After school, as I was walking back home, Mason approached me and asked if I'd like to go somewhere with him. With a nod and a nervous smile, I agreed because I had recently realized that I liked him.
Our destination was an aquarium, and as we got closer, a wave of excitement washed over me. The aquarium was incredible, filled with vibrant colors and fascinating marine life. As we entered, the centerpiece tank with colorful fish swimming among swaying seaweed, bathed in soft lighting, caught my attention.
As we explored the aquarium together, Mason seemed eager to share information about the different species of fish, jellyfish, and corals. We laughed together and made funny remarks about the quirks of marine animals, creating a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.
However, as we wandered through the winding corridors, I suddenly realized I was lost in the wonder of the aquarium. In a moment of mild panic, I heard someone calling my name, "Alice." Worried, Mason appeared shortly after and found me a bit disoriented. He looked visibly relieved and concerned at the same time, which made me blush.
To prevent this from happening again, Mason gently held my hand and suggested we continue to hold hands as we explored the rest of the aquarium. The sweetness of this gesture made both of us a little embarrassed, but the feeling of comfort and closeness between us was undeniable.
After spending some time in awe of the fish, we decided to see the penguins. Mason pointed to a couple of penguins and shared an interesting fact, saying they mate for life. Our eyes met at that moment, and there was a spark of camaraderie between us.
I smiled gently, and my eyes lit up with admiration. "That's amazing, I wonder if people can be like that too," I said softly, barely containing the emotion welling up inside me. Mason, with an affectionate expression, reached out and gently tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. His touch was so tender, so filled with affection, that my heart skipped a beat.
In that moment, the aquarium disappeared around us, and all that remained was the feeling of closeness and attraction we shared.
At the end of the visit, we headed to a dark room filled with jellyfish, and I couldn't help but exclaim, "It's beautiful!" Mason looked at me with a warm smile and agreed, "It truly is beautiful."
With the dark environment lit only by the soft glow of the jellyfish, the atmosphere became even more intimate. Mason gazed into my eyes with an affectionate expression, and his proximity created a tension filled with emotion. I could feel my heart beating faster as our faces drew closer.
Our lips met softly, as if the world around us had disappeared. It was a gentle kiss, full of promises and emotions that had grown throughout the day. Our hands found each other, fingers entwining in a gesture of tenderness, deepening the kiss.
We stood there, immersed in that magical moment, as if time had slowed down, and nothing else mattered except the special connection we shared. The jellyfish danced around us, silent witnesses to that unique moment.Finally, when we parted, our eyes met again, filled with affection and admiration.
After our passionate kiss, Mason gazed into my eyes with a captivating sincerity and confessed, "Alice, from the day we first met, I've felt something very special. Today, spending the day with you made everything even clearer. I don't want to hide my feelings anymore. I love you, Alice."
His words flooded my heart with joy and emotion. With tears of happiness in my eyes, I replied, "Mason, I love you too. Since the moment we met, my heart has belonged to you.
We embraced, sharing our love and joy in that magical place among the jellyfish, knowing that this was the beginning of something special between us, a new and exciting chapter in our lives.
After exploring the aquarium, we found the souvenir shop. Mason surprised me by buying an adorable dolphin plush, knowing my love for dolphins, and I reciprocated by purchasing a cute penguin for him. When we exchanged gifts, we smiled at each other.
After the wonderful day at the aquarium, Mason drove me back home. At my doorstep, he looked into my eyes and said with a gentle smile, "It was a really fun day. Would you like to do it again?" My heart soared with joy, and I eagerly replied, "Of course, I'd love to!"
The excitement and anticipation in the air were palpable, and the idea of planning our next outing left me thrilled. Mason nodded in agreement, confirming the suggestion. We bid each other farewell with a knowing look, aware that something special was developing between us, and more amazing moments were to come.
Later that night, John knocked on my door, and I hesitated for a moment before opening it. We hadn't talked since Kate's death, and the tragedy had kept us apart for a long while. After the event, I had isolated myself in my room and spent some time in Summerville trying to come to terms with the loss.
When we finally addressed the issue of the killer, the professor, John seemed relieved and asked if I was relieved too. This question caught me off guard, and I struggled to conceal my true feelings. Deep down, I knew that the killer wasn't Sebastian but the detective himself, thanks to the new evidence I had discovered in Summerville and my conversation with the professor in prison.
As I struggled to find the right words, he watched me closely. It seemed like he could see the truth in my eyes despite my efforts to hide it. Tension between us grew with each passing moment, and I felt trapped in a dangerous game of lies and secrets.
Then, unexpectedly, he changed the subject, steering the conversation toward Liam. He asked if Police Officer Liam had visited me. I instantly felt worried, wondering how he knew about it. I lied and said yes, explaining that Liam had come to tell me that Sebastian had been arrested. He expressed mild sadness that I had received a visit from Liam instead of him.
He continued, insinuating that Liam seemed to be particularly interested in him lately, as if Liam knew that I had asked him to investigate his activities. I smiled discreetly and replied that it was natural for Liam to be interested in him since the detective was an experienced figure in solving cases. He smiled in response and said, "It must be that."
It seemed that the worst had passed when John headed to the door to leave, but then he turned and brought up an unexpected topic. He wanted to know how the professor was doing. I was puzzled by the question and asked why he was talking about the professor. He looked at me with a keen look and replied, "Well, since you visited him, I thought you'd know." I feigned surprise and said I had gone to see him to question him about the reasons behind the murders, as we had never found the motive.
The detective looked at me as if trying to read my thoughts, and after a pause, he said he understood but found it strange, considering that victims usually don't visit their attackers in prison. He smiled, bid farewell, and attempted to pat my head, but I pulled away, making my distrust clear.
As he left, he left behind a sense of unease and a slew of unanswered questions. After he left, I immediately picked up the phone and called my father, Liam, and Filipe. The unease left by his visit and his intriguing questions were starting to weigh on me. I had an uncomfortable feeling that he knew we were investigating his actions, and I knew John was an intelligent and astute man.
However, Liam didn't answer the phone. I asked my father what to do, and he suggested that Liam might be busy and I should try again the next day.
The following day, during lunchtime, I called Liam again, hoping he'd be available to talk. But to my surprise, the person who answered was the detective himself.
His voice was icy as he said, "Hello, Alice. It seems you and Police Officer Liam have become close while talking about me behind my back. I didn't like that very much. I'm considering making everything go back to the way it was when you and I lived together. Don't you think that would be a good idea?"
The veiled threat in his words sent a shiver down my spine.
My voice trembled as I shouted and asked, "What have you done with Liam? Where is he?" Worry and fear dominated my thoughts, and I needed immediate answers.
The detective, on the other hand, remained calm, as if he were enjoying my distress. He replied, "Liam is fine, for now. I'll send you a location, and I want you to come to me."
I knew I didn't have much choice but to follow his instructions. My priority was Liam's safety. I nodded, even though he couldn't see my response, and waited for the location he would send.
Understanding the dangerous nature of the situation, I knew I couldn't just go to the location the detective had sent without protection. I decided to act cautiously and strategically. I quickly sent my real-time location to my father with a message that read: "Please be ready to intervene in case something goes wrong."
As I walked through the woods, I began to wonder if John suspected my father and Filipe, but since he hadn't mentioned anything about them, perhaps he wasn't aware of their involvement.
When I reached the location, the detective suddenly appeared, grabbing me from behind with force and whispering in my ear, "I didn't expect you to be stupid enough to come." I felt a shiver of fear as he dragged me toward an abandoned house nearby.
My heart was pounding, and I struggled to stay calm in the midst of this terrifying situation.
As we walked, he asked how I had begun to suspect that he was the real killer. I lied because I couldn't reveal that I had been questioning people in Summerville; he could harm them. So, I claimed that Liam had informed me because it seemed more plausible that a police officer would make the discovery instead of a teenager.
Then, he asked if anyone else knew, and I lied, stating that I didn't trust the information provided by Liam. After all, the detective had always treated me kindly and considerately, which made me doubt the accusations against him. He smiled, seemingly believing my story, and then declared he would solve our problem.
The sense of dread increased when he led me into a room in the abandoned house, filled with photographs. As I observed the images on the walls, I realized that the young women in the photos were all his victims, including Kate. The cruel reality of his violence and brutal crimes was laid out before me, in photos documenting the tragedy we had faced.
In the corner of the room, on a large shelf, I spotted two dolls. One of them was terribly familiar, the same doll that haunted me in nightmares and painful memories.
The detective noticed I was staring at the doll and laughed in a sinister way. He commented, "I was really sad when you threw away my doll. I tried to give you another chance, but you rejected it. So, I decided to keep it for myself." His chilling words emphasized how disturbed and obsessed he was.
I asked him about the other doll, and he smiled in a sinister way. Taking the doll, he brought it closer to me and said, "Doesn't it look familiar to you?" As I examined it closely, I began to notice the similarities. It was an uncanny replica of Lucy.
He explained that it was his mother's favorite doll. He confessed that, after committing the terrible crime of taking Lucy's life, he left the doll at the crime scene. However, he revealed with a sadistic smile that he had later stolen the doll from the Summerville police evidence room, and they hadn't even noticed.
He went on to explain that he couldn't leave the doll in the evidence room because, despite all the hatred he felt for her, that doll was what his mother loved the most. The irony and cruelty of the situation were clear. He used the doll as a disturbing way to maintain a connection with his mother, even after committing heinous acts.
My anxiety increased as I asked him about Liam's whereabouts, and he simply smiled, refusing to give me a straight answer. I knew the situation was growing more dangerous, and the detective was enjoying the psychological game he was playing.
I tried to warn him that the police were looking for us, but he dismissed it with contempt. He explained that this house was registered under a false name and that someone with police training could easily find abandoned houses. However, he added that he liked to "take his time" when he was having fun, intensifying the sense of danger looming over us.
Changing the subject, I decided to question him about why he framed the professor, even though I had an idea. The detective's explanation left me even more terrified. He revealed that he had already "finished" with his mother's collection, and I and my doll were the last pieces missing. Now, thanks to me, he would escape unpunished for his countless murders, while the authorities believed the professor was the true culprit of the crimes he had committed himself.
I wanted him to answer the rest of my questions, but he insisted and said it was time for the "main attraction."
He picked up a bag, grabbed me, and led me to the back of the house, where a hole was in view. Worry grew inside me, and in a moment of desperation, I kicked him and ran toward the hole.
When I arrived there, I found Liam inside a coffin, and my heart sank as I saw blood on his head. John approached and explained that he had noticed Liam was following him. To ensure he wouldn't interfere with his plans, he attacked him, hitting him on the head and sedating him.
I looked at John and, with a lump in my throat, asked if he intended to kill us. He smiled in a sadistic way and, while taking something out of the bag he had brought from the room, said that it wasn't what he had promised, after all. He had said we would live together. However, the statement about Liam left me confused, and he explained that Liam wouldn't be killed, but that didn't mean he would live.
My confusion was interrupted when he approached me and placed a cloth over my mouth. I started to feel dizzy, and my vision began to blur. While John went to get a shovel, I acted and put my phone inside the coffin with Liam. I couldn't let him die. I knew my father would arrive any moment with help.
Weakness overcame me, and my vision continued to darken. I passed out as I saw the detective close Liam's coffin and start covering it with dirt.