Alex got out of the car, stretching out. As they walked to the small house, she looked around. How had she never seen the house if this whole place looked the same, the same trees, same shore to the lake. She shrugged it off, as David arrived at the door. Knocking on it, the door opened. A little kid, probably Sebastian, opened it. His eyes lit up in seconds.
“Dad! You came!” He exclaimed, jumping into Davids’ arms. He smiled, wrapping his arms around him.
“Hey there, champ. C’mon let’s go inside.”
“Who’s that?” Sebastian asked, looking at Alex.
“Oh, that's just a friend of mine. She wanted to talk to mom, now go on. Come in.” He pulled Alex inside. Charlie peaked from the kitchen. Short black hair falling over her shoulders, earrings adorning her ear, a nose piercing. Grey eyes, tannish skin.
“David? What are you doing here?” She asked, as he went over to hug her, giving her a kiss before speaking.
“Someone just wanted to talk to you, sweetheart. Me and this little champ will be in his room.” He said, walking off into the hallway. Alex looked at Charlie, as she smiled slightly. Charlie smiled back, softly.
“Well hello. I’m Charlie Maywire. You must’ve heard about me, he talks too much all the time.”
“I heard that.” He called from the room. They both laughed softly.
“Do you want some tea, water, or juice? She said, walking into the kitchen. Alex followed.
“Water is fine. Uhm but I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment. I hear you knew Alice personally?” She said, sitting in an island chair. Charlie nodded, bittersweet remembrance in her eyes. She placed the glass down in front of Alex, leaning over the kitchen island.
“Yes, I did know her. We were like sisters. We were in the art club together. We were also on the volleyball team. State champion right here, but yeah. I would go round her house almost every single day, her mom considered me family. But it was a nice time, Westmore was a great place with not just Alice in it, but with Elijah. Only us, their friend group, knew they were together. We had to keep it a secret, their families didn’t want them together for some reason.” She said, looking at her palms. Alex nodded, fidgeting with the glass cup in front of her.
“And neither one of them ever mentioned running away or anything, right?” She asked, trying to see if her theory of what the ghosts were telling her was just what they told people before they died.
“Actually yes, it was about a week before it happened. Alice came to my house, asked me if everything was OK. Asking me if I was seriously going to the police to file a report of domestic abuse for my dad. He had abused my mom many times before and I was so tired of it. It was like a few minutes she was there, and then she told me Elijah was probably going round my house the week after, that he just needed time to make sure of some things before he talked to me. Then she just left without explaining anything else.” Her eyes met Alex’s, probably sensing the tension in her gaze, and shoulders. So she was right, what Alice had told her earlier that night were the same words she had said to Charlie, only this time not to file a report. But Alex’s plan to kill a man. Maybe she was listening to a lot of true crime podcasts, and paranormal things, but she knew she was right about this. She still had the plan on killing Aaron, she just needed the courage.
“That’s very interesting. And they never told you about a recording at all. A recording they made, in one of the old classrooms in the back of the school, notes Elijah was taking to run away. Secrets they both held, that a dangerous man was after them, and killed them. That same man is after me. To kill me. They never told you anything, right? None of it was ever said to you, only the secret of their relationship. That's the only thing you kept a secret, that all of you kept a secret. Yet he knew about the secret, their plan to flee, to leave. He knew every single second, he knows every single second of my life since I started this project. So I’m asking you this, and I need you to answer me honestly, I’m not trying to be nosy inside your business, just answer honestly.” She paused to take an intake of breath.
“Do you, or do you not know someone named Aaron.” She said, burning her eyes into Charlie’s. She blinked, as it retracing steps in her mind.
“If you mean my father, then yes I know someone named Aaron. Aaron Maywire. Why do you ask?” She said, her eyes innocent, too innocent. Aaron Maywire.. That didn’t sound right, Aaron Diallo sounded better.
“Did he ever mention anyone by the name of Elizabeth Thomas, my mother. And Jesse Thomas, my father?” She asked, hoping it would give her the answer she’s looking for.
“Uh, no. But he did mention Diallo quite a few times. Don’t know if it was just a weird word he had come up with, I never dared to ask him.” She said.
Alex blinked, could this be the same Aaron?
“What was your mom’s name?” Alex blurted out.
“Margaret. That was her name, I haven’t spoken to her in years, she’s in Belgium with her other daughter, my half sister, Lindsey.” Time paused for a second. Margaret, Lindsey, Aaron, and Charlie. It was all connected, Julianna said Charlie was a horrible influence. And now it was starting to click, Many of the adults that she has talked to. Like her mom, or Julianna, Margaret. Alice’s parents. They all knew about something. And that was it, they all knew about Aaron. They know he’s a horrible man, that same image of him came into her mind. This time it looked like her dad, like the same man she had run after that night Andrew came over. The same man with the gun, she shook her head.
“Do you have any pictures of them? I mean when you were little, and with your family?” She asked, Charlie nodded. Going out the kitchen into the living room, Alex looked at the water in the glass, his face reflecting off of it. That same connection she felt once came back again. As if she was connected to him, one way or another. The same person, in one. As one. If she was right, and she hoped she wasn’t. Aaron might be her father, and disguised himself as Jesse Thomas, faking death. Or… Unless Jesse was her uncle? No, no that wasn’t possible. But this connection she was feeling towards Aaron was weirdly true. When she found him, she was never going to accept his apology, even if it was the most genuine apology. But since he was a perfect liar, genuine wasn’t in his vocabulary.
Charlie walked back in with an album in her hands, and placed it down.
“Go on, you can look through it. I’m going to make something, since David, and Sebastian are two little hippos, especially David when he comes over.” She said, with a half laugh. Alex grabbed the album, and started to look through it, she blinked. Horror filled her system. The man in all these pictures was indeed her own father. The same pictures her mom had shown her so many times, the same pictures of him smiling. She looked up at Charlie as she was crouched down by the fridge grabbing something from it.
“Charlie, did your mom ever mention Aaron having another kid with anyone?” She asked warily, Charlie stood up, and shook her head. But paused for a second.
“Actually yes, she did. Her sister was having a kid.”
“And when was this baby born?”
“Nineteen-ninety four. Yeah, May tenth, of ninety-four is when it was born.” She said, and that’s when it all clicked for her. Alex was born that year, that day. Sixteen years ago, born to Elizabeth Diallo, but she changed her last name to Thomas when she got married to Jesse Thomas. But in reality, she was never married. Her mom never got married, Max was her first born, but no one knew about Max, because they kept him a secret. Yet, Charlie knew about the birth of a baby born to Elizabeth, and Aaron. A sick monster out for her, his own daughter. Charlie was her half sister. Born to the same father, Max was also born to Aaron. The pieces of the puzzle she had spoken to Andrew ages ago were coming together. Her half sister was right here in front of her talking to her. A sister she didn’t even know, Lindsey wasn’t related to Alex, or well she was. She was her cousin, but how–
“Are you OK? You seem shocked.” Charlie said, looking over her shoulder.
“We’re half sisters, Charlie.” She said, almost breathlessly. Charlie froze, hand stopping from stirring whatever she was stirring in the pot. She couldn’t see it, but she knew her eyes were wide. She turned to look at Alex.
“Half sisters? But how..” She said, turning off the stove.
“You were born to Margaret, and Aaron. I was born to Elizabeth and Aaron, my father was Aaron all along. My father Jesse Thomas was a name my mom came up with to lie about my true father. I’m that baby your mom told you about. These pictures, my mom has at home. We’re half family, Charlie.”
She blinked, and then it’s like she saw something in Alex’s eyes. Recognition, she tilted her head, her eyes burning into hers.
“You have his eyes. His nose, and his freckles. I can’t, I can’t believe this. All this time, I had another half sibling and now here you are in my home. Wow this is incredible. This is so-”
“I’m not your only half sibling that was born to my mom. You have another sibling, Maxwell, or Max. He prefers Max, he’s not that much younger than you. He was their first born, then they had me.” She said, and smiled slightly. Charlie blinked, and smiled walking around the kitchen island, and hugged her tightly. Alex hugged back.
“David, come here right now.” She yelled, David appeared in the entryway to the kitchen.
“Yes, sweetheart?” He asked softly, noticing how she was hugging Alex.
“Alex is my half sister, can you believe it? I can’t, I have another half sibling from her mom’s part. His name is Max, oh this is so shocking.” She said, with the biggest smile on her face. David paused, blinking in surprise. He leaned against the entry frame, and crossed his arm.
“So? You’re her half sister, huh. Well then that gives me the right to tell Charlie about our first little encounter.” He teased, Alex paused, shaking her head. He laughed, shaking his head, he wasn’t that stupid that he would tell his own girlfriend that Alex found him with a girl.
“I’m just kidding, no but seriously. Alex is a firecracker, I’m serious. She won’t let shit happen at all.” He joked, Alex rolled her eyes.
She still remembered that night clearly, their first encounter. But she didn’t want to think too much of it.
“Oh but you must be exhausted. C’mon I’ll give you some spare clothes I still have from high school.” She said, grabbing Alex’s hand and taking her down the hallway, Sebastian was tucked in bed, all peaceful. She remembered when she was like that, a peaceful eight year old. Not knowing anything about her future, about all of this.
“OK, I have shorts right here. And an oversized t-shirt. And uh, socks if you’d like to sleep with them.” Charlie explained, giving Alex the clothes, and a plastic bag to put the clothes she had on in. Alex smiled, a silent thank you. As she changed, the shorts went up to mid thigh, and the shirt wasn’t that big on her, it fit perfectly. She put the socks on, and placed the other clothes in the plastic bag. She came out of the room, surprised to see Charlie fixing an inflatable mattress for her.
“Here ya go. She said, stepping aside. David was leaning against the wall, Alex smiled slightly.
“I’ll stay here ‘till you fall asleep, so, sweetheart. Go to sleep, I’ll take care of her.” He said, as Charlie walked over to him, kissing him softly, and going to their room. Alex plopped down on the mattress. David placed the blanket over her, crouching down next to her.
“Get a good rest. I have to take you home tomorrow before I get killed and thrown into jail. Night, kid.” He smiled softly at her, ruffling her hair, and went into the kitchen. She closed her eyes, as she drifted off to sleep. A few hours later, it was only her, and the noises from outside. A small hand tapped her shoulder, and she slowly blinked her eyes open.
“Uhm, miss.” Sebastian whispered, holding a pig plushie close to his chest. She sat up, rubbing her eyes.
“Yes? You should be asleep right now.” She said groggily. He shook his head, slight fear filled his eyes.
“N-no, miss. You don’t understand. There’s a scary man outside my window. He’s tall, he has dark blondish hair, and scary eyes.” He said, his voice dripping in fear, she blinked. Has he come for her already? She stood up, looking down at Sebastian.
“C’mon let’s go inspect that scary man, yeah?” She said, extending her hand so he could grab it, he nodded slightly clutching his plushie. She had to lighten up the mood a bit, she thought for a moment before turning to look at him.
“So, what’s that little guy’s name?”
“What? Oh.. His name is Chris P. Bacon” He said proudly, she laughed softly at the name. She remembered when she was little she named a stuffed animal that looked just like that one that exact name.
“Oh? And why is that?” She asked, he shrugged. Looking down at the pig.
“Dunno, dad helped me pick out the name. He’s a strange man, but well he’s my dad so of course he’s strange” He said softly, Alex smiled. David was a strange man, and the fact that his own son said it himself was amusing.
“OK you stay here with Chris while I go check out the scary man outside the window, alright?”
He nodded, hugging his plushie for dear life. She slowly opened the door, and saw the shadow of a man in the window. She blinked, but it didn’t move.
“Well,” she turned to look at Sebastian. “It’s just a tree-.”
“Be careful!” He yelled, before she could react, a hand covered her mouth. She blinked, trying to break free, she kicked out her feet trying to escape.
“Let me go..” She said, but it was muffled. David came running, Charlie behind him. They were shocked to see her situation. She looked at the man through the corner of the eye. Eyes widening, a haunting face.
Aaron.
“None of you move or I shoot her and the kid.” He said, holding the gun in hand.
“Woah woah, man. Calm down-”
“David don’t-” Charlie said, pulling him back. Alex kept trying to fight her way out, but he held her tighter, tears running down her face.
“That’s what I thought you dumbasses. And Charlie, you never saw me.” He said, dragging Alex out the window. She screamed at the top of her lungs, hoping it would echo, somehow reaching Andrew, her mom, reaching Max. She kept yelling, he let her go for just a second. That was it, she started to run. But he yanked her back. She fell tripping, tears down her eyes.
“Told you to stop doing your shitty project. But did you listen? No you didn’t.” He said, kneeling in front of her, forcing her face up, as he gripped her jaw.
“What do you want from me-” She snapped.
“Hm, let’s see. All I want is for you to stop trying to expose your dear old dad. You wouldn’t want to turn in your old pops would you?” He said, sarcasm filling his voice. He leaned closer.
“I could never call you my dad-”
“Yet you did. You were daddy’s girl when you were little, why can’t you be now, hm? Or did your mother put things in that pretty little mind of yours that you hate me?” He said, smiling. A sick smile, she frowned. Dammit she hated all of this.
“You liar. Liar liar liar. Fuck you-” She yelled.
“Oh no no. That’s no way to talk to your father. So act like a good girl, got it?” He said, in that disgusting tone. She tried getting up from the ground. She stood up, cleaning the dirt off her legs. He stood up as well, crossing his arms over his chest. Looking her up and down shamelessly, how could even call himself her dad if that’s how he acted? She pretended not to notice, as she finished dusting the dirt off. He stepped closer, leaning close so their faces were close. She pulled her face back, looking disgusted.
“With a body like yours, you could do things to men you can’t even imagine. Just so you know.” He said, his eyes roaming her once again.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVsw8bwNus
“You disgusting dick. You’re my dad, not some pervert so act like it.”
“I’m just looking out for my little princess. Is that so hard?” He whispered, she rolled her eyes.
“Son of a bitch.” She hissed, before walking back to the house.
“I’m letting you free this time, but don’t go to St. Bernard if you want to live, sweetheart. Love you, say hi to your mother for me. Bet she misses me a lot.” He said obnoxiously. She groaned, and walked back inside.
“Oh there you are. Are you OK?” Charlie asked, placing her hands on Alex’s shoulders. She shook her head, looking at the ground.
“It’s not important. I’m here now, I have to go. David I have to go right now. You’ll take me home, you will go to your house after, pack your things and you will come back here. You will move somewhere far away, as far as you. Somewhere no one can find you. Don’t go on the highways, only the back road routes. Just don’t get caught. I can’t have any of you being part of what will come.” She said, looking up. They blinked, but David nodded.
“OK, OK. Let’s go. I’ll text you once I come back. Start packing, I’ll be back as soon as I can, sweetheart.” He said, smiling at Charlie. She smiled back. Alex placed her sneakers on, grabbing the bag with her clothes. They walked to his car, and she got in. Her eyes seemed everywhere now. She couldn’t be too calm now, she wasn’t safe now.
He started the engine, and started driving. This was it, the true battle between the beast and the beast had started. For the balance between life and death.
Peace and understanding.
Save him. Save herself. Save Alice. Save Westmore.
His blood on her hands.
She had the power in this game of survival.
“Also, when you leave, delete every contact that you know will look for you. Parents, classmates. Anyone who will look for you no matter what. Just promise me you will do it.” She said, looking over at David who was gripping the steering wheel.
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll do that, I’ll tell Charlie to do it too. Promise me you’ll be safe. And you won’t die, because I don’t know. You seem like a great girl, and I don’t know how people would react if you died. So just don’t die.” He said, looking at the road. She nodded, looking as they passed trees, and more trees. The darkness was never so menacing. And she hated every second of it.
Alex fidgeted with the hem of the shirt she had on, feeling disgusted with her own body now. Her own dad shamelessly looked at her like some prize to be won. And that was just disgusting.
“You seem conflicted.” David said, breaking the silence. She looked up, and sighed.
“My dad told me that a body like mine can do things to men that I can’t even imagine. I just- He’s so disgusting.” She said, looking down at her legs. Feeling self conscious.
“He said that when he dragged you out? That’s fucked up, man. Whatever he does, don’t get carried away by it. You’re pretty, yes. Well not prettier than Charlie that’s for sure. But you’re pretty, and don’t let anyone, especially your dad, talk to you like that, understand?” He said, clenching his jaw slightly. Alex nodded, and looked out the window. As she told him where her house was, he nodded. As they arrived, she got out of the car. David followed behind her.
“Thank you for the ride.” She said, turning to go inside. He stopped her. Turning her around, grabbing her shoulders.
“You’re welcome, and here. I always keep a piece of paper in the car with my number on it.” He said, giving her a small piece of paper. Call or text me if you need anything, alright? Be safe.” He placed a kiss on her forehead, tender and sweet like a brother or actual dad would do to their kid. He waved, and got in the car watching as she went inside.
Alex sighed, and entered the house taking off her sneakers, her mom looked up from where she was sitting at the kitchen table, and stood up, running to her and hugging her.
“Where were you? I was worried sick.” She said.
“I want to see Andrew. But he didn’t answer the door, and-”
“Where did you get these clothes, young lady?” Her mom said, cutting her off. Alex looked up, she had been caught and lying was no use anymore. She sighed, it would be dumb to just tell her mom she found out that she has a half sister, who her real dad is. To tell her she almost disappeared forever.
“I have a half sister. And uh.. Yeah I wasn’t at Andrew’s. I woke up, went to David William’s house, and then we went to Lake Michigan. That's when I met Charlie, I didn’t know she was my half sister until she mentioned Aaron. She showed me pictures, and then yeah. That’s what happened. I’m so sorry. I’m so-” Her voice cracked a bit, she sniffed trying to hold back her tears. She had to be strong, just for now. She had to be strong, she can’t be weak not now, not until all of this ends.
“Sweetie, no no… Don’t apologize, I should be the one apologizing. I never told you anything about this, I should’ve told you instead of hiding it all away, and trying to keep you safe. Clearly that didn’t work. I’m so sorry you had to face him alone. He’s a monster, a big one. Just please don’t go out like that, I can’t just wake up, check if you’re in bed and not see you there. That scares me half to death. Go on, you must be tired.” Her mom said, almost in a soft kind of whisper you would use to speak to a scared weak cat on the streets. Alex gave a subtle nod, and went up stairs into her room, and laid down. Elizabeth gave her a smile, and closed the door. Alex sighed, closing her eyes.
She was in grave danger, and her killer is her own father.
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