The Next Generation (Secret Society of Second-Born Royals Fan-Fiction)

Chapter Fifty-Five: Ellie

I open up the door, walking out into the empty hallway. Bryan walks out behind me. I keep walking down the long hallway with Bryan walking behind me.
The flickering lights progressively get dimmer and dimmer. Until all of the light disappears, leaving us in complete darkness. The light is still in the distance backward in the hallway, but looking ahead I only see pitch-black darkness. I look around for a moment letting my eyes adjust a little. I look to my right a see the outline of a door. I blindly fumble for the doorknob. Of course, the door is locked and the knob won't budge. I put my hand on the door and focus until I heat a soft click. I reach for the knob and turn it.
The door swings open to reveal yet another dark room, but this time with younger Bryan holding his head between his knees.
Bryan walks in behind me but doesn't get further than the door frame when he stops suddenly in his tracks. His eyes are set on younger Bryan. "You can't make me watch this, " He says stepping back slightly. He looks slightly scared, a little bit angry. I'm not really sure. "No, I can't. You don't have to if you don't want to. But I'm going to, " I say. I have to get information. As creepy as it sounds, I do. I have to know him. If we want to win we need something to use against him. This is what we use.
Bryan steps back out of the room, while I continue to walk in. The scene comes to life, beginning with young Bryan on the floor.
The soft sobs of his crying are muffled by his arms. The melancholy serenity is interrupted with a door's handle turning with a soft click. The room is flooded with warm light, but nothing about it is soothing.
           Bryan's father walks in throwing the door open. It hits the wall with a sharp bang. Bryan lifts his head abruptly, startled. His tear-stained cheeks glisten in the light.
           "Get up." Bryan's father says sharply. "We need your help outside. Men like you shouldn't be inside crying. Go take care of your Aunt." Bryan's father has dark bags beneath his eyes. Wrinkles and lines display stress upon his forehead.
            Bryan reluctantly gets up from his crouched position. He shuffles towards the four, his head hung low. He's stopped by his father's hand on his shoulder.
           "It will all be over soon. Console your aunt and she'll leave with the rest of them. You shouldn't waste your tears on such a horrible woman."
           Bryan looked up from the floor and to his father horrified. He shrugged off his father's hand. "Don't call my mother horrible!" Bryan yelled in response.
           "I'm only saying the truth," he said in a seemingly calm tone. "She only acted as she loved you two because I had the guts to leave. She was stuck with you for the majority of the week." Bryan looked concerned but covered it with anger.
           "You're lying! You ditched us and mom still loved us! She didn't want us to leave to see you every weekend!" He yelled. Throughout the screaming and yelling, Bryan's father kept his cool. He looked calm and composed.
           Thinking back to all the books I've read on psychology, this is a common example of emotional manipulation. He's making it like Bryan is the one going insane, and that he, on the other hand, is completely calm.
           Based on all the other things that Bryan has done with his father that I know of is all manipulation in some form. Something that would give someone problems in the future. 
           Bryan finally looks like he's starting to give up. His father takes the opportunity to remove himself from the room.
           On his way out he looks at Bryan and says, "Don't bother to go outside." He closes the door behind him. I hear a click, the lock on the door being secured. I hear footsteps walking down the hall. Bryan walks to the door and gives the knob a firm turn, but it doesn't budge. The sick man had locked his son in the room.