As The Pages Burn

Chapter 18

"How can this even be possible? You're dead!" Angela said, trying to process what he was telling her.

"Did you ever actually see a body?" Roger quipped, moving closer to where she sat. She could see his face now, and her fear took over as she trembled. "The police got a Hernandez, but it wasn't me. You see, my parents could only afford one child, and my twin brother, Alex, was given up for adoption. He contacted me a few years ago and we've been hanging out ever since. I needed you to think I was dead, so who better to fake my death with than someone who shared my DNA and looked just like me?"

"Why would you kill your own brother?"

"Why not? We never had a bond. Sure, we shared the same womb simultaneously, but that's where the connection ends. I've been watching you from afar for months now, watching you and lover boy make up and break up, then you were on your own and I thought that it was my time. But then I remembered we had a friend in common, a friend who secretly wanted to get with you. So, I called him up and told him to befriend you, get you alone, and knock you out. Then I would come and take you away."

"But how did you know I would call Brian? How could you know?"

"Because I know the type of guys you always choose above the ones you can get. Anyway, the plan was working fine, but then lover boy showed up and ruined my plans yet again. Well, not this time. He won't find you here until it's too late and then he'll be blaming himself for the rest of his life. And, oh, I hope he kills himself."

"You'll never get away with this!" Angela spat, trying to hide her fear behind rage.

"I already have." He grabbed Angela by the hair and threw her down on the ground, kicking her in the side. She gasped for air and let out a wheezing cough, triggering a maniacal laugh from him.

"He's going to figure it out, and he will come for me. You bet your ass he will, and he won't be as gentle with you as he was last time. He might even kill you."

"But not before I kill you," Roger said, gloating over his plan. "Oh, it's going to be so much fun. I'm heading out now, so don't even try to escape from here, because even if you do manage to find a way out of here, you'll collapse from dehydration before you reach the nearest road."

"Fuck you," Angela shrieked, not knowing what else to do. "I hate you, and maybe I'll kill you myself!"

"Sticks and stones, baby, sticks and stones." Roger exited the cell then, locking the gate behind him as he disappeared down the hallway. A few moments later, Angela vaguely heard the sound of his pickup driving away from the building. She folded herself into a ball and sent a silent prayer into the universe that someone would come to her aid soon.

Lucas passed the last road sign out of town and glanced at Phillip, who was staring out onto the road. "So, how far do we have to go?" He asked, glancing back at the long stretch of asphalt in front of them, barely noticing the beautiful streaks of dark yellow in the sky as the sun set above the mountains. He only had one goal in mind and could not afford to be distracted by anything else.

"You know what? Not very far now. See, he told me about this cave system he used to frequent when he was a kid. Said he brought all his pets here and they loved it here, now I'm really wondering what he meant by that. So, if I remember correctly, you need to make a right turn onto this dirt road and follow it until we see the caves."

"Alright," Lucas said, slowing the car down and turning onto the bumpy dirt road. After what seemed like hours, his heart skipped a beat as he saw the cave protruding from the foot of a mountain right in front of them. "Is that it? I think that has to be it," he said excitedly as he pulled over and jumped out of the car, Phillip following close by.