Secrets | Watty Awards Winner 2013

Chapter 21

Will’s P.O.V

27 minutes has passed since they’d entered.

I open my car door and step out, tempted to slam the door shut in my rising frustration.

I should’ve gone in there with her.

I pace up and down the sidewalk, my body numb with anticipation. Pulling up the sleeve of my jacket, I take another look at my watch.

27 minutes and 56 seconds

 If something has happened to Ari, I will never forgive myself.

This had been a stupid plan from the very start. We all knew that her mother was not to be trusted and we still walked right into her house. I shouldn’t have let Ari get her way but every time we’re together, I can’t think straight. Every fibre of my being would jump at the chance to protect her- which is insane considering I’ve barely known the girl. She’s stubborn and a pain in the butt sometimes- but I love that about her.

A soft smile pulls up the corners of my lips. I sound like like a lovesick fool.

29 minutes and 10 seconds.

There’s still no sign of either of them. The house is silent and there is no sign of movement.

A shiver runs down my spine and I rake my hand through my hair several times, trying to ignore the growing monster gnawing away at my insides.

Pulling out my phone, I dial Detective Monroe’s number and leave an anonymous tip in his voicemail. Ari had encrypted my number so that its signal would bounce all over the world, leaving it almost untraceable.

Sliding my phone into my pocket, I jog slowly towards the house with an ominous feeling in the pit of my stomach.

*

Ari’s P.O.V

I wake up with piercing pains running up and down my spine and dull throbbing at the back of my head.

Lifting my head up, I try to bring a hand to touch my right cheek, which feels damp, but my hand doesn’t move. Looking downwards, I see my legs bound to the front legs of a metal chair and my arms tied to the arms.

A tickle tugs at the back of my throat and I cough, wincing as my throat explodes into a ball of pain and fire. Spots of red had flown out of my mouth while I’d been coughing and now dot my light-coloured jeans.

Breathing heavily, I look around my surroundings. The room I’m in is made of stone and the floor is uneven. My eyes take in the dirty light globe hanging suspended from the ceiling a few metres away and I almost cry out when I see the figure sitting just beyond.

A strange sense of déjà vu washes over me.

“Ollie?” I whisper. His only response is a low moan before he lifts up his bowed head. I wince when I see his face. His left eye is swollen shut and turned almost completely black. A large gash runs from his temple to his chin and his blonde hair is matted, turned dark with blood.

“What the hell happened?” Ollie’s voice is scratchy and weak. I feel a lump rise in my throat.

“I don’t know,” I say. My memories are jumbled up but my clearest memory is my mother’s face before I blacked out. Her eyes… they had been so hard and cold.

Almost unrecognisable.

“Ari?”

I force myself to look at Ollie.

“Have you been here before?”

I nod slowly.

“Was Micah here?” Ollie’s unhurt eye widens.

I want to respond but my lips have suddenly lost its ability to form words. My eyes are glued to the spot where I’d last seen him- Micah. Emotions swirl inside me and the urge to throw up becomes so strong that I have to bite my bottom lip. I break the skin and the coppery taste fills up my mouth. I make a face and spit, sending the red droplets in every direction.

Finally, I manage to force out a strangled squeak.

“Yes.”

There is a silence as the last knife of betrayal slices through my heart.

My mother was part of my brother’s murder.

****

A/N Sorry for the short chapter. It's kind of filler-ish because some things need to be set up for the rest of the story.

Don't forget to vote/comment! :) I absolutely love hearing from you guys!!!

Also, in case you missed it, I posted a photo of Lucas Till (aka the guy I'm casting as Ollie) at the beginning of this chapter. Hope you guys like him!