The truth sometimes hurts

    I was a detective once, y’know. And I can tell ya, it aint all fame and glory. There are some things that people are better off not knowing. About a month ago I hadn’t a care in the world, just your usual 17 year old detective, but one night I’d discovered something so horrible, something so… I can’t even bring myself to say it. That night, though, I discovered something, the truth.

    You see, about 2 months ago the chips in our cupboard at home had started to disappear. Foolishly I dismissed the fact, telling myself  “Perhaps mum’s been lazy” or “Dad’s been at it again”. But day after day I felt something was wrong. Those chips weren’t going into Dad’s stomache, and I know Mum was buying them. How? ‘cause we all saw when she brought them home.

    Mum seemed to not care where the chips were going, putting on a front so we –the kids- wouldn’t be afraid, but I knew… She was as scared as I was. We all knew something was going on, my 3 sisters and I, and I was going to get down to the bottom of it.

    Every afternoon was the same, we’d come home, settle in front of the tellie trying to act as if it was all ok, except Claire. She seemed unusually cool about the whole thing, just sitting there, watching tellie, like nothing had happened. I kept my eye on her.

    In the evening, after dinner, mum would go shopping. This is where the problem sank in. No one’s allowed chips after dinner, and I know no one left the living or lounge room to go to the cupboard. I followed anyone who left, to the sink or bathroom, everywhere. It didn’t make any sense.

    Mum was shopping at night, putting the chips into the cupboard and they’d be gone by the next morning. That was it… someone had to be seeking down stairs in the middle of the night and scoffing the lot. So that night I went down and kept watch the whole night.

    That first night, no one had come down. Perhaps they knew I was down here. The culprit was smarter than I’d first anticipated. The following nights I’d fallen asleep for no more than 10 minutes, yet the chips were still being eaten. I’d wake up to find an empty bag on the floor in front of me.

    If I were to fall asleep on the job, I’d have to device a plan, a trap. I had it!

The following night I put up a string of bells, to wake me up when the culprit came past. It was about 11 30 and everyone was in bed, except for me. I was waiting in the far corner off the kitchen. The row of bells was across the bottom of the stairs. It wasn’t long before they sounded. “Hah!” I thought to myself. “The culprit!”

    I darted from the kitchen to the stairs to find Claire, the 6 year old. “I knew it was you, come back for some more… I’ve got my eye on you.”

The girl looked blankly at me, “I came down to get my pillow… I left it in front of the TV.”

    She walked pass me slowly, eyeing me, then went to grab her pillow. As she walked back, she had her eyes on the cupboard the whole time. As she approached me, her eyes fixed on me until she passed me and was half way up the stairs.

    It was her… I knew it was, that cool look about her, that stare she gave the cupboard. She was longing for those chips and I knew it. I thought it not much use staying down stairs, I’d scared the girl enough.

    I let two nights go by without keeping watch, without setting any traps. The chips still went missing. On the third, I waited until everyone was up in bed. I said I’d be up late doing homework, but they knew what I was up to… My sisters… So I set a trap, a simple one. As soon as the culprit opened the cupboard door, a net would fall on them, leaving them confused. Then a row of bells and chimes would sound, and then I’d race down stairs and bring the scoundrel to justice. It was perfect!

    I went upstairs at about 10 30, it was an early night for everyone. I showered and went to bed, waiting for the chimes. The last time I looked at the clock that night was about 11 45. I then drifted off to sleep.

    There was a loud ringing in my ears, an alarm? Sirens? Something was on my face. The bells! The chimes and bells had been triggered, but I couldn’t open my eyes, or move well. I was on the floor so I started rolling, trying to get free. Finally my eyes opened and there was a light, bright at first, but became dim as my eyes adjusted.

    The net… It was on me. The bells and chimes, triggered by me… I tried to get the net off, I must’ve been chasing that thief… But as I reached for the net, something fell into my lap; it’s contents on my face. A chip packet…

    Mum told me what had been going on. I slept walked down to the kitchen, to the cupboard… I was the one eating the chips… I couldn’t believe it, I still don’t…

    Something happened that night. I discovered something, the truth. And everyday I regret that I ever was a detective. I vowed never to be a detective again.

Some things people aren’t meant to know, and are better off not knowing them.

There are some things that are better left alone