October 13, 2021
The days passed, and my condition and well-being improved when I stopped caring about everyone but myself. I hid myself from the public view, I deactivated all my social media accounts, and I dedicated my time to reading and making music. And anytime my old bandmates have free time, I spend it with them by jamming to music like we used to do when we were younger.
Sure, there are still paparazzi following me wherever I go as if I'm some big-time celebrity, including the grocery store and places where I find tranquility. During my long silence, journalists and reporters stopped following me around to gather more of my narrative, but I knew that my name could no longer be removed from the internet; I was recognized as a deranged son of the mayor who continued to claim that a long-dead person was still alive.
October 10, 2016"Please, Archer, eat now. You're losing weight because you keep missing meals, and we're all concerned about your health." Mildred pleaded with me as she tried to feed me the spoonful of food she was carrying, but I swiftly turned away from her, as I had alwaysdone since they imprisoned me in my room.Thick, long rubber ties are tied over my wrists and feet, preventing me from doing anything, particularly hurting myself or making a mess. Dad hired a doctor to always check on my well-being, since no matter how hard Dad tried to keep me under his control, I was simply too stubborn, that even feeding me is a hard battle for them. My existence feels so meaningless and worthless, and I don't care if I die in starvation one of these days.I kept my gaze set on the glass pane window of my bedro
I awoke with a throbbing pain in my face. As I gently opened my eyes, my lips trembled because of the wound under them.Ever's face appeared in front of me, and he stopped pinching my cheek and began waving his hand over my eyes."Goddamnit, Ever. I'm not blind." He merely groaned and sat at the end of my bed after I spat on him. I peered outside and observed that the sky was much brighter than it had been. I didn't realize it until Mildred left my room that I had fallen asleep. I also didn't have anything else to do but sleep. Dad tied me up since I didn't obey every command he gave me and I kept on trying to escape. I only ate when I was extremely hungry, and I also refused to study, which irritated him even more."Hey, do you have a problem? The reason you've decided to come here?" I asked Ever when I noticed he was still silently hugging his backpack.
My ankle hurt so terribly after I leapt from the roof across from my bedroom down to our house's backyard. I ran out around 6:30 p.m. so the guards wouldn't spot me going; earlier, I surreptitiously went to the kitchen and slipped sleeping pills into the maids' food, and they are now unconscious. I was cautious, and tried my best not to get caught in all of the CCTV around our house. Even though I knew I couldn't get away from Dad, I also knew he'd find a way to find me.I'd run away from home several times before, so I'd learned the perfectroutes around our houseso that the guards wouldn't noticeme. While on my way to school, my ankle hurt even more, and even though I was stumbling from the discomfort of landing in the wrong position, I tried to force myself to move while gripping the strap of my bag tightly.
October 13, 2021After a two-hour drive, I’m finally back in Camden Town. I parked in front of the three-story apartment complex; the light from the lampposts gave the surroundings a little brightness. The parking area, which is merely in front of the building, has only three cars, including mine, and the apartment looked run-down, as if it had been decades since it had been renovated, which could explain why it only has a few tenants. When I checked my watch, I saw that it was already 7:10 PM.I returned my gaze to Sierra's apartment and began to wonder what would happen to us when we saw each other's faces again, and how it would feel to be so close to her again. Will it be as breathtaking as it was the first time I saw her? Will my heart leap with excitement once more, just likewhen I used to seeher at school? Or was it just as comfy when I
BREAKING NEWSExclusive! Around 7 PM, a woman's dead body was discovered in the Rohio Apartment, which is located at the far end of Camden Town. The victim received a gunshot wound in her forehead and fifty stab wounds around her body, so her identity is almost hard to recognize. When a man at the apartment's reception heard the noise of their commotion, he went to the woman’s apartment and saw the perpetrator still stabbing the unconscious victim; when the perpetrator attempted to flee the crime scene, he was blocked by the tenants of the surrounding units, making it hard for him to move until the police came and apprehended him immediately.The perpetrator has been identified as Archer Leviticus, the 22-year-old son of Camden's former mayor. And the victim, Maevis Alcantara, 21, was only identified by the ID discovered inside her bag. The perpetrator's reason for the girl's
To no one,On the day we met, the sky was brilliant and bright, with chirping birds soaring through the air as if all was well, and I'm the only one who feels bluer than usual. Every time she was doing something around the house, I could hear my mother humming the same lullaby. The kitchen was a mess, as if a typhoon had just blown its proportions as she sorted the many types of fruit she sells, and I was there sitting beside the kitchen window just looking up at the sky while waiting for mom to tell me to deliver the fruits to our customers in our neighborhood. Everything was good except for me, and when I returned my gaze to my mother in her wheelchair, I noticed her smiling and singing. I used to envy Mom sometimes, you know? Because she could find the positive in everything, no matter how cruel the world is to us.As long as I'm still in prison for a sin I
"You are completely useless!" When I heard the noises of things falling to the floor again, I trembled harder, but this time it was much louder, and my parents' yelling added too much pain to my eardrums, making me cover my ears."Eric, are you serious? You've had the audacity to tell me that? When I was the one who was working so hard from afar, I saved so much money, I didn’t almost eat simply to keep you alive! For years, I struggled with my desire to be with our son! I endured humiliation at the hands of my boss in order to save money for our son's future, but this is what I'm going to hear from you? Where has your appreciation gone?! You squandered all of the money I'd saved just for your vices!" My hands fell on my knees and I trembled even more when I heard mom cry after a loud thud.I couldn't handle it any longer because I knew that Dad hit Mom a
We all turned to the doorway, stunned; this was not the first time their father had returned home unexpectedly. Mildred instantly bowed and took the briefcase from Mayor Arthur's grasp as she walked to the second floor, her gaze glazing over at Bryon, who was still standing dumbfounded, whilehis hands weretwitching.I returned my attention to Mayor Arthur, who gazed at us one by one, his expression solemn, as if scrutinizing us. When his eyes darted at me, I instinctively bowed. Mom returned to the living room, carrying a tray of snacks. "Oh, Mayor Arthur, good afternoon. Ummm, this is for your son Archer; he's too engrossed in his studies, so I'll let him rest first. I hope you don’t mind." Mom answered sweetly and bowed once more to Mayor Arthur.Mom secretly grinned at me as she made her way toward Archer, who was staring at nowhereli
"Where are we going?!" When the light from the lamp post crossed his eyes, I noticed how dark and horrible they were. I attempted to yank Archer's hand away from me, but he became quite violent."You fucking lied to me! And if you can't love me back, I'm going to get rid of you instead " There was no other man, no stalker, and a man with a face mask. It was just Archer and me. But before that happened, I called Emmy to the Meadowoods Library before Archer ever got close to me. When I asked for help for the third time, I told her that I would go with her since there's someone who's threatening to kill me. Of course, she was concerned.I had the entire plan written down before Archer did. But it was never my intent to drag Amalia under her grave."Calm down, Archer; we can talk this through." He was practically twisting my hands and tried to shove me inside his car while I was in pain. But I needed to buy some time because Amalia hadn't arrived yet."Why should we talk
Everyone in Camden Town knows practically everyone else, including the famous Mayor and his family. As I already stated, I did a great deal of reading and pondering before heading to that location. As a person who grew up in a bizarre and aberrant environment, everything must have a reason, or else your existence will be meaningless. My intention to kill myself was pure when I drowned myself, but after I was awakened, I gradually wanted to restart my life because of Jade and Everson, but my flesh was telling me that living a simple life was never for me. I knew Everson was friends with Archer; while I was going around Camden, I would see them together, and there was a whisper in my ear instructing me to do what I wanted to do. And it was to get close to Archer Leviticus. When I thought about him, I told myself that I needed to see a psychiatrist again since everything about me isn't normal anymore. I want to be good, but I also want to be bad. I started hatin
"Thank God, you're awake!" Jade pulled me back to life when I thought I had sunk to numbness. It was a terrible heartache, and I felt like Jade smashed my dream. I was already so close to dying. I was so enraged by her but something unusual happened to me that day when I witnessed a single tear fall from Jade's eyes. It was as if something struck my heart; it was the first time in years that I thought someone truly cared about me. And the fact that she was a complete stranger made me appreciate her even more. Someone risked her life to save a piece of garbage like me while I was alone in the vastness of the water. That day, I couldn't decide whether to be glad that He had kept me alive or angry because I knew that once I was living, something awful would happen in my life again. But now I already know the answer. Being alive is cruel to me. I didn't deserve to have a second life. It took me a week to finally respond to Jade becau
"She left us." I placed my hand on Amalia's shoulder to stop her from walking. "Let's just face it." I told her once again, and when Amalia eventually stopped, I closed my eyes in relief. She turned to face me, her eyes and entire face scarlet from crying. She knelt on her knees and cried even more, panting for breath. "Let's just say she's in good hands now—" "You can't rest assured! Allison, she's just thirteen!" She yelled at me. I looked around and noticed others stopping to stare in astonishment at us. I knelt down, took her hand, and pulled her up, but she quickly swayed my hands away from her. "How can you be so calm? Our sister has gone missing!" She yelled at me again, looking at me in utter disbelief. It had been a year; one day we woke up, Luisa was gone. I knew it would happen soon because Luisa kept talking about asking for help and what may have occurred to us only if we had gone with our sisters. So, I had the feeling th
"I fucking despise myself!" Amalia sobbed and smacked her head. I took a nervous breath and bit my bottom lip before taking Amalia's hand in mine and embraced her. She sobbed, burying her head in my arms to avoid looking at our sisters, who were being taken by the cops. While Luisa was sitting on the ground hugging her knees avoiding looking at our sisters. I watched them from a distance, hiding behind trees, as they were perplexed and puzzled of what was happening, their eyes wandering around, attempting to find us everywhere while they sobbed. We didn't have a choice but to leave them or turn them over; we didn't have the money to feed them any longer, and we all knew that keeping our younger sisters in our care wouldn't get us anywhere. The proprietor of the previous motel we were in was starting to get suspicious of us, first, we were just a bunch of kids, and he was perplexed as to why we only stayed in a room with one bedroom, and he probably also
Carrie was right the entire time because as I grew older, I learned that mama was more than just the mother figure we all want. She wasn't ordinary; she was above and beyond everyone else. She was observant and had finesse, and she knew how to bend straight lines without getting caught. She knew everything about evil, and she also taught me everything. Like Allison, I took Carrie's advice to gain Mama's trust. It wasn't easy, as she had warned me. I didn't know where to begin since whenever I approached Mama, all I could feel was nervousness, and she was always mad and strict with me. Facing her was like facing Satan himself. And what's worse was I had forgotten that I had once been Allison, and I had simply forgotten how to be like her. Allison, as I recall, was a crybaby who was always afraid but yet did things she was afraid of anyhow. But, as time went by, I grew accustomed to lying and became a professional, just like my mother. I felt like I had inherit
"Why are you crying? You should be happy that mama didn't punish you," Carrie said as she rubbed Allison's shoulder, prompting Allison to glance up at her sister. Carrie was eighteen years old and could live on her own, but their "mama" would never allow her or any of them. Allison sniffed and brushed her tears away, but they still wouldn't stop falling. Her eyes suddenly fell on Carrie's bruises on her bare arms and legs; she had received them just weeks ago when she attempted to flee and seek help from authorities. She was their mama's most trusted child, not just because she was the oldest, but also because she was the best at lying, but now she was just another piece of trash that their mama hid under the basement. "I simply didn't like what I did to Nathalia and her mother," Allison said as she shook her head and sobbed again. Their mother always told them not to cry because it only makes people weak, but Allison was only seven years old and couldn't kee
"Mama, I think what we're doing is wrong." Allison muttered as she looked at her mother, who was putting on her earrings while checking herself in the mirror. Allison's heartbeat raced faster as her mother stopped what she was doin; she already knew her mother was going to chastise her, one of her mother's dislikes are them talking back at her or being against or questioning her actions. She embraced the doll that Nathalia gave her, because she finds comfort in it whenever she is afraid, which she is all the time. Dahlia's mother was dressed in a black long-sleeved dress, scarlet stilettos, and her hair was carefully done into a bun. Her lips were as red as blood, and she was really going for a stunning look since she was going out to dinner with Grace's wealthy friends. Dahlia would never say no to Grace's invitation to an expensive dinner. Dahlia has been acting as Grace's friend for two weeks now. She couldn't help but giggle inside her head at
"Oh my god, thank you so much! This is the finest gift I have ever received in my life! I really love it!" Exclaimed Dahlia, Susie's mother, as she gazed at the embroidered hoop of flowers Grace had made for her. "Oh my! My ears would be clapping," Grace sheepishly said as she shook hands in front of Dahlia, but on the inside, she was ecstatic that Dahlia liked it. "No, honestly, you are really wonderful at this," Dahlia said as she set the embroidery hoop on a vacant chair to her right. "Thank you so much; I learned to embroider from my mother," Grace said, looking at her mother beside her. Grace's mother, Merriam, teased her, saying, "Grace loves delivering her embroideries to her new neighbors, and you would probably know what she would give you when holiday comes. On top of that, she would really spend her day only doing this, no doubt since our house is extremely filled with her works." They all laughed. "Oh, come on!"