Friday 15, 2010…
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A day like today was like a holiday in Westmore, no school, no one went to work. Just a day of remembrance, and everyone always went to the same place every single year. They took a journey, like a shitty tour around their fucked up town.
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The Song’s house.
Down West high street.
Alex’s house.
The Cortezes’ house.
The Plaza.
Woods.
River.
Cabin.
Cemetery.
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Every single year it was the same, everyone held candles. Alex stood next to Andrew. His families’ turn to talk came, as they talked. Alex kept an eye out for the Diallos’. No sign of them. Good. A slide show of both Alice, and Elijah came up. Pictures of when they were happy, and alive. Some people in the crowd whispered about Elijah, and how he dared to do something so monstrous. Andrew grabbed Alex’s hand in this. Alex smiled slightly, finding comfort in his touch. A shadow passed by the corner of Alex’s eyes, she turned her head. Nothing was there, must’ve been her imagination. But then she saw that same hair, those same eyes. Her heart dropped, Lindsey, and her family were here. Her mom must’ve noticed too, her face had gone pale.
“You alright?”Andrew whispered, Alex shook her head, and darted her eyes in the direction of where Lindsey was standing as if telling Andrew where to look. Andrew looked in their direction, and blinked.
“We need to get out of here, now.” She whispered, Andrew looked at her. He gave a small nod, and tapped Max to tell their mom. Max tilted his head, but noticed the desperate glint in her eyes, and tapped Elizabeth, they all walked through the crowd. Eyes, eyes were on them. Not any eyes, the Diallos’ eyes. They must’ve recognized Alex, recognized Elizabeth. Long before this they had been tracking Alex down, preparing for this day. They finally made it out of the crowd.
“Slow down, Alexandra.” Elizabeth said, but Alex didn’t slow down, she couldn’t slow down. They had to go as far from the crowd as they could. Elizabeth put a hand to her shoulder, stopping Alex, she turned around to look at her.
“Mom, they know who we are-.”
Elizabeth nodded. A look of worry, and anger in her eyes. Max came behind them, sighing.
Now what?
“Yes, I know sweetheart I know. But we can’t be alarmed. They sense fear from a mile away.” Elizabeth retorted. Sensed fear from a mile away, so they could sense Alex’s fear. A fear that has been growing for weeks now, a fear about her fate. That she might die, but of course her mom didn’t know that her daughter was about to die, she couldn’t know yet. And now she had to sit next to Lindsey in class for the rest of the semester. That’s only two months, but still. In the span of two months she can die, she can disappear.
“What the hell- What do you mean we can’t be alarmed? They’re the Diallos-” She said in a half shout. Elizabeths’ eyes widened.She didn’t know how Alex knew about them.
“How do you know who they are?” Elizabeth asked, a hint of worry in her voice. Alex blinked, of course she knew who they were. They were her killers, the end of the beginning. The ones who made all this come true.
“I– They want me dead, OK? All this time, I’ve been seeing things.” She rushed through her words, as if she feared that if she didn’t say them fast enough, they would disappear, and never come back to her. She kept talking, and talking.
“For weeks, I’ve been finding out things, things I probably should’ve never known in the first place. First, everything was fine, it was going according to plan. But things changed, mom. I got notes, telling me to stop. David Williams raped Katie, Lucas died. Jeremy moved, I’ve been seeing Alice and Elijah everywhere. That’s how I know about the Diallos’. I found a recording of days before Alice went missing, days before this whole town thought Elijah was a monster. They planned their escape, to have time away from Westmore. And your own family, want their own family dead. And that’s me.” She said, trying to catch her breath. Seeming impossible. She was dead, not entirely. But part of her was.
“What do you mean—” And then it clicked for Elizabeth, a flash of something crossed her eyes. She looked at the ground, mumbling a name under her breath.
“Aaron.” Was the only thing Alex heard. She blinked slightly, looking up at Elizabeth again.
“Who’s Aaron?” Alex asked, a confused expression on her face, Her mom shook her head, looking at Alex. She blinked, did her mom know something she didn’t. Was she also hiding secrets from her? After all her whole life had been a lie, made of secrets she’s unraveled along the way. Today more secrets would unravel, and come true. Things had changed in her life, she would never be the same Alex, never would her eight year old self believe her if she told her all of this would happen, that she would die in the end. Just like Alice did, would her grave also be empty? Would people care if she died? They’d probably talk amongst themselves that it was all because of a stupid little project. But her stupid little project turned into her biggest nightmare. She was losing herself in thoughts, who was Aaron? Did he have some kind of connection to her mom? Was he the one trying to kill her, to keep her blood in his hands? To hide her away, and keep her lost and dead forever. Yes that was who he was in her eyes, in her mind. The monster that leads to all of this.
“Aaron is an interesting man. One you don’t want to be near, just don’t go to St. Bernard. Never. You hear me?” Her mom said, bringing Alex back into reality. She nods, lying she was going to St. Bernard now more than ever. She would make a plan, this plan would work. It has to work. If it doesn’t she’s dead, long gone. If it does, he’s dead. It’s her against him, and time was her other enemy. The hands of the clock ticked in front of her very own eyes.
“Elizabeth?” A voice came from somewhere behind them. Was it Aaron? She turned around, it wasn’t Aaron, hell she doesn’t even know what he looks like. Her mom stood there, no fear in her eyes, Diallos’ could sense fear, so she couldn’t show off fear either.
“Ah, Margaret. Haven’t seen you in years.” She said softly with a kind smile on her face.
Alex stood next to Andrew, as they began to talk. A language she didn’t know, a language that only they knew. Belgian. They kept talking, Alex’s eyes drifted to Lindsey who was listening intently at what they were saying. Maybe whatever they were saying was the password to all of this. Andrew gave Lindsey a glance, as if studying who she was. Getting to know her with just one judgemental look. He grabbed onto Alex’s hand, giving it an encouraging squeeze. She smiled slightly, at the same time trying to make English words out of the Belgian ones, and for some reason she could understand each word they said.
“What are you doing here? You shouldn’t be here, you know what he will do.” Elizabeth said, Margaret sighed crossing her arms, were they talking about Aaron? What if they were, then she truly was in danger, if they were then she would have to save herself, fulfill the promise she made herself.
Save him. Save herself. Save Westmore. And save Alice. She would save four things along with her dying soul. That was her promise, to save everything, fix everything. And if she didn’t fulfill the promise, everything she’s done goes to waste. In this moment her promise is everything that mattered, and it’s everything she’s been made for.
The end of the beginning.
She’ll get out of this, she will not die. But she’ll run until her feet wear out. Until the last thread of life drains out. That’s her promise. She’ll make everyone proud, and she won’t die. Unless the universe has other plans. No. The last bits of hope can’t slip away. They won’t slip away, they can’t. Hope is the only other tool to get out of this.
“He won’t do anything, Elizabeth. And if he does, then we’ll be here.” She said, if they truly were here for them, where have they been all this damn time? If they were there to keep them safe, if they knew who this Aaron guy was, then why weren’t they here from the beginning? Or did her mom know something from the moment Alex told her she was doing this project, since the moment she told her that he project was about eight years ago. Then why were they never there? She couldn’t stop and think anymore, she needed to take action. To find this mystery man that was out to get her. She let go of Andrew’s hand, wiping her sweaty hand on her jeans, sweat, yes it was sweat. Not whatever else she thought it could be, it couldn’t be blood anyway. She isn’t dead yet, she can’t be.
“What do you mean you’ll be here? If you truly think that, then you’re crazy. You weren’t here for nothing. If-”
“Alexandra enough. This is between adults.” Her mother said, Alex let out a bitter laugh. Did she really think this was a joke? Her own daughter’s life was in danger, and she said it was an adult matter. Her entire short life had come to this, and her own mom didn’t care.
“This isn’t only between adults, mom. My life is in danger, and you just brush it off?” She snapped, she needed her to understand, to understand that her own daughter is about to die.
“Woah woah. What do you mean your life is in danger?” She asked, that stern look in her eyes returning. A look that meant annoyance, and that she didn’t believe her. But she had to believe her, or maybe it was anger. But if she didn’t believe that she wasn’t in danger, then she would show her.
“When I started this project, it started off good. It was going according to plan. Everything was OK, I was OK. But then, Lucas died, I started getting notes. David William did unimaginable things to Katie, more and more notes. I started to see Alice and Elijah, everywhere. They spoke to me, told me what was to come. And- and then I found a recording of them planning to escape to leave Westmore for some time, that they didn’t belong here at all. And I found notes, Elijah was taking notes about how to run away. And it hurt me, it really did. He along with Alice recorded that for me. To listen when I grew up, to know the truth. And now I do, whoever Aaron is or wherever he is. I will find him, and make things right.” Every word was a minute wasted, a second wasted. Everyone, and everything fell silent. They stared at her, Andrew looked at her confused. Margaret, and Elizabeth blinked, giving each other glances. Lindsey stood there, concern etched on her face. She sighed, she knew she shouldn’t have said anything. But she did, and it was dumb it really was.
“A project? Are you insane? Do you know that doing a project about this can cost you life, your- your entire purpose? No wonder you’re in danger, he has found you. And he will have you, Alexandra. Don’t even dare to set foot in St. Bernard. I’m warning you. Don’t go there, please.” Margaret pleaded, did she know she was going in less than two weeks? She didn’t know, she doesn’t want to know. Because she needs to know, and she is terrified that her purpose is long to die, long to be wasted. That whatever she was made for has come to this, and she will lose everything to it. Only one can stand at the end, and that will be her. She will never die, as long as she finds him. And he doesn’t take her as his victim of a silly little high school project.
“I don’t care, I care for Alice and Elijah, he’s innocent.”
“He’s a monster. Killed his own friend, for what?”
“For something that no one knows, and will never be true.” She said, anger bubbling inside her. How dare she, how dare she say Elijah is a monster, when he simply is another human who was accused. Her hands balled up into fists, knuckles turning white. She hated every word coming from Marageret’s lying mouth. Every single letter that came from her mouth sickened her more and more.
“You don’t have a say in this, you weren’t here when it happened. If you truly were here, then where were you when I started the project, when Lucas died. When I got the notes, every little single second I was worried, and you? Where were you?” She said, but it didn’t feel like she was talking. It felt as if Elijah was inside her, telling her what to say. He knew the truth of everything, he was in the shadows guiding her every second. Alice was just there, to show her the way through her innocent eyes. They were her help in this, the true helpers in this wild game of survival. It was her against time, against everything she ever knew, and she was not going to let it go to waste. Not until it was finished.
“Listen, I don’t know anything else. I’m trying to help here, I know what Aaron is capable of, I know he can be persuasive. He is dangerous, he’s a bad man. A man that should be long gone, locked up.” She tried explaining, but Alex couldn’t take it anymore, she couldn’t take anymore lies. Perfect lies, lies that were so perfect they haunted her nightmares. As if nightmares couldn’t haunt anyone already, but lies were there since she came into the world.
“If you know so much about him, then why have you never done anything? Went to the police, told them about him.” She replied, she needed answers. And these answers weren’t easy to find, but she still needed them. A big game of hide and seek. She would hide, and he would seek. Kept finding her even if she would hide in the best places.
“Because the police wouldn’t believe me. Told me he was nothing but a tale.” She explained, Alex blinked. A tale? A tale, a fictionality. But that wasn’t possible, if he was a so-called tale she would’ve heard around school, her mother would’ve told her as a kid. Max would’ve told her, to scare her. An innocent thing siblings do, scare your siblings. But she had never heard of him until now.
“How is he a tale? I’ve never heard about him- or anything.” She said, her voice had a bit of an edge to it. Confusion, fear, anger. Then it came to her.
‘Diallos’ can sense fear from a mile away.’ A small click in her head, all this time she had been afraid. He could’ve sensed it. But things like that are just sayings parents tell their kids. Sensing fear from a mile away, could only mean. Knowing someone for a long time. Surely this guy had to be a Diallo.
“He can hear everything, can sense everything. He was a sort of bad luck charm since birth, always there. Evil, horrible evil everywhere he went. He just casted horrible things on people, he took advantage of it. And well. He did something horrible that not even you and I would imagine. Just be careful. We have to go now.” She said, giving Elizabeth a glance, and then back to Lindsey as they walked away. They all stood there, Alex didn’t know what to do. This was insane, and dumb. This was it, she didn’t know who he was. But she had valuable information. Even though they didn’t help much, as they were still a pack of liars. Maybe the lying could help her one way or the other. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. Her mind was a mess, just like her. Just like this damn town, this fucked up town. This place she called home, she shook her head slightly. Andrew placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, she smiled weakly at him. The world was even darker than what they had warned her, it really was a small world. Or so she thought. Besides, how can you fit about 8.2 billion people in one single sphere? Well the answer was each day someone dies, and each day someone comes into this world. It’s a balance between life, and death. Something she was fighting for, the balance between her life, and her death. And the side that was going to win was unknown, and if she was the one to pick a side. She would choose her life, the one where she gets to live happily with Andrew, where she gets to be with Isabel, and Max, and call Jeremy on days she feels down. To be with her mom, not death. Where she would never see the people she loved anymore, where she could be with the people that cared for her. She knew those were the people she could be with from now to the end of time.
She would keep climbing to get to the top, she would get there without getting hurt. And she would be remembered for what she did.
“We have to go home, now” She said, talking herself back into reality. Going back to the dark place called Westmore. She started walking, shoes tapping hard on the ground. Each one sounding like a stab to the heart, each tap louder than the last. Andrew followed behind, Max and her mom too. Andrew’s family caught up, the tension between The Cortezes’ and Songs’ could always be felt from feet away, the broken trust, the broken bond they had was always exchanged by glances, and rumors. Just like breaking the chains, an innocent pact they had now turned into something darker, costing Alex’s life. She won’t surrender. Never.
She kept walking, billions, if not trillions of thoughts filled her mind. Thoughts of how this would’ve happened if she never got involved, if she wasn’t so ignorant to get herself into this. To waste her precious life, and throw it all into the flames of hell. How she would get to Aaron, how she prove he isn’t just a tale. To prove Westmore wrong, for ever thinking Elijah could be a backstabbing monster. He would never hurt the people he loved, he loved Alice more than anything, he knew living here was hard for both of them. He loved her to a point he was willing to risk everything to run away with her. To get her as far away from here as he could, to let her be free, so that they could be at peace. And now she doesn’t even know if that can happen.
Everything she’s been going through is a loop, doubt, then fear, then confidence. She repeats things in her mind, repeats them until she can’t even think straight. All she needs is peace and understanding. But the loop she keeps having in her head is the biggest obstacle.
Peace and understanding. Yes that’s what she needs, those two key factors will get her through everything. Once and for all.
She walked past the crowd, past the two portraits they had. Past the tables of memorial objects. Past the cemetery, where two empty graves lay. Where hers would soon be if she didn’t do this right. All she could see was red, on her hands, her arms, her clothes. And the red meant it was blood, not her blood. But Aaron’s, his blood would be hers, before her blood could be his.
She kept walking, passing the corner store, the gas station, a familiar two story brick house. Same minivan in the drive, her house. The same house Elijah had been in so many times, where his innocent soul once wandered. His soft smile, his dumb jokes he would tell them. The times he would babysit them four. When Max was still there, before he ran away. When Andrew still had his brother, and sister. When Katie was still herself, before being drugged, and raped by David William.
The sound of his name made Alex sick to the core. How could he have done that to an innocent young girl? No self control. Needs is what he would say. Disgusting needs is what it should be. She waited for her mom to go in. For Max to go in. She looked at Andrew, and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her, a warm embrace, an embrace she didn’t want to lose. It had started out like this for Alice, and Elijah. A simple friendship turned into something more. Something where they loved each other, something that would never break. Yet it still broke due to the dangers Westmore has, if it meant that they would die too. Then at least she wouldn’t die alone. Andrew gave a quick kiss, and whispered a soft ‘I love you’ before walking to catch up to his parents. She smiled, as she watched him walk away. The best relationships always ended in death or worse. And she just hated it. She went inside, an image walked into her mind. A made up image of Aaron, how he looked. A devil straight from the pit of hell. Piercing cold eyes, that carried evil in them. Cold eyes that could kill you, but if you were weird enough you would fall for them, fall into his cold charm. An insane man always draws sane women. They fall in love, and have a child that will take them down. That’s how it always is in books, or the books she reads.
The beast gets the beauty. But right now it’s the beast against the beast.
Two beasts fighting for the balance between life and death. A man, and a teenage girl. And one has to survive. And one has to die.
“Alexandra we need-” She tried saying, but she cut her off.
“Not now mom. I need time to think. I can’t talk about this anymore. Please.” She said, already halfway down the hall to her room. Her mom sighed, and leaned against the counter, face in her hand. Max came behind her, comforting her. He knew that this whole thing was affecting everyone. Especially their mom, her own daughter was in danger. Alex opened the door to her room, and sighed falling onto her bed. Her eyes drifting to the ceiling, her thoughts outnumbering the people on Earth. If her thoughts turned into an army, then this whole planet would go to waste. Or she would be in an asylum by now. Hidden away, inside white walls. In her own cage. She’ll be the last one to survive in this game of perfect lies, in this fight for the balance between life and death.
Peace and understanding.
Life and death.
Save him. Save herself. Save Alice. And save Westmore.
Aaron’s blood on her hands. The power in this game is hers.
She will find a way in this.
She’ll be the one to survive.
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