Hidden Truths

Chapter 2

The people on screen sit around a circular table in Dalton's dark bedroom. The tall, chubby guy (I think his name's Tucker) creeps around the room taking pictures and videos with his camera. Elise is wearing something that looks like a gas mask on her face. It's connected to a set of headphones being worn by Specs. She is talking to Dalton's spiritual self and Specs is writing down and saying out loud everything that is being said by Elise and Dalton.

Suddenly the atmosphere becomes tenser, the music eerie and more dramatic. The pace quickens and the music becomes louder and then Elise screams. A high pitched, horrifying and deafening scream. Like a wounded animal crying out in agony.

I close my eyes and cover my ears with my hands. I'm not scared; I just can't watch the pain on her face or listen to that scream. This scene will be over soon- give it five minutes. Why did the others choose to watch Insidious anyway?

****

When I wake up, I'm not in my room anymore. I'm sitting on a wooden chair in an isolated room. My arms are tied behind my back and I'm tied to the chair. It is really quiet and I can only hear my breathing. There is no other furniture in the room and it is dark. Real darkness. Pitch black.

I feel the urge to scream but my mouth is gagged. I wait, hoping someone will come. There's no one. Time passes by and still no one comes. I start to panic. My mind is rushing and my heart is threatening to jump out of my mouth. It's already in my throat. Great, I'll die choking on my own heart. I'm breathing rapidly and I can't slow it down. It only speeds up.

Then, as if things couldn't get any worse, I see a shadow. A long shadow. Fairly slim. I know it can't be mine; I'm sitting and this shadow is definitely standing up. Then a figure emerges. A tall, fairly slim person. Not anyone I recognise.

I feel the urge to scream again but I know it's pointless. I desperately try to fumble with the wiry ropes around my wrists. It's no use, my hands are sweaty and dripping. I try again and again. A sharp pain makes my hand go numb but it works. My hands are free.

I lift my hand to see what has happened and see something dripping from my wrist. Not sweat. Blood. It looks black in the darkness. Black and shimmery. The rope must have cut me. The wound is deep. Blood is still dripping. Now I'll die from blood loss. Wait, I almost forgot.

I'm not alone.

I look up and the person is now in front of me. My hands are free but I can't escape. I still have rope around my waist. I can tell the person is a man. No, a boy. Light auburn hair. Just a head shorter than me. Big thoughtful, observing, emerald eyes. Eyes that used to smile and shine. Pale skin. Freckles dotted on and around his nose. Lips that used to smile and laugh every day, even in the darkest moments.

Alex.

I feel an unknown weight lift off my shoulders. I feel relaxed and calm. Peace and tranquillity seep through me. Relief and gratitude swirl around me. Alex is here. He's going to save me. I know it. I believe it. I just know...

What the hell is he doing? What's that thing he's getting out of his belt? It's shining slightly in a light I didn't know had entered the room. It's got a sharp, really sharp, base. And a skewered tip. I look into Alex's eyes. They look different. They're shining with what? Happiness? No. Love? No. Hatred? Yes. Hunger? Yes. For food? No. For death? Yes. Who's death? Mine.

Mine. I'm going to die.

He's going to kill me. He knows I killed Mum. He knows how I killed her. He knows that I lied to everyone, including him, especially him, for the past two years. Now he wants nothing more than for me to die.

My death will be his revenge for Mum and for himself. All the pain he's bottled up inside of him. the pain I caused him. some big sister I was, I mean, some big sister I am. I'm not dead yet.

I hold my breath; the same way Mum had done exactly two years ago. Alex brings the knife high behind his head. It's the same knife I had used on Mum. I tilt my head so that my throat is exposed. Please let this be quick.

"Sorry it had to come down to this," he whispers, "but you shouldn't have lied to me."

That's the last thing I hear before he brings the knife to my throat. I feel the sharp sting of the blade as it tears my throat open and the warm trickle of blood spilling down. Then all I see is utter darkness...

****

I wake up screaming. Tears stream down my cheeks and my hair is damp with sweat despite the cold temperatures. I'm sitting on the sofa in the living room, trying to calm my nerves.

"Sis? Sis!" Alex comes running into the room. He kneels in front of me and touches my arm. "Don't worry. You'll be okay. It was just a dream."

It was just a dream. But it felt so real. He hates me. The look in his eyes, it was filled with so much contempt, so much loathing and disgust. Look into his eyes now, a voice in my head tells me. What do you see?

I see concern and love and comfort and warmth. No signs of hatred or disgust or vengeance. I see Alex. My Alex. My little brother. Not the Alex from the dream. I don't even know who that was. Sure it was Alex but it wasn't my Alex.

"I...you..." I try to explain. "It was so bad. I don't even..."

"It's okay, sis. You don't have to tell me anything."

I look at the clock. 23:02. Whoops. How long have I been sleeping? "I'm sorry, Alex. I probably woke you up."

"Don't worry about it. We're the only family each other has, we need to look out for each other. Always."

"Did I miss the movie?" I want to change the subject.

"Yeah."

"Don't tell me what happened. I want to find out for myself."

"Okay, but Catherine and Jacob might be spamming you with texts right now."

"I'll delete the messages. When did they go?"

"About two hours ago."

"Oh, well you should be going back to sleep."

"You too."

"Come on then."

We go to our own bedrooms. I can't sleep though. The nightmare drained all the sleep out of me. I know Alex doesn't suspect anything. But now that the seed of doubt has been planted, I can't help but think that someone, if not Alex, definitely knows what happened two years ago. And it didn't happen today, but at some point, they'll attack.

One day, I'll receive my punishment. It's inevitable.

Like John said, it's a small world.

Anything can happen.