John's Dark Secret - Complete!

Chapter 23

"The fish swimming?" The voice of Scott Tracy reached their ears as the said man walked over to the outside dining table underneath a canopy tent. "Yep" Virgil answered as he came to sit beside Scott. "How are you feeling, Scooter?" Virgil asked which as he expected the older Tracy let out a groan. Cassie grinned from beside John who leaned his head on her shoulder, the two under the umbrella of one sun lounger. Virgil grinned at his wife and his twin. "In truth, Virgil I feel good. I'm more worried about what Grandma told me '' Scott's answer met confusion. "What?". Scott sighed before he explained his dream. "Scott, that wasn't a dream. It was a state between life and death. You were on the verge of dying, I can't explain it but...." Virgil was cut off by another voice. "When your consciousness was dying, your loved ones came to see you. Sending you a warning message, to make you go back and live your life rather than being stuck in a coma or on death's bed for the rest of your life. It happens normally before your life flashes before your eye or so theory suggests" John finished not looking up from his book. Virgil grinned at his twin while Scott frowned, thinking over the information he had been given.

"Wait, how do you know that?" Scott asked, looking at the younger twin who grumbled getting to his feet. "Because I've experienced it and sometimes I wish I never came back" John said, before leaving his shell shocked family behind as he jogged up the stairs towards his room. Scott turned to Virgil who sighed, "When John was 17 and we started University. There was one night, I went out partying but John didn't feel up to it but being the big brother I am, I took him with me. We brought Gordon along just for fun. Gordon looked like John so not many people could tell them apart. Anyway, we made a deal to stick with soda or water staying away from the alcohol. Well something happened. John said he didn't feel well. I opted to walk him home but at the time, I had bumped into a girl I really liked 'Cassie'. John said he would be fine. Gordon instead walked John home, I wish I went with..." He felt someone tap his shoulder, looking up Virgil connected eyes with the fish of the family. Gordon took a seat opposite Scott and Virgil. He continued, "...I knew something was up, John was staggering. He puked on the way home. He insisted he had water all night and I believed him. I managed to get him to the twin's apartment building and into their apartment when all hell broke loose...". Scott reached over grabbing one of Gordon's hands, Virgil repeated the action, "Take a deep breath Gordon '' Cassie said from her spot next to Virgil. Gordon nodded before he continued, "There was an ambush waiting for the twins. One of them said they expected the bigger twin. In other words, Virgil to make him pay. There was a small fight, I caught sight of Desmond Miles in the mix. I remember it all but here is the short version, I was tied to a chair. With tape. After I swore and insulted them, they tied my mouth shut. I was...." Tears flowed down Gordon's face as he took a deep breath in, "I was forced to watch as three men and one 18 year old woman raped my brother. John screams still haunt me. It turns out the woman was tailing Virgil and had slipped something in his water, but they never intended for John to drink Virgil's water or for him to return...". Gordon finished with tears flowing down his face. Scott reached over, pulling him into his arms and rocking him.

"Virgil?" "Just give me a minute" "Okay, take your time"

Cassie rubbed Virgil's back as he spoke, "I returned in the morning to see a break in, I became incredibly worried and it became terrifying when I opened the door. Gordon was passed out in the chair, he had marks around his neck which looked like he had been strangled. I remember rushing over to him, untying him. Ringing the authorities while I double-checked him over. He said something like turn around and when I did I....I" Tears slipped down his face. "John was bloody lying with eyes half open on the ground, he looked dead Scott. My twin who has a rare heart condition looked dead. I felt pain in my own chest for him and Gordon. The authorities turned up, and it turned out John was alive just in major shock. We ended up at the hospital. I wanted to ring you Scooter I really did but then Jeff turned up and wanted to keep everything private. If I had known the reason was because of what he did to my biological mother, I would have made sure to put him to shame. Anyway, this was a week before you came back from the military for good. John, Gordon and I agreed to never tell a soul but it got worse when John started getting depressed. My twin was suffering and I didn't even notice, he tried to kill himself twice, Scott. If it weren't for Grandma's quick thinking, he would have succeeded the third time. But, he said 'he had a conversation with Grandpa and he told him to return as well as our biological mother. He said he had family to go back to and a daughter out there'. John didn't understand until 9 months later. Obviously we had moved to more private accommodation with Gordon and Alan, since his school was down the road. Me and John were the only ones in the flat when someone rang the doorbell asking for John. Turns out it was Jackson who held a baby girl in his arms, a basket and a note. The woman who raped John, got pregnant and dumped the baby on my brother's doorstep. It was the same day that..." Virgil dropped his head in his hands as Gordon spoke up, "I found out, Jeff had dropped the charges on Desmond and his three cronies". Scott nodded taking in all the information.