Chapter 7 - Coming Clean

Emma’s P.O.V

The tension was thick in the air as I glanced around at my family’s faces. Sera had her head down, anger and regret washing off her. Mother looked pained and worried but Glen… He looked scary. His once warm brown eyes were dark almost black as he scowled focusing on the road. Why they were so upset I did not know, maybe Sera’s anger had upset everyone? No, mother and Sera fought all the time and never were like this after.

“What’s wrong?”

My voice broke the tension as both Sera and mum looked at me, Glen did not take his eyes off the road.

“Sera… maybe it’s time to…”

Mother’s voice was soft but pleading. I looked at my sister expectantly, she never kept anything from me.

“No”

Sera almost barked anger seething from her. Quickly she looked back down at her hands and I knew she was hiding something. I was taken aback for a moment as the realization of a secret hit me.

“What are you hiding?”

I tried my best to mask the hurt I felt. Why would she not trust me? My tone shook slightly giving me away. Sera gazed at me, her anger softened. She opened her mouth to speak but quickly closed it obviously changing her mind.

“What is it?”

I asked again, anger, as I had never felt, filled me. I clenched my teeth and maintained eye contact. Sera’s eyes widened at my tone, surprised as much as I was at my anger.

“We will talk about this later girls”

Glen chimed in his tone stern and alert. I wanted to know now but I would wait. There was nowhere she could run off to. Honestly, I was really hurt that she was keeping something from me. We arrived at a hotel, all of us opened the car doors at once. Sera slammed her side close quickly and walked forward, seeing the look of relief on her face angered me more. She had thought that was the end of it. I had always told her the truth, even when I knew it would be kinder not to. We promised each other as kids that we would never keep anything secret like mother's, secrets were essentially kind lies and would always lead to pain. I looked towards mother as she opened the boot to collect our bags,

“Mother, what is it?”

A part of me knew she would not tell me but I hoped she would. She looked at me with a soft smile,

“Little one come help me with the bags, Sera will tell you in time”,

I helped begrudgingly as Sera and Glen went inside the hotel to check-in. Looking at the quant building my anger faded for a moment, it was larger than our home as it sat 4 stories high however was not nearly as high as the other buildings I had seen on our way here. I loved the look of all the darkened windows, some floors having small decks with chairs and one had pot plants. I imagined what life would be like living in a building like this. Having all sorts of people coming and going, all the noise, music, and adventures. As much as I appreciated having a home and the beauty of the forest I would be lying if I didn’t admit how ecstatic I was leaving. My favorite times growing up were when we would go into town, meeting all the different types of people, and learning about their lives was like reading to me. It was both amazing and thrilling. I couldn’t imagine how fantastic it would be to live someplace like this hotel. As mum and I entered the front doors I gasped at the sights, it was a large foyer, a flowing red carpet lead from the door to the front counter, with many lounges and pot plants along it. I could see the elevator that would take us to the other floors to the left side of the desk and a sign on the right read ‘pool this way’. I hoped I would get the chance to swim in it, I wondered if it would be like the pond back home.

“Okay, you girls are all set”

Glen replied to mother handing her a set of key cards

“Rodrik will be here tomorrow morning at 9 am to pick you up”

He flashed me and Sera a smile before pulling mother into a hug, whispering something into her ear that made her eyes go wide in terror. I thought about asking what was wrong the look passed by replaced by my mother’s normal smile.

“Thanks so much, Glen, don’t be a stranger this time okay?”

 Mother’s voice cracked a little, obviously, she would miss him.

“Wait, Uncle Glen is not coming with us?”

My voice was nervous although I wasn’t sure why. For some reason I sensed Glen was stronger than he looked. Like he would be able to protect us. He smiled warmly at me before softly explaining,

“I’m afraid not this time, Peter needs me at home… some stuff has happened with his family”

He pulled away from my mother and gave me a hug next,

“I promise I will visit as soon as I can”

He smiled widely and deepened the hug before whispering in my ear

“If you ever need me, for any reason, speak my name into a fire. Where you are going might be dangerous for you. Sera and your mother will be okay but I worry for you.”

He pushed something heavy into my pocket before he stood tall and looked at Sera who was supporting one of her famous scowls,

“Sera, try not to hurt Erik to badly when you see him”

All three of us gasped before Sera growled, we would never say his name in her presence. It made her furious.

“Never say ‘it’s’ name”.

Now it was mothers turn to scowl,

“Do not take that tone Sera, he is not only your father but he is an Al..” 

“Stop!”

Sera looked at me panicked before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, a what? I thought curiously, this must be part of what she is keeping from me. I glared at her remembering she was withholding a secret as Glen sighed and hugged her. Sera groaned but returned the hug whispering in his ear. I frowned wanting to know what she was saying but left it alone for now.

“Do we have separate rooms?”

I asked mother turning away from Glen and Sera,

“No I’m sorry Emma, we have separate beds but you will have to put up with my snoring tonight”

She flashed me her cheeky smile as I groaned. Mother’s snoring would most defiantly keep me awake for a long time.  

“Goodbye everyone, good luck with tomorrow!”

Glen walked out as we waved, I felt in my pocket for the present he had given me. Wondering if Sera had noticed and that was why she had whispered to him about it. I hope she wasn’t jealous as I would share the gift if she did not get one. I felt a hard rock-like object wrapped in a piece of paper. Curious, I fought the urge to pull it out to look at it wanting to keep a secret of my own. I mean if our mother and Sera could have secrets why couldn’t I? The satisfaction made me smile as I followed mother to the elevators, wondering what Erik would look like. I knew Sera did not resemble him much, he would have her silver hair but what about his face? I imagined a cruel harsh man, after all, he would have to be. In order to have treated someone as kind as our mother like he did.

The room we were staying in was huge, the size of the entire bottom floor of our house! The first thing I did was throw myself onto one of the fluffy double beds. It was the softest thing I had ever felt. I giggled as I saw Sera do the same thing to hers.

“Okay girls I’m going to go talk to the front of house worker about dinner arrangements”

Mother told us before leaving.

“Emma…”

Sera’s voice was serious with a tone of worry.

“We need to talk…”

She took in a deep breath. I looked at her, excited to finally know what was so important to keep a secret from me. That did not last long. Fear took over me as she explained everything, I just stared at my hands not knowing where else to look. It was hard trying to listen, trying to absorb what she was.

“EmEm, I’m sorry I just… I didn’t want you to think I was a scary monster”

Sera’s words were full of guilt and regret. I felt her staring at me waiting for a response. I felt cold, hollow really. I could never have suspected this. She was a monster. She was the same as that thing that killed my mother.  

“EmEm?”

Sera pleaded, I could hear her tears as I ignored her. It was too much to process, she was just like that thing that chased me all those years ago. Was mother one too? Was all this some trap? I stood up without looking at the women I had called sister for so long to find our mother. She needed to answer my questions too.

“Emma! Wait, please! Tell me we're okay!”

I felt a pang of regret in my heart but I couldn’t bring myself to look at her let alone answer her. I walked out of the hotel room, tears brimming in my eyes. Why? Why did they trick me? Was this all a part of the monster's plan? Make me love and trust them so they could what? Kill me? No, if that was their plan I would have died the same day my birth mother did. What did they want me for? A plaything? I started thinking about my childhood, each memory that was once a happy escape now warped into an unknown. Sera’s face shifted from her beautiful self into the yellow-eyed monster…

“Emma?”

I jumped as my mother grabbed my shoulder. I looked up at her seeing the concern and love in her eyes. No, mother was not a monster that must be her father’s side. I shivered as the realization hit me, we were going into the monster's den. Tears freely fell from my face as I sobbed, mother gripped me tightly trying to soothe the raging emotions deep inside of me.