Chapter 21

"Am asking you."Gerrard stands next Evie."Can't you tell me? What are you hiding?"he suspects, turning to Blake.

Evie and Blake keep mute making Gerrard impatient. He nods several times and begins walking towards the door. Evie knows he is going to do something and holds him.

"What are you going to do?"Evie asks in fear.

"I don't know"Gerrard scoffs."You tell me"

He removed Evie's hands on his arm and continues walking. Evie gestures for Blake to do something but he shrugs helplessly knowing his place. Gerrard reaches for the door knob and slightly looks at them sideways smiling to himself.

"It's about Irye."Blake says finally when he sees Gerrard turning the knob.

Gerrard mouths a 'yes' keeping himself from smiling to their notice. He composes himself and put on a serious face before turning. Luckily they spoke. If they hadn't,he would not have known how to act if he found out for himself.

"I know it's about Irye."Gerñprard decides not to move to them yet."But what is?"

"She...she"Blake sighs."She has collapsed"He says lowering his head.

"How so?"Gerrard becomes really serious."Why did she collapse? She was fine not long ago. We were all watching tele together before she went to her room. She was perfectly fine so why....why did she collapse?"

Blake keeps quiet and looks at Evie. Gerrard gets impatient, noticing Blake's unwillingness to tell him.

"You should start talking. Evie?"Gerrard speaks,now focusing on Evie. He turns his focus on Blake when Ever looks away.

"You know I can open this door any time now right?"Gerrard says,resting his fingers in the door knob before holding it.

Evie and Blake both glance at each other finding it hard to say. If they tell him,they will have to explain everything to him and he will find out Irye's dark secret.

"I guessed you didn't want the whole family to know about it"Gerrard threatens.

His eyes look serious and he is not smiling as he usually does. He turns the knob and Evie starts talking.

"It's hard to explain."Gerrard stops and listens.

"Something happened upstairs.She didn't seem herself. I don't know the reason but I think she was too shocked which led her to collapsing."

"You expect me to believe that?" Gerrard turns to them. "Do you really....."

"That is the truth believe it or not."Blake interrupts. "That's all we know"

"So please keep it a secret from the others. At least for now let's do that. Mm?"Evie pleads.

Gerrard sighs heavily,seeing the sincerity in them before nodding.

"Hey,do you think this is some detective movie? Keep it from the others?" he asks teasingly."What is she even talking about?"he talks to himself and opens the door.

Evie sighs in relief knowing Gerrard has come back to his usual self and Blake follows, guessing they are out of the woods.

Inside her room, Bethel sits on her bed startled by the previous actions. She almost lost her life there. She figures out what that 'It' means. Irye's demeanour, her speech and even her voice. What scares her the most are Irye's eyes.

She exhales thinking about what happened after Irye is laid in bed.

She so wanted to put a pillow over Irye's nose and seize her from getting any air. She limps closer,from the effect of her right leg hitting the floor hard when Irye let her go. Taking a pillow, she thinks it will be better if someone like Irye doesn't exist. It will be over in matter of time. All she has to do is block her airways then it will be fine.

While all this run through her head she doesn't realize Irye looking at her. She takes in a last breath before she becomes a murderer and closes her eyes preparing.

When she opens them, they meet two black ones. A shiver run through her spine and she lets go of the pillow. She steps back in fear and run out the door.

"What is she?"Bethel asks rhetorically herself and let herself lie on the bed.

Gerrard enters Irye's room and finds her sleeping. He touches her forehead and she isn't burning up.

"Its not a fever thank goodness"He whispers and sit beside her.

Evie enters next after she explains Irye status that moment to Blake outside and tells him he will be informed if anything happens.

Grams look at the two suspiciously including Mae and Claude when they entered the house towards the stairs.

"What were you two doing outside?"she asks Evie as soon as Gerrard is out of sight.

"Who? Us?"Evie laughs."What do you think we were doing Grams?"

"You tell me"Grams shrugs."We are all watching something interesting and both of you go out and come in as if nothing happened. Isn't it suspicious?"

"Oh Grams,you worry a lot."Evie chuckles."Remember someone pressed the bell? It was Irye's friend, Blake and he wanted to see her. And I told him she was sleeping but Gerrard was acting like a tough cousin being overprotective. He was trying to scare Blake."

The family laugh, commenting on how funny Gerrard is while Evie is relieved they don't suspect anything.

Evie stands near Irye's bed pondering on all that's happened.

"I know you are hiding something"Gerrard says, alarming Evie."But I don't want to force you to tell me. Tell me on your accord".

Next day at the McVenus house, the family gather for breakfast. Whilst the sun peep through the curtains,lightening up the house, the atmosphere in house is tense.

Grams and the cousins sitting together with Mirabel and her family. With what happened the day before, the three people knowing something about it sit nervously picking at their food.

Gerrard looks at both Evie and Irye and traces their eyes to Bethel. He wonders what happened between the three.

After breakfast, they all depart to their various rooms. Evie goes into Irye's room. Irye becomes embarrassed when she sees Evie.

"Am sorry Evie" Irye apologises." I don't know what came over me"

"Don't be"Evie shakes her head."It wasn't you. I understand"

"Am truly sorry."Irye re-apologises.

Evie walks to her and hugs her."It's okay.. I don't blame you."She rubs Irye's back.

Irye tears up and doesn't stop her tears from falling. She keeps on apologising and regretting her actions. One of the last people she wants them to find out is Evie and she regrets Evie seeing her in her dark times.