CHLOE
May 19, 2021
FINN
“Can you tell me what it’s like living in the lake house… with your grandparents?”
I have been waiting for Chloe’s response for about a minute now but she just kept her eyes on her fingers, as if giving me the obvious reason that she doesn't want to talk about it. I thought she really would, but when I was about to lay back in my seat in defeat, she suddenly opened her mouth and said her words.
“I-I want to leave this place… we want to.” I almost didn’t hear the last things she said, but after processing it in my head, I finally understood.
I lower down, bending my back to look at her reaction on her face. I am confu
CLOSURE May 19, 2021 FINN “Zack--” I tried to approach him when Santi left but before I could even put my hand on his shoulder he quickly raised his hands to stop me. “I don’t want to talk. Just not now.” He muttered, he didn’t look at me, instead he started trudging towards the stairs. “Zack let’s just--” Gabby tried to call him too but I immediately gave him a look that made him fall silent. That’s when I realize that I am being surrounded by people, specifically Santi’s troops snickering and shaking their heads at me as a mockery. I just stared at them in return before they decided that it was time to go back to their own business. Gabby and I were both left alone.
INNOCENTMay 19, 2021GABBY[Gabriel Morales | 28]I feel like I am currently the most hapless man in the world. I chose to come along because I thought I would have a relaxing vacation with my long time friends. And also because of the coincidence that our reunion’s settled date is fit exactly on my return. So I thought everything was going to be smoothly perfect. But look at what's currently happening to us. Everything turned the opposite of what we expected. Everything became a disaster, and we’re even leaving already. Then after a while we’ll go home with disappointment and regrets for even wanting to go here in the first place. It was the worst decision we ever made.And a few moments after this reunion, I’ll be sitting all alone on the floor of a
SIMMERING RAGE May 19, 2021 GABBY I put down the bottle of beer after I gulped my last drink. I stood up, with a foggy head and a bit of blurry visions and decided that it’s time for me to rest. I tried to steady myself in my feet for seconds before I continued to walk out of the dining and kitchen, leaving all the leftovers on the table and the lunatic friends of Santi behind. When I was in the living room, I thought I would find Finn sitting there. But it was empty, and when my eyes took a glimpse upon the window. I saw him with Lizzie sitting on a bench and seemed like having a deep conversation. Or maybe I’m just hallucinating. My head is groggy, I admit. But I am still aware of my surroundings, it’s just that I don’t trust myself when I’m drunk.
HUFF AND PUFFMay 19, 2021GABBYI waited for about twenty minutes before I finally had the strength to stand up on my wobbly legs. After Santi whispered those words to me, I felt a gush of terror build inside of me, that I have never felt in my entire life. Is that even a threat? But for what? I don’t even have any idea what he was talking about. And so, I don’t think it’s necessary for him to do that if his secret isn’t even that important.Or am I just hallucinating his voice earlier? Because I am definitely sure that I was careful when I peeked in their room, he didn’t see me, I was careful in myself not to make a sound. I even heard him say that maybe I was the one he heard knocking on Zack's door. So how could he say those words to me?
THE CAPTIVES May 19, 2021 MADDY I felt a damp cloth touch my skin, jolting and awakening my senses, but I couldn't open my eyes. My head is ringing and my back is aching. I heard murmuring everywhere, but I couldn't figure out who the voices were or what they said to me. Someone is holding me and wiping my face with a damp towel; I am in a condition of profound disorientation. Whenever I try to open my eyes, a powerful force pulls me back to sleep. Or was it sleepiness? "She's awake." I tasted blood on my lips as I strained for air. I was terrified, but I couldn't bring myself to move. I'm so bewildered and afraid that the last thing I remember is that someone pushed me down the hole.
BACKFIRE May 19, 2021 MADDY The entire room is clean and organized, and it is properly cared for, much like the entire cabin; it truly feels like a normal household. But the weight of being here is heavy, especially because these young shattered females surround me. And I'm starting to feel like one of them. While listening to the sound of the rain outside and watching the hands of the clock on the wall move. I think of Santi, Debbie, and their accomplices. They appear ordinary, like someone you'd never suspect of doing heinous atrocities. Santi has an innocent, joyful smile, and to think that he was formerly a cop who served the people and followed the rules, you will never accuse him of doing these crimes. And the same goes for Julius; he looks just like an ordinary delivery guy with
TRUE PERSONAS May 19, 2021 MADDY 10 PM "W-Why are you doing this?" I asked in a cracked voice. I was in a state of disarray. Debbie laughed as if she was entertained to see me befuddled by her antics. I couldn't believe it had duped me. I underestimated her. She wasn't a moron for leaving the gun beside me. She knew exactly what I was thinking and just let me play her games. When she didn't respond to my pointless question, I swallowed my fear, gasping as I pulled the trigger once more, twice, three times, but nothing came out of the gun. I was beginning to panic, I cried till I was completely exhausted and crashed on the floor. Throughout my cries, she continued laughing and telling me how gullible I was.
DISDAIN [PART ONE] May 19, 2021 GABBY Finn unlocked the door of his car and jumped out with an umbrella in one hand before I could even fight or object to his idiotic decision. I sighed in defeat and simply followed him outside. But the moment we stepped outside, Santi and his companions opened the front door. They were all having a good time until their gazes met ours, and they came to a halt. I felt a rush of anxiousness from his looks, causing me to jitter uncontrollably. For a few seconds, his eyes narrowed into mine before he smirked at me. Because of what he did, I had a knot of fear in my throat. It's the same emotion I had when he murmured to me a while ago. Because of the freezing breeze and the prickling terror on my skin, I embraced myself. I only remembered that it was raining heavily when
THIS WILL BE THE LASTEPILOGUEONE YEAR LATERZACK"Congratulations, Zack. I’m so glad to say that this is the end of our sessions." Dr. Peterson, my psychologist, said to me as we both stood up and embraced.I couldn't believe that after a year of therapy, I was finally done. I was diagnosed with PTSD, and it took us a long time to cure the nightmares that I had been having since the night Santi was captured. I admit that lingered with me for a long time, and it's still difficult for me to this day, but it lessens; most of the time, I'm paranoid, thinking they're simply around me when they're not."I'm going to miss sitting here," I chuckled, and he agreed and laughed too.
A NEW NIGHTMAREMAY 30, 2021ZACKSeveral different colors of lights blinded me as soon as we walked out of the garage door, indicating that we were being directed to the ambulance. The general public and the media were quick to follow. I was expecting the cops to put us in handcuffs, but they didn't."Zack!" When I heard my sister's voice, I blinked and sat on the stretcher, searching among the crowd for her. As reporters fought to get a hold of us, several cameras flashed through us, but the police were quick to stop them."Chloe!" I yelled, I was going to hop out of the ambulance when the nurses stopped me, till Chloe got close to me with officers sprinting behind her back."I-I'm truly sorry!" Chloe sobbed as she climbed into the ambulance and embraced me. "
IN HELL, WE ARRIVEMAY 26, 2021ZACK"What were you thinking?!""Don't listen to him; he's brilliant at manipulating us, just like you said. So anything he says will only end up being a lie." Julius murmured, but he didn't look me in the eye."What I'm saying is true; their names are Kevin and Daisy. They were such sweet children, Zack; you should’ve met them. But sadly, they both died in the lake—Debbie killed them both," Santi stated once more. "That bitch is a badass when it comes to drowning kids."Santi laughed.When I return my gaze to Julius, he is glaring at Santi with his fists balled and quivering, as if he is angry at what Santi has said, which further adds to my skepticism.I shiv
HONEST ANSWER May 26, 2021 ZACK "Are you certain about this?" Julius asked nervously as he handed me the chainsaw. I nodded at him and looked at Santi, who was roped to the chair and had a tape across his mouth because he was still attempting to get free. "I've never been more certain," I said. While I was looking at him, Finn walked towards me, placed his hand on my shoulder, and nodded, showing his support. The notion of torturing someone has given me a thrill, and I'll confess that I'm a little anxious and a little scared. This isn't the first time I've killed someone, but it is the first time I've felt a rush in my stomach at the prospect of torturing someone. And it just so happened to be my father, and the fact that I am so thrilled is terrifying.
FILM SHOWMay 26, 2021ZACK"This will be the last," I murmured firmly as I gritted my teeth into him, my gaze fixed on his. I blinked before returning my focus to the fragments of his photograph."And these? And all of these?" I paused. "If you think you can trick me for the second time, you've failed," I sneered. As I watched the rage cross his face again, I narrowed my eyes at him. He looks like he's about to erupt at any minute.I exhaled furiously as I leaned back in my seat and messed up my hair, but I was startled when he smacked his fist with a gun on the table, forcing me to return my sight to him. I'm not sure what happened to me, but I don't feel anything. I don't feel any emotions other than fury, but all the fears I've felt toward him? They're all gone.
ALL TO BLAME MAY 20, 2021 ZACK I gritted my teeth as I pushed open the garage door, clutching the gun tightly as I walked carefully inside. Before I decided to step my foot inside here, I made sure to steady my breath and settle the panic inside me. I don't know where Chloe is, and I'm not going to stop looking for her; after I remembered that I witnessedthe filthy animal things he did to my mother at such a young age, I'm convinced that my sister is suffering in the same way that my mother did at his hands. Gabby was mistaken about my lack of familiarity with Santi. Because I do, I just forced my little old self not to remember Santi's true colors. Santi's awful crimes were kept hidden because of my cowardice. It was all because of me if I didn’t absentmindedly twisted my memories of him and choose to believe the few kindnesses he g
DREAMING OF MEMORIES MAY 20, 2021 ZACK "W-what am I doing here?" I asked myself, but as I looked up and saw my mother standing there, I pursed my lips in surprise. I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat as panic starts growing within me. I moved my eyes around without moving my body, and when I saw my mother's room, I got chills all over. There are many posters of various singers, bands, and celebrities on the wall, as well as many of her belongings scattered on the floor; everything is in disarray, and tears welled up in my eyes as I returned my gaze to my mother. I came back from when she was still living, and I don't like this memory; I pushed it to the back of my mind so I wouldn't think about it again, but now I'm here again. Mom is grinning at me, her hair is a tangle, and she
BURIED DEEPMay 20, 2021ZackI forced all the air out of my lungs and exhaled as forcefully as I possibly could. Any attempt to get me up only results in me dropping to my knees on the ground, where I end up wailing and sobbing all by myself. Just as I was about to close my eyes, I noticed my grandmother gently fading from my vision as she drifted away with the wave, but instead of floating, the water ate her body, sinking her.I just found myself again and stopped crying when the sunset and the light in the sky faded. I mustered the will to get back on my feet and walk briskly toward the door. My foot is still blazing in pain, as if someone had slammed a mallet into the interior, generating a searing sensation inside of my foot.With he
DRIFTED BY THE DARKNESS VAST "Your son has dissociative amnesia, a condition in which your child blocks his memory because of acute trauma or stress; it can also be hereditary." The doctor in front of them said. "Based on his testing, his condition is still not so severe, but it could become so if he continues to forget memories." Olive grasped the strap of her sling bag as she returned her gaze to Zack, who was sitting by the window, refusing to play with the toys scattered on the floor mat. Olive's eyes filled with concern, which her husband immediately noticed; Sam reached for her other hand, which was sitting on her lap, and gently squeezed it, which drew her attention. "Does it have a cure?" Olive asked Mr. Peralta; a child psychologist offered them a tight, warm smile and nodded, causing her to sigh with relief.