THE UNDYING | TWILIGHT

24. Secrets and Lies

When Saturday morning came around, Olivia Distefano decided to pay her older brother, Nicolas, a visit. It had been days since the siblings last spoke, and Olivia was growing worried about her brother's strange behavior. Their most recent encounter lingered in her mind like a nightmare. Two days ago, she was passing by his office and overheard him talking with someone on the phone. For a moment, it seemed like the old Nicolas was back, but the longer Olivia listened, the more disturbing his conversation became.

"Look, I have to get back to work, love," he said. "I'm afraid I won't be home for dinner tonight. I have a very important meeting. – Yes, it's just a meeting. It's business. – Yes, it's with a woman, but she means nothing to me, I promise. – Look, who has the ring on her finger? – That's right. Now, you get back to your studies, sweetheart, and I'll see you later tonight."

After he hung up, Olivia walked into his office and asked, "Who were you talking to?"

"Adrianna, of course," he answered with a chuckle. "Who else?"

He didn't come to work the next day or the day after that. Again and again, Olivia tried to call him, but all she got was his voicemail. After the tenth missed call, she began to suspect something was wrong with her brother. And that was why she was going to see him today.

Upon reaching his apartment, Olivia gently knocked on the door and announced herself in a sweet, nonthreatening tone. "Nicolas, it's Liv. I need to speak with you."

No answer.

Again, she knocked. "Nicolas, open up!"

Still no answer.

"Nicolas!" Olivia shouted as she violently pounded on the door with her fist. "Nicolas, open the door! Nicolas!"

Receiving no response from her brother, Olivia started rummaging through her purse in search of the spare key. In and around every crevice she dug, and when her fingers finally found the key, she unlocked the door and stepped inside.

Immediately, a most putrid odor clogged her nostrils, making Olivia stagger back and cover her nose with her hand. "Ugh, what is that awful smell?"

Already, she could feel her stomach churning with sickness. The delicious breakfast she'd just consumed was threatening to come back up, and it would not taste as good a second time.

Somehow, she managed to get past the doorway. A trail of brown shoe prints led her into the kitchen, where a muddy shovel stood propped against the table. When she took another step forward, the shovel suddenly tipped over and clanged to the floor. Quickly, Olivia picked it up and leaned it against the wall.

"Jesus, Nicolas, what are you doing in here?"

Scattered about the countertops were stacks of dirty dishes and spoiled food that carried a rancid smell. Great swarms of flies were hovering over the kitchen like a storm cloud, buzzing in Olivia's ears and biting at her skin. With both hands, she frantically swatted them away and escaped into the hallway.

She approached the bedroom with timid steps. "Nicolas? Nicolas, are you in there?"

Her hand was trembling as she wrapped her fingers around the door knob. "Nic?"

She gave it a twist and pushed the door open. "Nicolas?"

Olivia's eyes widened when she saw the woman who was lying on the bed. Gasping, she stumbled back and slammed into the wall.

Nicolas appeared beside her, his face pallid and crawling with flies. He watched his sister with a haunted, soulless expression, as if he was sleeping with his eyes open.