What Lies Beneath

Chapter Seventy: Battle of Betrayals

"Oh, come on, you don't remember?"

"Remember what?" Sophie's eyes darted back and forth as she searched through her memory bank. What could the house possibly be talking about?

"Don't tell me you've already forgotten our time together?" The house was like a cat toying with its prey, no mercy in sight.

"What the hell are you talking about!" The words came rampaging out of Sophie's mouth before she could hold them back. She thought she had the upper hand coming into this fight, but in the end, there was no way to prepare for something she didn't know about.

"Don't you remember how your heart raced as you ran through my empty hallways. Oh, you were so scared, it was almost endearing how you hid behind that crate. You thought you would be safe if you were quiet, but the pitter-patter of your heart gave you away." Sophie tuned out the voice as images pulled at her mind. The house was right, she was afraid. She'd been running from the ghosts, all she wanted to do was find her friends to be in their protective arms once more. Somehow, she'd found herself in the attic among dust bunnies and forgotten boxes when she heard the creaking of the floor. Then nothing. Somewhere in a time gap she'd gotten away. She wasn't worried about the house anymore or finding her friends, not until Greyson. What happened in the time she'd forgotten?

"Your lying. I've never spent a moment alone with you until now." No, she couldn't think about it right now. She'd come here for one reason and one reason only. To fight this house and save her friends.

"Don't be like that. You and I are friends don't you remember? Or I suppose you would call yourself hired help." A cackle escaped the girl's mouth. The house had the upper hand and it knew it.

Closing her eyes once again Sophie tried topicture herself back in the attic. The footsteps were growing closer by thesecond. Sophie searched the room for a quick escape only to spot a familiarimage covered in a lace cloth. Without thinking, Sophie brought the polaroid toher face. It was the same one. With that new realization, Sophie watched as theimage crumbled to dust in her hand. It was a clue from her past. An Easter eggto lead her to this moment. With tears welling up in her eyes, Sophie's mindunlocked the past.

It's a strange thing to remember one's past and yet have no true memory of living it. It's like watching a film reel from when you are a baby. You know that you were a part of those moments, your image clearly depicted on the screen, but you are unable to recall the real time events as they played out before you. All thoughts and feelings from that exact moment are gone, now you must cherish the ones you've gained from watching this relic of the past. This was how Sophie felt as the memories of what came before rushed through her mind.

She had been so scared that the house or whatever was lurking in it was going to kill her. Her mind was focused on staying safe and protecting herself. Past Sophie lived in the moment. Each breath that escaped her lungs was another one that she was still alive. Somehow, in all her running and fleeing, Sophie had found herself in the attic. It was strange as she hadn't seen or remembered climbing any stairs, but there she was.

It was among those dusty crates and forgotten photographs that she found a place to hide. The footsteps were growing closer by the second. Deep down Sophie knew that there was no hiding from the supernatural. You couldn't duck behind a crate and be safe from a ghost. The whole concept was a bit ludicrous, but what was she to do? She didn't have time to keep going and there seemed to be only one way in and one way out of the room, the place where the footsteps now echoed off the walls. No escape.

Sophie had never really been a God worshiping person, but in that moment, she'd sent out a prayer to anyone who would listen. She wanted to be safe, to turn back the clock and stop herself from choosing to come to this wretched place, but none listened. From the corner of her eye, Sophie thought she spotted a mirror, but when she turned her head, she found that it was an old framed photo half covered in lace. It was then that she first saw the depiction of the girl who looked just like her.