Memories

Secrets Revealed

Twelve Years Ago
It was still raining down hard outside the window and it was eight forty six. The radio was playing on a station that I had never heard of. 72.3 It was. A song started playing that was made by the Black stones. It was one of those songs that was calm and soft, but sounded sad and creepy the longer you listened to it. Some of the words were:
The trees lay dead upon the ground. I hear the screams. I hear the sound. Darkness falls on those who don't know, but lies with the ones that follow.
     As the song went on,the words got deeper. It gave you the feeling of fear like when you knew something's there or something's going to happen, but you can't tell when it's going to or what's there. All you have is that cold, terrifying chill that paralyzes you until your bones start to become rubber,and you can't blink your eyes,because if you do, you're scared of what you'll see when you open them:
They see you every day and night. Feel you make you full of fright.Telll you lies and destroy your mind, until it's too late, and your out of time.
It felt like the song was starting to compel me. I couldn't move anymore and wouldn't stop staring at the radio. The song was swirling through my head and repeating certain lines and words.Out of time.Lies.Screams. Destroy your mind.They were all repeating over and over again. Out of time.Lies.They started to become whispers and then they became louder and louder. I could hear them say my name. Now they were screaming it. I finally jolted around to see my mom yelling my name.
"What?",I asked,not knowing she was trying to reach me.
"Charlie, don't give me that.",She said with a rough sound in her tone.
"What was I doing?",I asked,confused.
"You weren't answering me. I had to say your name like five times to get your attention.",She complained.
I'm sorry...There was a song that was playing on the radio and i-.",I said,she cutting me off.
"What do you mean song on the radio? The radio wasn't even on.",she said. "What?",I said,surprised. I looked at the radio and turned it on. It was on the same station my parents always had it on,97.8,the classics. I couldn't believe what I just saw, I thought. I'm not crazy...I don't want them sending me to an asylum though.
"Sorry mom...I didn't mean to ignore you...",I said.
"Oh dear. Your fin. Just don't do it again,okay?",she said,smiling.

We turned into a marathon gas station to get some gas, the meter close to empty. I slipped out of the car and watched as my mom used her credit card.Dad had gone inside the gas station to get some snacks,waving at me as he stood in the check out line.
"So...have to had a good summer? how's Zach been?",Mom asked,grabbing the gas lever shoving it into the car. I was about to speak,stopping as I heard someone yelling from behind me. He started to walk towards our car,mom turning around to see him.
"Look buddy.Im sorry but we don't have any money.We can't help you so will you please go somewhere else?",Mom said,sighing. The man was probably miss thirties,his face covered with a hoodie. He pulled a gun out of his pocket,pointing it at my mom. His eyes were bloodshot and he breathe heavily,his face pale. Mom my back away from him,grabbing my hand and sliding me behind her back.
"Okay...please put the gun down...Ill give you whatever you want.Just don't hurt my family...",Mom said,her body shaking and sweating as she was scared out of her mind.
"Do you not remember me Debra?",he said with anger in his voice,his hands shaking. My dad came running out of the store,dropping the food to the ground.
"Hey! Get away from my family!",Dad yelled, the man turning around and pointing the gun towards his head.
"Get any closer and I'll kill you!",He yelled, swinging the gun back and forth to each of my parents.He smiled for a second,laughing.
"I can't believe you guys don't remember me! You know? Your old friend John? The one whose life you ruined!!",He yelled,people gathering around,getting out of their cars and watching it all go down.The man's face changed in a way words cannot explain, but if you could see it, you would know something horrible was going to happen. He had no teeth and his hair was dangling off the side off his head. "I'm sorry...I don't remember you...please...don't hurt us...What do you want?",My mom said,crying. The man stared at her for a second with pause,then looking at my dad from behind and then at me. He stared at me with hatred,then looked of up at my mom.
"I want to ruin your life the way you ruined mine...",he said.
"Mommy?What's happening? I'm scared...",I said,grabbing ahold of her leg and hiding behind her.
"Here! I have uhh...tow hundred bucks! Just take the money! Now leave us alone please!",Mom said,throwing her purse onto the ground and grabbing ahold of me.
"Mommy what's happening?",I said,again,scared and not knowing what was going on.
"It's going to be okay Charlie. Just get back into the car.",She told me,still looking up at the man. I stared at dad,his face gesturing for me to get inside,but I didn't want to leave my mom. I looked at the man,seeing his evil glare with his dark brown eyes just in a glimpse of the light. They weren't greeting.He grabbed the purse,taking out the money and throwing it back to her. He then looked at me,hatred filled in his eyes.
"You should've done what we agreed on Sam and Debra...now your going to pay!",He yelled,laughing hysterically while shooting in the air two times. I watched as people screamed and rush to their cars. Some were so scared that they didn't even bother waiting for the rest of the gas to pour into the car, just driving away, pulling the pipe that was still plugged into their car with them. Mom grabbed my hand,looking at me while tears streamed down her pale face.
"Please!Were sorry!You don't have to do this...Well give you anything you want! Please just let us go...
"Mommy I'm scared.",I said,tightening my grip on my mother's hand. He looked at me again, but then I knew that this time he was for a reason. He then looked at my dad.
"Sam...I'm sorry but you should've listened and gave me what I wanted. I've lost everything now...and there's no going back...I've lost everything, and now it's time you did. He pointed the gun directly at my head."Charlie no!",my mom said,moving in front of me.Boom! Boom! I watched as the bullet went piercing through her stomach and shoulder blade."Mom!",I screamed in terror as she fell to the ground in pain,screaming impatiently. I couldn't move. A tear dropped from my eyes and rolled down my cheek. I slowly put my head up and starred at the man. Why did you do that you evil man? I was surprised when I said that. It just came out. His anger then hyped and he pulled the gun up from his side about to shoot at me again. My dad ran towards him,knocking him onto the floor. The gun flew out of the man's hands,sliding across the pavement.My dad got on top of him,hitting him over and over again until his face was bleeding uncontrollably.
"Dad stop! Moms hurt!",I said,pulling him off of the man. He then stopped,panting and running over to my mom's side.
"Call 911!",My yelled.Mom was still breathing,leaning in to whisper in my dads ear before laying back down on the ground.My dad grabbed me and put me into the car,ignoring my screaming as he locked the car doors. He ran up inside the building,speaking with the cashier and then running back towards the car as the cashier was on the phone with the police.He got inside the car,turning on the ignition and starting to drive away.
"Let me out dad! We can't leave mom!",I yelled,banging on his seat. "Shut up Charlie! We can't go back! We have to get out of here! Your mother will be fine!",He yelled, ramming the gas pedal. We were going over seventy. "Dad! What are you doing!",I yelled,he not saying anything.
"Dad! Answer me!",I yelled.
He still wouldn't answer. I could see he was crying. It was the first time I had ever seen him cry. He used to always tell me that crying was for babies and that I needed to be a man, but I could tell that this was a different kind. We were now on an empty bridge and he started to sweat,still crying.He was pressing on the gas pedal harder now,and I couldn't tell what to do. The car started to swerve and I had to do something.
"Dad!",I yelled,he still not listening,"Dad!" He turned on the radio ,turning it up high,trying to block me out.
"Dad!!",I screamed as loud as I could. "WHAT!!!!",he screamed furiously,his eyes piercing. I looked forward and screamed as we smashed into the bridge,the car swerving to its side and falling backwards down into the lake. We crashed into the water,the car slowly sinking. I screamed as the water pressure started to crack the glass shattering and water filling the inside. "Dad! Help me!",I yelled,watching as my dad struggled to get his seat belt off. The water started to go higher and higher,the car sinking lower to the bottom of the lake.
"Da-",I tried to say as water went into my mouth and above my head. I looked around through the foggy water,reaching out towards the seats in front of me. I slowly started to lose air as my body couldn't take it anymore. I closed my eyes and let go, the last thing I saw was my dad reaching out for me.