No face.

An unwelcoming life.

As Tracy got inside the house, I froze in my place as I presumed her dad started turning to close the door, as if he hadn't notice that I was standing there. I didn't know what to say, my mouth opened trying to stop him, but nothing came out, he finally seemed to notice how I couldn't talk, so he barked at me, aggressively:

-So are you coming inside? Or what?

-Yeah... Yeah sir.

This hesitation from my part triggered a flashback to my childhood, I was a pretty lonely kid who constantly stammered because I was very shy, that's why I enjoyed detective shows on tv, I loved solving the cases, and I was usually right. Maybe that's a sad way of living life, but I could say that I was happy, this wasn't definitely planned, I never meant to end up alone and solving cases for a living, but what was I supposed to do? 

I walked inside the house and immediately felt an oppressing atmosphere, Tracy's mom was sitting in a kitchen table, avoiding eye contact with her and with me, as for her dad he went into the living room, bumping with my shoulder and not apologizing, he immediately started discussing with Tracy:

 -So, you are finally back eh?

-I'm not back, I just didn't have anywhere else to go.

-So... As I suspected, you failed whatever the hell you where trying to do.

-I didn't fail anything, I just started with my plan.

-After ten years? No wonder you got kicked out of school.

-Dad, could we not?

-Could we not what? Talk about how you're a failure? Everyone always knew that your sister was the only one that had a chance in this world, why the hell couldn't it have been you?

Tracy's face changed, I didn't have to be a detective to know that she was holding her tears, trying to improve the situation, I intervened:

-Hey, that's no way to talk to your daughter.

-And who the hell do you think you are? Another of those idiots that were supposed to find my daughter but got stuck on a dead end like everyone else?

-Why are you always like this? I come back after ten years, and this is how I'm rewarded?

-You never even knew how to take care of yourself, It's a miracle that you managed to stay alive for this long.

-Well, I definitely did better than when I was living with you, I don't even know why I came back.

-You came back because your a disappointment.

She got near her dad, closed her eyes, seemingly thinking of her next move, she puffed and clenched her fist, an uppercut came flying right to his face, I have to admit I was impressed by how good she punched, even better than me. Her mother finally decided to acknowledge us, so she got up and tried to defuse Tracy:

-Hey, what the hell are you doing? That's no way to treat the people that gave you life and a home?

-I never asked to be alive! Half the time I don't even know why did I hanged around for so long, I hope you die so I never have to see your faces again. 

She started walking towards the door, her dad tried to stop her by grabbing her, she struggled to break loose, so I tried helping, I grabbed him and started pulling, he was around 60 years old, so it shouldn't be so hard, he turned as I gave it my best, he focused on my face, and that's when he spoke:

-Wait... I recognize you! You are that stupid detective that came 10 years ago.

What the hell was I supposed to do now? Tracy stopped pulling, and she turned to face me, she seemed as surprised as one could be finding out something this big. She looked at me without blinking, I started talking:

-Wait, I can explain.

-There is nothing to explain, you are just an i***t who is trying to prey of my daughters vulnerability.

She looked as if she wanted to tell me something, but instead turned to her father and said:

-He is not, and I repeat, not preying of me, when will you understand that I'm not a disappointment, nor a failure? I have done plenty with my life, and if it hadn't been for my sisters disappearance I would be a successful doctor by now! 

-If only there was a way for you to prove that.

-I don't need to prove you anything, not anymore at least. I hope you and mom can live well knowing that you manage to lose both of your daughters. Come on Lance.

-You will never find her! That is something you will find out eventually, even if you are stubborn as you have always been.

I decided to follow her as we left the premises, now we didn't have a place to hide, so our only option was to keep on the move trying to solve this case. As we wandered away from her home I couldn't stop and wonder in what situation I got put, it was weird certainly, everything seemed connected somehow, at least we shared some common features in our past, was all of this a coincidence? Or was something bigger at play here? Whatever it is, I can't give up now, I would probably wind up dead if I tried, so my only chance at survival is following this stranger trying to solve an impossible case, I just pray to god that we are able to solve it, even when all of the odds are against us.

I thought we were never coming back, but Tracy stopped and said:

-No, I won't let him have the last word, we're coming back.

She turned and I worried that this might be affecting her more than it should, told her:

-Are you sure?

-As I told my dad a few minutes ago, I don't need protection, so yes, we're coming back.

I followed her once again to the belly of the beast, we didn't take long, as we hadn't walked that far yet. She walked to the door, and furiously knocked trying to get an answer, but after a few attempts there was no response. I was about to tell her that we should give up, when I could hear in my mind screeching again, so I said:

-Wait, it's that damn noise again.

-The screeching?

-Yes.

-Damn it!

She kicked the door three time until it opened, our eyes met with the faceless creatures, Tracy's mom was thrown on the floor, she had obvious marks on her neck that were visible from the distance, her eyes had popped out of her sockets from the force of the choke, his dad had a creature choking him, he was clearly suffering, Tracy advanced a step but I stopped her, the las thing that he managed to form was:

-Run.

We turned our backs and went as fast as we could, how the hell did they found us again? and how were they so fast? That would have to be questions for another day, right now our concern was to get the hell out of this situation right now. After a few seconds of running, I could hear the screeching again, I turned my head for a second and noticed those damn things following us, this time running might not be a viable option.