Hiddens [Old Version- New Coming Soon]

Chapter 5- Mae

She had never planned on telling anyone about the room. It was always supposed to be a secret between her and her brother, but now someone else knew about it.

Mae wasn't much of a crier. She had lost all of her tears when she was younger and a different person. Now, she knew how the world worked. It was no longer pretty to her. It was bleak and obsolete and had hopelessly fallen into ruin. Her general viewpoint was that good no longer existed on earth and she had to fend for herself because only she and her brother mattered.

But now stupid Lucy was trying to undo that chemistry that had worked for Mae ever since the day she was able to escape from that room. How was it that just one person could mess up another's life in less than ten minutes? It wasn't fair that someone could have that sort of power and control over another. The most ironic part was that it was completely unintentional on Lucy's part. She hadn't meant to dig up that grave. Mae knew that she was just curious, and she couldn't blame her for wanting to more. Mae would've wanted to know more if she was in Lucy's shoes.

She knew she should be grateful that someone was trying to help her deal with her past, but she felt no gratitude at all. The words that she and Kernel had written on those walls all those years ago were ringing in her head now like the voices of ghosts. She had worked so hard to get rid of them, but they were back. No anger or rebellion or screaming would drown out the echoes of her own voice. That's what had broken Mae and had brought her to tell Lucy the answers to her questions.

Now, Mae's throat was scratchy and raw from when she had yelled at Lucy. She felt sick and hopeless and angry all at the same time. It was a horrible feeling and she didn't want Kernel to feel as bad as she did, so she had made Lucy promise to not mention the room to her brother until she was given permission.

After she had watched Lucy leave, a wave of exhaustion had overcome over. Mae needed some more rest.

It wasn't surprising that the second her head hit the pillow, she was out.

A young girl with short brown hair tied back into two tiny braid-pigtails with red ribbons sat cross-legged on the floor of her parent's room. She was listening to them, but wasn't really taking in what they were saying. All she could see of them as they towered over her was their dark and shadowed faces bearing stern expressions. She knew they were mad at her, but she wasn't sure why.

"Honey, we hope that you can understand our decision to do this. Don't be mad. Change is unavoidable, and that's all this will be. It's just a tiny little change to what you're used to," said the mother.

"We're not mad at you, sweetie. We just want what will be best for you," said the father.

The girl nodded, completely oblivious to what they were actually talking about. She just wanted to go and play with her older brother. He said they could play hide-and-seek once their parents were done talking to her.

Hide-and-seek was one of her favorite games to play with her brother. He was really good at hiding, and she loved to wander around their house and look everywhere in order to find him. She was always so happy when he smiled at her and congratulated her on finding him.

She loved her older brother so much.

"So are you ready to start right now?" asked the mother, not seeming to understand the girl's want to leave and go play.

She smiled happily up to her parents and clapped in agreement, wondering what they wanted approval for. She really just wanted to go and play hide-and-seek with her brother.

"It'll be just like playing hide-and-seek," the father said.

This instantly got the girl's attention. Were her parents going to play, too? They had never played before. She began to get excited.