Chapter 18

Inert eyes look back at me as I watch my former sister observe me like a predator watches their prey. The smell emanating throughout the room is appalling.

I'm still in shock when my parents burst through the door, hauling a body behind them. The bulky, bloated remains of a middle-aged man thud to the ground when they see us in the room with Elizabeth.

My mother is overcome with emotion and I stand there, mouth gawking, as she wraps her arms around me tightly. I tenderly hug her back. I am incapable of forming words to justify everything I've witnessed in the last few moments.

"Oh darling, you're here!" She leans back to look at me, her hands securely seizing my shoulders before she turns to look at my companions. "And you brought snacks! You always were such an exemplary big sister."

We are all too dumbfounded to notice the significance behind her words. Her voice is mellifluous, and her smile is tender, but her eyes are crazed as she takes in me and my friends.

My dad doesn't acknowledge us, he just turns back to the task at hand. He looks tired as he hauls the carcass onto the table and goes about his work, sawing it into more manageable portions. Jackson and Mikayla are just as mute as I am.

My mom shifts to grab a limb from the table my dad is working at and takes it over to my sister who blissfully rips into the pristine, blood-soaked flesh. Her eyes ignite seeing my sister eat savagely, bits of skin flinging occasionally from her brutal movements.

I cringe; the feeling of sentimentality and reconciliation simply not existing at this moment. I make eye contact with Jackson and he senses my hopelessness because he slowly begins retreating towards the door, motioning for Mikayla.

The stairs creak and we all freeze, trepidation settling in, but my parents take no notice of our escape. We succeed in making it back to the car without discovery, but we know we don't have long before they notice we are missing. Traumatized is the only way to express the way I feel after what just transpired.

Mikayla speaks first, softly. "So, essentially, they have lost their minds and are murdering people to satisfy your sister is what I deduced from that little incident downstairs."

Just as the statement leaves her lips my dad rushes out the door with the bloody saw in his hand. His hair is wild, and clothes matted with gore as he stalks towards the car.

"Going so quickly? You only just got here. Join us for supper." His grin is unbalanced and voice daunting. He no longer looks like my father. The consequence of my sister getting bit took a severe toll on their mentalities which was difficult for me to believe.

I force a smile onto my face as I look into his glassy eyes. "Of course, dad, I just needed to get some things out of the car."

I do my best to sound convincing, but he doesn't look satisfied with my explanation. He comes closer, arms outstretched. I gasp quietly, heart pounding in my ears as the metal saw brushes against my skin when he puts his arms around me in an embrace. His voice is gravelly as he whispers in my ear.

"We won't lose you too." The words are a spoken promise, the intent evident in his gaze as he pulls back and turns to Jackson and Mikayla before addressing me again.

Mikayla is poised to run, terror coming off her in waves while Jackson stands confidently beside her, both on the opposite side of the car from me and my dad.

"Will your... buddies... be accompanying us?" The way he draws his words out is more than clear as to what their intentions for Jackson and Mikayla are. I speak up before Jackson gets an opportunity to.

"They have to go pick up our other friend who is gathering supplies across town first. I will go ahead and help mom with dinner while they do that, it will be like old times." I grin as wide as my face will allow, pushing myself to seem trustworthy.

Jackson stares at me, disagreement carved onto his face. I try to convey through my gaze that they need to go. My dad smirks suddenly, clapping me on the shoulder.

"That sounds wonderful, I will go get your sister tidied up before dinner is ready." With that, he proceeds back into the house, humming along the way. The sound of the door crashing shut behind him causing me to jump.

Jackson instantly comes to my side, unhesitant to argue but I hold my hand up for him to pause.

"I know. It's dangerous. I need to take care of this myself though and then I will find you guys, I promise. I don't want you guys to be in danger too."

He doesn't look pleased with my announcement.

"This is absurd. You likely won't make it back out if you go in there again." He swings his arms at me in frustration, diminishing his voice. "We could leave right now. Head out and forget about this." I smile at him wistfully, Mikayla standing noiselessly to the side still.

"I can't leave. I just found them again. I can't keep letting them harm people and I can't leave remembering my sister down there trapped in that situation."

He looks at me, his features are firm. "Three days. That's all we are waiting for. We will move the car a few blocks over and find a house to take shelter. If we don't see you then we are coming to get you and leaving, got it?"

His tone leaves no room for argument, so I simply nod. He sighs, running his hand through his hair before spinning around and walking to the driver's side of the car. He glances at me one last time before motioning for Mikayla and starting the car. She looks up at me, tears in her eyes.

"You said neither of us would be alone again." That's all she says, hurt and betrayal seeping from her words.

My voice cracks as I answer, "It will be okay. I will be back with you guys soon, I promise okay?"

She nods and gets into the car. I watch as they gradually drive off, a knot growing in my stomach. I take a deep breath, commanding myself to stay strong despite the feeling of consternation in my heart as I return to the sacrilegious version of reality taking place in the basement of my aunt's house.