood, mold growing all over the house, moldy wood, big holes, etc. The door was unlocked for anyone to enter. I head upstairs where the anonymous man told me to go. Now, I play the waiting game.

July 16, 2047

Let me just recap everything that happened. Yesterday, I made it to the Hayes’ house on Mayland Lane in the small forest. I went upstairs like I was ordered to by the man. I found a note on the floor with the sunlight hitting it from a hole in the ceiling. The note was planted on that part of the floor. It had a phone number on it. I called the number and the man picked up. He was somewhere in the area as he knew that I entered the house. He told me to open a closet door in the hall on the second floor and to not try anything stupid because he was armed with a sniper pointing at the only exit out of the house. Alaro was in the closet and passed out. I still do not know why he was out of it in that closet, but he was still breathing and alive. The man told me to drop all of the money on the floor and he wanted to hear it. So, I did that. He told me to drag Alaro out of the closet, and I did that. The man then hung up and I never heard from him again. I was so confused about being in that house. Fear ran all over me as I watched the money on the floor next to my brother while he was unconscious. In the distance, I heard police sirens. The grew louder and louder and closer and closer to the house. I panicked and tried waking up Alaro. I did not know what to do or did not know how the police would look at this. But…I was arrested. I was in a cell all afternoon and night of yesterday and of this morning. An independent cell. My journal was the only thing given to me. Few hours before it was the afternoon, I was released with grand evidence that backed up my case. The man was never discovered, but now I gave the department a new lead.

21:54
Writing in my office at the Orchid Heights Police Department.

This morning when I was released, I was talking to Chief Daniels. I was extremely excited to see Alaro and talk to my parents. Yesterday was intense and I was finally relieved. So, I was talking to Chief Daniels as he was taking me to my confiscated belongs.

“I hate to say that I am a bit impressed by your actions today,” said Chief Daniels.

“Thank you, sir,” I smiled.

“Of course. Now you are a free man. You should be proud of your efforts and also be a little more happy. I should have never doubted you.”

“Yeah. You’re right,” I say. “By the way, when will I be able to see my little brother?”

Chief Daniels paused and faced towards me, “Did they not tell you?”

“Tell me what?” I asked. “What did they not tell me?”

“Detective Elias…your brother is dead. He died in the hospital late last night.”