The new marauder

Chapter 68

August 27th:

Flicking the invisibility switch, i lower the car down to my driveway and drive the to the garage.

It's late, almost three in the morning.

I forgot all about the time zones, and i think Lily is going to suffer from the lag.

I don't think i will, i coped before i can cope again.

She's asleep at the moment, as is everyone else in the house i think.

I leave the suitcases in the car for now, and go round to the passenger door.

Shaking her slightly, she turns over in her seat.

"Lily, we're home. Come on, get out the car so you can go to bed."

She slowly gets out and goes through the door to the kitchen.

I lean against the car for a second, to gather my thoughts.

I didn't expect to be gone the whole summer, Lily has two days with her family until next summer.

I feel so bad, i shouldn't have detoured to the house.

What a waste of time.

"Are you coming?"

Lily is leaning on the door, rubbing her eyes.

"Yeah, you go on up, don't wait."

"Okay, see you in the morning then."

"Yeah."

Grabbing our suitcases, i carry them up stairs and drop hers off in her room.

She never noticed she was sleeping in the same bed as James had.

Or maybe she did...

Interesting.

No matter how hard i try i can't sleep. After a few hours of trying, i give up and grab Aprils diary from my bag.

I flick to the very last page.

Dear Diary,

Summer escaped.

I fear that this could be the end.

Mom and Dad always told us to never let her free, because if she escaped then a bad man would come after us and kill us all.

I don't want to die, but if i do, then i hope someone will find this diary.

Whoever reads this, either three days after my death, or three years, know that i don't blame Summer Brown for my untimely death.

She didn't ask for any of this, it's not her fault.

I hope one day, the world will be peaceful.

But for now, we can only hope.

April x

After that, there's nothing.

The last words she ever wrote were a good bye to the world.

I know it says she doesn't blame me, but i can't help feel a bit guilty. 

Going to the start of the book, the date is 1967, i was eight and April would have been five.

Such a young age.

It's the first time she saw me.

'The girl with black hair and purple spots on her arms and legs and neck.'

'mommy said she's my sister, but that she's bad'

'i want to know her, but she's always in the yellow room'

I sigh deeply and throw the book to the side of me.

Then i pick up Toby's journal, which was in the cupboard under the stairs.

His hand writing is much neater, even at age eleven.

Journal,

Tomorrow, Summer and I leave for school.

American academy or boys for me, girls for her.  I didn't think Mom would let her go, but i think she wants her out the house.

Summer was at dinner tonight, as she was behaving well for once. I felt awkward eating a big meal of chicken and potatoes, when all she had was bread. I can't help feeling bad or her, we're twins.

I should go to bed, it's a big day tomorrow, for both of us.

-T

After that, it's entries of his school friends, the amazing first year he had, how he didn't want to go home.

As the journal goes on, Toby writes less and less about home.

I don't blame him.

His last entry dates to the day before i got out.

Journal,

Summer has been acting more and more troublesome lately, and i hate to think what Dad will do to her if she carries on like this.

her powers are getting stronger, and she's learning to control them now.

While i don't want her in that room, i also don't want her to leave.

If she does then-

The entry stops here, as the rest of the page is missing.

It's been ripped out, but i don't remember seeing it in his room.

If she does then-

Then what?

What could he have wrote to be ripped out?

I mull over it when it hits me.

He might have taken it.

The murderer.

After murdering them all, he would have searched the house for any information on him so that i wouldn't find it.

Toby had written his name, and he's taken it.

Toby knew who it was.

Did April know?

She said 'bad man'.

But why would my parents tell Toby such an important piece of information?

My head feels heavy from all the thinking i'm doing, and from the tiredness finally washing over me.

Turning off the light, putting both books in my drawer, and lying down, i fall asleep.

The cell haunts my dreams it feels like i'm reliving the ten years i spent in there.

I wake up sweating and my throat soar from screaming in terror.

I hope i didn't wake Lily, that would make me feel even worse.

I'll just get Kelly to take her home.

"Kelly."

She appears beside me.

"Is you okay, Miss Summer?"

"I'm fine, but could you please take Lily home for me? Tell her i'm not feeling well."

"of course, would you like breakfast?"

"Take Lily home first, i'll get some later."

She nods and vanishes.

I flop back down into my pillows, and try catch up on my lost sleep.