TW: insanity
w i l l i s
✧
Three months ago was when Waylon and I started dating. But tonight, is when I introduce him to my family. Although Lily, my older sister, should already know him from school. Even though he was in my grade, our school mixes grades a lot for activities.
When I walk in the house, Mom says hi, saying how nice it is to finally meet him. Dad nods, barely acknowledging the fact we're here— he's watching football.
But when Lily walks in, everything changed.
✧
"Who's this?" she asks, smiling and shaking his hand.
"This is Waylon! Are you okay?" I ask.
She laughs. "I don't know who this is, but Waylon's dead. I went to his funeral. This is not Waylon."
I turn to Waylon— is that even his name??— and looks at him. "What's she talking about?" I ask him.
"I—" he starts.
I run out the front door, leaving my stunned family behind as I run down the sidewalk. I hear footsteps behind me, and know that "Waylon" is following me.
I stop when I reach the park, turning around, holding my hands out in front of me.
"Who are you? And why have you been lying to me?" I ask.
"I promise, I'll explain everything." He says.
"You better, or I'll call the cops."
"I've lied, yes. But it wasn't all a lie. Our dad and the fire wasn't a lie."
"Our?" I ask incredulously.
He sighs, looking at me. "Waylon was my twin. He was killed in the fire. No one ever knew who I was. My real name is Winston. My father chose one of us to go to school and one to stay home and basically be his servant. Waylon was locked in the basement, they never found his body because he burnt. There was nothing left. I wasn't in the fire, but I had the burn marks because my father took a lighter to me and burnt me. At the time of the fire, I was hidden away in a cabin in the mountains. But, Will, please, this isn't a lie— what we have, what I feel for you. That isn't a lie!"
"What about your dad?" I ask harshly. "You said you escaped and turned him in. What actually happened?"
His eyes flash and a fear falls over me, I slip my hand inside my pocket, making sure my phone is still there.
"I didn't mean to do it, I swear." He begins. "He came at me, and I- I killed him. They'll never find his body, though."
A manic smile appears on his face, distorting what I once found handsome.
I back away slowly.
"You will tell nobody about this. Or I will find you." He says, threatening me.
Then I hear sirens.
The cops come running towards us, and since Winston's back is to them, he doesn't know they're there until the cuffs close around his wrists.
"How—?" He splutters.
"I called them." Lily says, stepping out from behind a tree. "Don't try to take anything back, I recorded you."
I run to my sister, hugging her. Winston tries to lunge, but he's restrained.
✧
We're called on to testify in court six months later.
Winston has been deemed "mentally unstable" and "insane" by a psychiatrist. He's facing prison, but also a mental institution. When asked if I wanted to say anything to him at the hearing, I say no, turning my back on him. I can't believe I loved a murderer.
Yeah, a murderer— he lied about the fire, too. Winston set the fire that killed his brother. His father never was abusive; he never went to school because he was mentally unstable, and his father was trying to do the best he could for his son.
I can't believe I was falling in love with a murderer.
Was picturing and planning my future with him.
I hope I never see him again.
2/20/21
Is that what you thought happened??
