Homecoming Shadows

Chapter Fifty Nine: Voice of the Dark Past

...

In the dimly lit parlour of April's manor, Miles's soft voice gently caressed the air, tearing at my soul as the black screen video continued playing on the projector. The flickering images and Miles's haunting words painted a chilling picture of a cult community that wiped away memories of those who were initiated, erasing any knowledge that could potentially cause disobedience or rule-breaking.

April, sitting beside me, widened her eyes in confusion, clearly struggling to grasp the meaning behind the video. I glanced at her, my heart heavy with sadness. How could I explain to her the depth of what we were witnessing?

"What kind of rules are they talking about?" I managed to ask, my voice barely above a whisper on the recording.

Miles paused. "People must do the work and study what the cult assigns them to. They are expected to date and marry individuals chosen by the cult. Their entire lives are scripted, controlled by the community leaders. They live in houses and apartments provided by the cult and are only allowed days off when permitted."

As Miles listed the oppressive rules, I felt a knot forming in my stomach. Daria looked at me, her face a mask of confusion and concern. I could tell she was struggling to process the darkness of the old recording.

"That's why you didn't want your parents to meet me," I murmured, a mix of pain and realization flooding my voice. "Because I wasn't assigned to you as a partner?"

Miles hesitated to answer. I could still sense his pain on this recording, knowing that our connection was not sanctioned by the cult.

"Do you... do you have an assigned partner yet?" I asked, my voice trembling.

Silence hung in the air, and I knew Miles had nodded in response.

"...Do I know her?"

He let out a sniffle, his voice barely above a whisper. "It doesn't matter, Ruby. I'll never be with that person. I have you," he whispered.

"No, Miles. Tell me her name," I insisted, my voice growing more desperate with each passing second. He hesitated.

"...April Winfred," he finally admitted, his voice carrying a weight of resignation. "The cult wanted me to start dating her. They even orchestrated a meeting between us last year, without my knowledge. They painted me in a heroic light, positioning me as the savior before her."

My mind raced back to that fateful night when Miles had valiantly saved April from Will Rinowsky at a party. It all made sense now. The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place.

"Wait... that time when you saved her," the recording carried on, my voice trembling with realization there, "it was all part of their plan, wasn't it?"

The room fell into an uneasy silence as the video recording came to an abrupt halt. The only sound that permeated the tense atmosphere was the sudden click of the lights being switched on in the dimly lit parlour.

"I don't want to listen to this!" April exclaimed, her voice laced with frustration as she stood up, her perfectly manicured hand tightly gripping the remote control. Her piercing blue eyes were feverishly locked onto me with accusation.

"This is crazy! Why is your video from thirteen years ago on my camera, Ruby?" April's voice trembled with a mixture of anger and confusion. She shook her head in disbelief.

"I... I don't know," I stammered, taken aback by her accusation. "We had the same cameras back then, remember? It's possible that I accidentally took yours in the cabin to record this. We used to mistaken them all the time. I thought...that this recording was lost nearly since it was taken. Apparently, it was just on a different camera."