𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐤 | 𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐝

entry twenty-four.

"Peter,"

I purse my lips, trying hard not to cry.

I don't want to die. I don't want him to hurt me if a refuse, but I don't want to go with him. I don't want to hurt people. I've never wanted to hurt anyone, besides Dr Brenner.

He stares down at me as if he can read my mind "Don't back out on me now, darling," Peter laughs, running a bloodied hand through his hair. Crimson streaks appear on the blonde strands. "I didn't do all of this for nothing,"

"Peter,"

I have nothing more to say. Words waver dangerously on my tongue, threatening to spill in a hurl of incoherent sentences. I can't breathe.

Peter lowers himself onto the floor until he kneels before me. He reaches out and takes my hand. I don't let go. I don't think I'll ever be able to let go. "Henry," He whispers. "My name is Henry,"

"Henry," I repeat. Unlike Jane, I cannot see him as more than Peter Ballard; an orderly under the jurisdiction of Dr Brenner. More so, a merciless murderer. "I would have never guessed,"

"Tell me," His voice is low - a deep baritone. "Tell me your name, 013,"

I'm aware of his fingers, brushing over my hand; staining it. I look down at him, aware of the blood splattered across his defined cheekbones, the droplets that cling to his eyelashes, dribbling down his cheeks like tears.

A fallen angel.

"Lauren," I pretend to smile as he opens his eyes, looking up at me. He reciprocates the gesture, rising onto his feet until I'm forced to look up. "My name is Lauren,"

"Lauren," Henry stands silently for a moment, drinking in the sight of me. I can assume I hardly look beautiful, yet he smiles at me as if I encompass the world's beauty. "You and I are going to take over the world, Lauren. You and me,"

"Henry," I lean up onto my tiptoes, splaying my palm across his cheek. "I can't do this. I can't kill people, not like this," Henry reaches up, taking my hand off his cheek. I let my arm drop. "I'm not like you,"

"Lauren," His voice is stern, scolding. "This world was built to cage us. They paint us to be nightmares, monsters found beneath beds, lurking in the back of closets. We can refine this world, and force a revolution. We can turn their fear into respect. We can rule the world, remake it however we desire,"

I shake my head, pressing my knuckles across my mouth. "I can't kill people. All I wanted was to be free"

"Do you think freedom is so easily attained?" Henry begins to pace, traversing the length of the Rainbow Room in several strides. "That without this," He points his finger to the children lying dead. "We could have been free?"

"They were children," I can't defend his mania.

"They hated you," His voice rises to a yell. "They scorned you. They laughed at you. They ridiculed you. Yet, you defend them,"

"They didn't deserve to die, Henry. Not for that," I throw open the door of the Rainbow Room with an extended arm. "018," I point to the child lying motionless in the corridor. "He was less than 10 years old. Look at me and tell me that he deserved to die,"

Henry swallows. "He did. They all did. Do you think they wouldn't have turned you in if they knew what you were planning? Do you think they could have kept your secrets as I did?"

"Lauren," Henry turns abruptly, placing his hands on either side of my face. "They don't care for you as I do. No one ever will. You and I are alone in this world,"

"Henry," I burrow my head into his shoulder, dampening the cloth of his shirt. It's all too much. I know that he's being truthful, but I can't bring myself to believe it. He holds me tightly, placing his arms around my waist. His touch is so reassuring.

"It's all going to be okay," He smiles and it consumes me. "I'm going to look after you. You don't have to be scared anymore, Lauren. It's all over,"

I nod, attempting to convince myself more than him. "It's all going to be okay," I repeat, drawing in large gasps of air. "We're going to be okay,"

Henry takes my hand, lacing his fingers through mine. "I know you have a lot of anger within you, Lauren," He places his other hand on my back, gently guiding me to the door. "Anger that needs to be released,"

We walk down the stained corridors, and I avoid the sprawled bodies littered across the bloody tiles. Henry steps forward, releasing my hand. He swipes a keycard across an electronic panel, before pushing open a door.

010 lies on the floor, with his head down. I swallow, trying not to cry. I look up at the ceiling. praying to a God I don't believe in. "Take care of him," I look down at the floor, before adding. "All of them,"

"Good evening," Henry's voice stirs me back to reality. I step over 010's body joining his side. Henry is standing over Dr Brenner, who's barely conscious.

His trousers are soaked through with blood and there's a small wound at his temple. I kneel down beside him, dropping Henry's hand. "Finish him, Lauren," Henry whispers.

I look up. "I don't want to kill anyone,"

"Don't you remember what he did to you? What he did do to all of us? This is all his fault, Lauren. You spoke of making him pay, requiting his sins. Now you can,"

Dr Brenner stirs with a low groan. He raises his fingertips to his forehead. "013," He whispers, placing his hand on my cheek. His bloodied fingers imprinted upon my cheek. "013, is that you,"

Henry turns to leave, shutting the door behind him. "I'll leave you to it," He says, smiling. I'm terrified.

I turn back to Dr Brenner. "I should kill you," I say, placing my hands in my lap. "I want to,"

Dr Brenner laughs, and a round of hacking coughs follow. "I'd say I deserve that, 013," He struggles to force himself into a seated position. "I want you to know that I'm proud of you, so very proud,"

"You are my family. My only child," He raises his hand, brushing his fingers across my cheekbone. "I've only ever wanted to help you. To protect you,"

"Everything I did. I did for you," Dr Brenner struggles to find the words. He pauses often, gasping for breath. "Please, tell me that you understand,"

I don't. I don't understand why my abilities warranted my imprisonment. None of this was for me.

"Please," Dr Brenner begs.

"I'm not going to kill you," The words struggle to escape my mouth. "I can't,"

Dr Brenner smiles. His mouth is full of blood. "You're a good girl, Lauren. You're going to do great things,"

"I'm not doing this to spare you," I continue. "I hope with every bone in my body, that you'll die a horrible death, that you'll pay for everything that you did. Not just to me, but everyone else,"

"Lauren," Dr Brenner struggles.

"No, you don't get to me call that. You don't get to taint another part of me," I stand, ready to leave. "I need you to understand that I hate you. I always will. I'll never be able to forgive you for what you did to me; what you took from me. I hope that I'll never see you again, but I don't want your blood on my hands. You've ruined enough of me,"

"Goodbye, Papa,"

I finally leave.

A/N
- thank you for reading till the end of Hide and Seek. if you enjoyed please vote and comment.

- rosa <3