PRESENT DAYNovember 30, 2021"How are things going for you here?" When Archer sat down in front of me, I quickly began the conversation. We're separated by a low glass. I noticed how his wrists are so red that I imagine he's trying to aggressively get rid of the chains in his hand, reminding me of when we were kids and I used to see him tied up in bed due to his impulsiveness. He's being guarded by a police officer who is leaning on the wall, just a few steps away from us.He's been imprisoned for four weeks now, but his weight loss is noticeably different from when we last met at his place. He's absolutely worse than before, but I can see how he's much more clear-headed and easier to talk to than before which all he ever said was about Sierra being still alive. He seems to be taking his meds on time now.Archer didn't say anything and just stared bluntly at me, but I could sense his rage in his blazing eyes even when his face was expre
I awoke immediately when I heard a noise outside; I had just remembered that I had fallen asleep while grieving for Sierra. I checked the time on the clock on my bedside table and noticed that it was only 2 a.m. It may sound impossible and shit, but it's the first time in weeks that I've actually slept. Because of my unexpected awakening, my headache has returned and is considerably more intense than before. I'm sure my eyes are still puffy from how much I cried for her. My gaze was drawn to a few photos of Sierra and me scattered on the floor, as well as the crumpled tissues.I sat on my bed and stared at nothing, attempting to calm my nerves; it had been three weeks since Sierra's death news erupted and became a big news story throughout the country; it had also given everyone in Camden a terrible scare. I'm still crying for her and can't believe she's no longer with us. I know it's a ridiculous thought, but I keep convincing myself that Sierra is still out there, probabl
"What are we going to do with her now, son?" Mom asked, her countenance befuddled. She's been staring at Sierra, who's in my bed, for several minutes and has only just begun to speak about her. "I still can't believe she's right here in front of us."Just like me, mom is in complete astonishment and can't fathom how this could have happened. No matter how hard we try to convince ourselves that this is simply a Sierra clone, we know we're delusory if we keep thinking that way. I sighed and walked up to my bedroom window. It was just six o'clock in the morning, the sky wasn't that bright yet, but I already saw people outside getting ready for their jobs, work, and school. I have a class today, but I don't believe I'll be able to go to school in this condition nor get focused on it. Before addressing Mom, I closed the window and covered the curtain as if I am so scared that anyone will looked back at me and began pounding to our door asking us to drag Sierra outside
It's been a week now and Sierra's still silent about what truly happened to the two of them and Archer the night she vanished. We always asked her about it, but we gave up when she said she wasn't ready to tell us anything more; it only made me more impatient and frustrated. Mom advised me to take a break from questioning Sierra and focus on myself and my studies first, so we could also give each other room and time to contemplate. Mainly because she also thinks that Sierra is still clearly traumatized by what happened to her. So, even though I don't want to stop asking her, I have no option but to obey mom; she always knows what's best in any scenario, so perhaps she's right that my eagerness is making Sierra feel anxious.Though, Sierra can't blame me; she made me this way. She hides secrets, and I don't understand why she isn't talking about it yet. Because if she knows she's in danger, she would have asked for us to help her do something about it, and it will only happen
I just realized I fell asleep on the kitchen stool, and woke up by the blaring sounds of my alarm clocking from the living room, which I had set there when I began sleeping on the sofa. My body has its own schedule too and is accustomed to getting up around 4:30 a.m. to get ready for school. Due to a lack of sleep, my head still hurts a lot. I rubbed my eyes and straightened my back when suddenly I saw a blanket fall to the floor, making my brows wrinkle. Maybe Mom placed it on me and didn't bother waking me up.I grabbed the blanket and walked carefully into the living room, massaging my temples. I turned off my alarm clock and flopped onto the sofa. I was debating whether or not I would attend school today. I'm still upset with Sierra; I know I shouldn't blame her because I was the one who spilled coffee on my worksheets, but I can't help myself. I don't understand this sensation; it's as if the pain I'm experiencing has intensified and I badly want to blame her
"The body that has discovered two days ago was ultimately identified by its relatives. Her name was Jade Legazpi, and she was 48 years old. On September 22, she was also reported missing by Sierra McCarthy, but authorities also believed that she had just left and helped her ex-boyfriend and partner escape from prison. She was also the foster guardian of Sierra McCarthy, who was discovered dead about a month ago. Jade's partner, Robert Magnaye, is still wanted; he was convicted of selling and using illicit substances as well as domestic violence. The man in the photo flashed on the television is Robert. Please notify the authorities immediately if you see him.""The police are still examining whether the two killings are connected and whether the murderers were the same person or people in both cases. The cry of those who loved Jade Legazpi is to finally find the person who did that to her to serve the justice the victim deserved. As so as the people of Camden Town who were sh
"Just tell me who you're running from or who has hurt you. How can we help you if you don't tell me everything?" Instead of speaking, she hid her face in her hands. "Okay, let's start with why you pretended to be Jade's niece when you weren't. And just who is Emmy? I never heard about her, but the cops stated that Archer gave them that name, claiming that Emmy is your cousin.""Come on, Sierra." I urged her when she didn't say anything. She straightened her back and took another deep breath. "Why do you have to ask such probing questions?""And why do you have to lie all the time?" Because of that, she stopped and seemed so shocked by what I said. But I refused to budge. "Do you realize that if you revealed the truth from the start, we wouldn't be having this conversation?""Tell me the truth, the cops are only a phone call away—""Dammit Everson!" She abruptly stood up and turned her back on me; I sat and still remained, my ey
After Jade's death was discovered and buried a few days ago Sierra still stays here. We did nothing except accept her; it was also difficult for us to call the police behind her back. I always hold back whenever I try doing it, all I knew was I couldn't do that. I remember that I told Mom how I felt about the whole incident and how I couldn't just hand her over to the cops. Mom could understand how I feel even when I don't express it verbally; it was as if she had this deep connection with me. She then advised me that I should just do what I believe is right—but here was the problem: I was not sure if what I was doing those days were right. Because somehow I felt really dumb about the decisions I made, but I also felt fine when I carry them out. I had this instinct that I should do the right thing and contact the cops, but a part of me just says "stop," which means give her more time.But, to be honest, I was starting to admit to myself that my feelings for Sierra are the o
"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!"