Elevator

Chapter 22

The 4th of July, 2014 we were all together doing fire works and sparklers and stuff. We had been joking around when I asked Alexander where Katie was. He just shrugged, and said that she was inside the house and would be coming out soon to join us. With that, Vivian laughed and suggested that we scare her when she comes out, just as a practical joke. No biggie. We all wanted a few laughs. It was a fun night, and Alexander had snuck a few drinks.

I know, I know. It sounds crazy. A bunch of 14 year old babies having alcohol. I don't even know. We were crazy. We were young. We were stupid. Alexander had an older brother, about 23 and him and his friends had always gotten together for a drink or two. I guess Alexander snuck a few bottles from him. I was sober, Alcohol had never touched my lips before that night. I guess you can't go against a drunk Vivian- it was totally peer pressure.

After half a bottle, I was pretty buzzed. Adrian and Vivian were full on drunk. That means that they don't remember anything from that night. That was a good thing in my situation, I guess. Up until now, I guess.

After another half a bottle, I was tipsy. Katie came outside. Even though she was just 12, she still acted our age. We had to be reminded that she was about 2 years behind us. But when she came outside the difference showed.

None of us should have been drinking, but that didn't stop us. Katie came outside, and when she saw that her older brother and her best friends were drunk, she started to freak a bit. She got very upset. She told Alexander that he was supposed to be her trusty older brother, that he was too young to drink.

That got him pissed. He started bad mouthing her, calling her the worst words ever. He made fun of her for being lesbian. She actually was lesbian, but nobody made fun of it. We were all okay with it. There's nothing wrong with it. Alexander's bad side came out, though. By the time he was done, tears were streaming down her face. Her brown mascara was running down, and she ran inside.

I feel so sick at this part. I hate myself because of it. Me and Vivian laughed. We laughed our heads off. I don't know why, but we were really pissed off at Katie.

Why? Because she didn't join us with a drink? Because she didn't whip out a sparkler and sit down?

I don't remember everything, but next thing I know I was walking to the house. Rage was bubbling up inside of me. By then I was pretty much wasted. I was holding a match. It was a light pink one, that we used to light our sparklers.

I put the match next to the house, where it was wooden, and held it there until the flames were rising like crazy. I heard cheering from Vivian and Alexander. They must have thought that it was some type of a 4th of July show. I didn't. I was out for blood.

Pretty soon, I could hear Katie's blood-curling screams coming from her room. I looked up, and saw her hand slap against the window, then slowly drop. I stood back, watching the house burn.

Am I a sociopath?

I didn't flinch, or feel a tad bit guilty. My face stayed emotionless, as I watched the house burn down.

I remember walking back to Alexander and Vivian, and sitting back down. I remember all 3 of us running away and screaming because of a fire. Alexander crying like crazy because his house was burning down. He was screaming, but Vivian and I had to hold him back, as we dragged him away.

It sobered me up, and I realized what I had done. That horrible feeling of guilt struck me, as I broke down crying that night. Ambulances and police cars and fire trucks circled the house. We got away on time. Of course we were questioned, but we got away.

Alexander and Vivian had no clue that it was me. Not until now, anyway.

About 2 years after the accident, Vivian was over for a sleepover. I had written about the fire in my diary, and how horrible I felt about doing it. It nearly tore me apart.

I got up to use the bathroom, and I guess I wasn't smart enough to hide my diary because when I came back Vivian was looking at me with her wide, green eyes. I smiled and asked her why she was staring at me like that, and she held up the diary. Her eyes narrowed, and the friendliness in them disappeared. Just like that. She slowly got up, and started walking towards me. I ran away, yelling that I was sorry and that it was accident. I was drunk, after all. That doesn't make it okay though. I know that now.

She didn't take it. Within a week Alexander knew. Want to know the scary part about it? I didn't know that he knew. He still did stuff with me, and acted as my friend. He still threw his arm around my shoulder, and raced with my on the X-BOX.

That whole time he was pretending to be my friend. He was faking it. He was really plotting revenge, I'm guessing. Finding ways to torture me like how I tortured his baby sister to death.

Soon me and Alexander lost touch. Same with Vivian. I was always too scared to contact them, wondering what they would do.

One day Vivian called me. I was surprised that she still had my number after all that time. She had wanted to meet me somewhere. She said to meet her at the park, and that she wanted to talk to me.

That's when I started being blackmailed. If I didn't do what she said, then my secret would get out.

That goes up to present moment.

I think Alexander is making her do this. I think he wants to make me suffer. I think he's plotting revenge every minute of every day and night.

And lastly, I think he's the one who set me house on fire and nearly killed me.

Fire for fire, I guess.

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