Getting Shijie into the closet for the night was the easy part. Getting him breakfast and getting him out of the closet was a little more tricky. Thankfully, however, it was a Saturday, and it was Louise's weekend off. A slight rapping from behind the closet door awoke Louisem, as she shielded the leaking sunlight with her arm. She pushed aside the covers and slid off the side of her bed. She yawned, stretching her arms outward as the rapping behind the closet became more persistent.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" she whispered. She rushed over toward the sliding door, and slid it open.

"Come quicker? It already nine-thirty!" Shijie complained, glancing behind Louise, so that he could see a clock hanging above the nightstand. "I'm sorry. I can't really tell my brain to wake up at eight o'clock, you know," she retorted. Shijie looked as if he were about to say something but instead, thought better of it and kept his mouth shut. Louise took out her hand for assistance as Shijie crept out of the closet. He didn't take it. "Okay, you can stretch and whatnot until I come back with some breakfast. Don't move, unless you have to go to the bathroom. Then go as stealthily as you can. Make sure you don't walk beside the couch, the bed, or over in that corner - those are where the squeaky floorboards are." Shijie nodded. With one last glance, Louise dashed down the stairs, seeing her mother making crêpes. The scent of it wafted through the air, reminding Louise that she hadn't eaten yet. A small stack of already-made crêpes sat beside her mother, who was wearing an apron that said, "Wash your hands before you even think about touching my awesome food." Her father, however, was sitting at the kitchen table, chewing slowly on a crêpe, while reading a newspaper with his eyebrows furrowed.

"Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad!" Louise greeted, walking up by her mother and stealing a crêpe.

"Hey, hunny. You can take a few more, if you'd like," replied her mother, not looking away from the pan before taking her spatula, shoving it underneath the crêpe and moving it over towards the rest of the stack. Her father put down his newspaper, revealing his glasses sitting askew on the bridge of his nose, and smiled.

"Hey, Louise. I was thinking maybe we could go somewhere today. Maybe Six Flags?" he suggested.

"Er, that's a good idea, but maybe tomorrow? I... pulled my muscle in gym class yesterday," Louise replied, rolling her shoulder backwards. She hadn't the faintest idea how a pulled muscle in her arm would disable from walking a few miles, but no one inquired her.

"Oh, okay. Whatever floats your boat!" her father exclaimed. Louise shoved half of the stolen pancake in her mouth, chewing it slowly, savoring the blissful, slightly-sweetened flavor.

"Louise, don't eat like that. Come on - sit down and eat, okay?" her mother said with a full stack of crêpes, placing the plate of it on the table. Her father's eyes widened, and he stowed away the newspaper on the chair beside him, picking the crêpe on the top. Hurry up, Louise. Shijie is still up there! screamed a voice in the back of her mind. Yeah, well, I don't want to act conspicuous, Louise mentally shouted back. She shoved down the remaining half of the crêpe, already taking another one. "Louise, don't eat too quickly, it's not healthy. Besides, what hurry are you in? It's a Saturday!"

"Mhmm," Louise replied, already taking her third crêpe. Her mother made a face as if she had just tasted something sour, but instead of scolding Louise of her childish actions, she sat herself down in the chair opposite of her husband. With steady hands, she took the top crêpe, folded it into a quarter, and bit into the corner of it. However, Louise resumed shoving down crêpes one at a time down her throat.

"Thanks, Mom! I'll just take one more, and I'll go upstairs-"

"No, Louise. You won't. It's a Saturday, we spend our time staring into our electronics, the best we can do is have a proper breakfast. Together," she said, holding Louise's arm as she was about to rise out of her seat. Her father nodded in agreement, biting into his crêpe. Louise groaned, and slumped back into her seat. Suddenly an idea popped into her mind.

"So, I guess I'll talk about Percy Jackson. In the first book, he finds out he is the son of Poseidon-"

"I know you're trying to wriggle yourself out of this situation, but if you even say one word about mentioning Percy Jackson, you're gonna be washing the dishes, okay?" her mother scolded. Louise glanced at the stack of dishes that seemed to stretch up to the ceiling. She gulped.

"So, how was your day at work yesterday?" her mom asked. Her father stopped chewing, swallowed, and then spoke.

"It was busy. Bill kept giving me more work, and it looks like I'll have to work a little from home." Her mother nodded sympathetically even though she didn't work - she never did. Louise was always her first priority ever since she was born. Sure, her mother did earn a bachelor's degree in secondary teaching, but realizing she didn't wish to partake in this profession, she decided to stay at home for a while before making an official decision, in which, only a little bit later, Louise was born. From then on, her mother was a stay at home mom. It really didn't bother Louise, but it did harm their financial position somewhat. On the whole, however, she had been an excellent mom in Louise's opinion. She had this amazing ability to keep the family all in one place and provide for everyone while doing so.

"How was school, Louise?"

"Huh? Oh, it-it was good." Louise's heart began racing. Though she considered herself profoundly cunning, and was able to manipulate situations when it was necessary, it didn't stop Louise from feeling anxious. At any moment, her parents could know. Heck, they caught her watching television at three in the morning once. Her mother arched up an eyebrow.

"It was okay," she amended. Her mother seemed satisfied with the answer and resumed eating a crêpe she held in her right hand. She looked upward, wondering how Shijie was holding up. Was he annoyed that she couldn't get there quick enough? Or was he back in the closet sleeping? Whatever he was doing, she was here, staring at the table while she could've been already upstairs giving Shijie breakfast, whom she suspected was close to bolting downstairs, ravenously wolfing down food from their closet in the kitchen. The guilt in her stomach made her stomach turn, making her slightly nauseous all the while.

"Mom, I really have to go upstairs," Louise finally said after a minute or two had passed. Her mother sighed inwardly.

"May I at least ask why?" she replied.

"I... want to finish up something on the project Shijie and I were working on yesterday."

"Can't it wait? If you stay, maybe we can have pizza for dinner," her mom said, a grin picking at the corner of her lips. However tempting the offer sounded, Louise was on a mission and she mustn't stray from it.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I really need-" A thump sounded from above. It was abrupt, and nothing but silence followed. But it was enough for Louise's anxiety level to go well above it should be. Shijie! IF YOU GET CAUGHT, IT'S NOT FAULT! Her mother glanced upward.

"Huh, that's odd. John, I think something might be up there," she said, her eyes not leaving the ceiling. Her father in the middle of eating her fourth crêpe, who was also eyeing the ceiling as if he waiting for aliens to spring out from it, nodded his head slowly, putting the crêpe down upon his plate.

"Uh, maybe it was the wind?" Louise suggested. However, her mother would not stray from her mission either and made her way through the kitchen and up the oak steps, her father following at her heels. Louise didn't even bother to stop them, there was nothing she could do. They would want to examine the premises anyway, just to be sure. After all, her mother's favorite saying was "Better be safe than sorry." Louise walked over to her seat and sat down, feeling the cold plastic of it chill her skin at its touch. She cradled herself, closing her eyes. At any moment now, they will find Shijie in the closet, and she will be grounded for the rest of her life. She might as well send her last text messages because the next time she sees her phone, it'll be when she's thirty-five. Why thirty-five? Because it was her mother's favorite number, she didn't know. She couldn't even think right anymore. Her heart pounded against her chest, rattling her to the core. She cradled the chair. At least it might help her cope. Good-bye World. Good-bye-

"Louise!" her mother called from above. Grudgingly, Louise made her way out of the kitchen and into her room. Her parents were standing outside of the doorway, their expressions impassive. Louise felt sweat line her palms and she wiped them against her sweat pants. Do it, Louise. It'll be over quicker.

"Yeah?" Her mother furrowed her eyebrows. Oh, God. This was it. It's happening. Be a woman, Louise. Be-

"How many times have I told you to close the window when you leave the room?" Louise's mom inquired, her hands on her hips. For a moment, Louise didn't register anything. It wasn't until her father agreed with a "Mhmm" did she realize that they hadn't found Shijie. Louise let go a breath she hadn't realized been holding.

"Uh-uh..." Her mother's infuriated expression softened as she noticed the abnormal paleness in Louise's cheeks.

"Louise, are you okay? You're pale as a ghost."

"Y-yeah. I'm fine. I'm sorry, I'll-I'll go close it," Louise replied and walked to the other side of the room, closing shut the stubborn window.

"It's alright, just remember to do it in the future, I don't want to have to remind you constantly when it's your job," her mother said and left down the stairs with her father. Louise's knees buckled beneath her, and she fell, a heap on the floor. I didn't get grounded. I didn't- oh my gosh. I didn't get in trouble. Oh my God, she thought, the thoughts swirling around in her mind. A lunatic laugh escaped her throat.

"I got away with it. Wait." She recovered herself and made her way to the closet, opening it wide. "Shijie, I-" Her eyes widened. Her heart stopped. She felt her body paralyze. "Shijie?" But Shijie was no where to be found, and there was no evidence of his staying there save for a folded, lengthy blanket and a pillow that had an indention in the center. And upon the blanket, laid a small, lined piece of paper. Louise crept into the closet, grabbing hold of the piece of paper, and squeezed herself out. She held the paper close to her face. Loopy writing stared back at her with such cruel innocence that Louise wished with all her heart to tear it to pieces. And what was written there, made her want to shove it in a shredder, watching as the paper was removed of any legibility of the writing. Her grip tightened on the corners of it, restraining herself from tearing it to pieces. And there was only one sentence - consisting of three words and three syllables. It read, "I have him. -The Man in the Cream-colored Trench Coat"