Wanted

Chapter 21

Conlaed walked down the uneven staircase, his thoughts completely blank. He didn't know what to think of this plan. All of them would most likely end up dead; he didn't know what to think of that either. If he knew his father well, which he did, he would make them suffer, more so his son.

As he came through the empty double doorframe, he paused, letting his reality sink in. Before he could acknowledge his inner turmoil, he pressed himself through the frame and towards the door that led to the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and was met with an empty kitchen. He shut the door and made his way back towards the large, empty room that had no name, then up the stairs. As he walked through the hallway of rooms, he briefly stopped in front of a locked one, that only he had the key for. He forced himself to press on and place her at the back of his mind.

As he came in front of his sister's room, rummaged around in his trouser pocket. When he found what he was looking for, two hairpins, he slipped them under her door, walking away the next moment like nothing had happened.

Now to sit back and wait.

Conlaed walked back to his room, praying Arthur's plan would work; otherwise, they were all dead. When he walked in, he was met with a gust of fresh, cool air. His room was much colder than all the others, mainly because he kept his window open all the time.

His room was identical to the spare rooms; plain and simple, not looking lived in at all. He barely spent any time in it, apart from sleeping. There was a wooden bed frame with a mattress on top, the duvet crinkled and plain; it was the only thing that made the room look inhabited. There was a wooden wardrobe and some cupboards.

Conlaed took in his room with disgust, curling his lip. At least he wouldn't be there for much longer. Either his father would be dead, and he could go somewhere else, or he would be dead.

Right on time, Conlaed's phone rang. He answered it, to hear his father's shouts. A sad smile grazed his lips as his father hung up. He glanced at the time on his phone, frowning when he realised he had been standing there for fifteen minutes. With a sigh, he walked out of his room and downstairs, towards the shouting. When he got to the big empty room, he started to get confused. He could tell something was off, and that something had backfired. Mustering up all of his courage, he followed the voices he heard down the stairs towards the basement they rarely used.

His father was there, in the dimly lit room, holding Diana close to him. Katrina was thrashing about in Ben's grip, pushing and kicking with desperation in her eyes.

Conlaed froze, his eyes on the gun in Isaac's hand, pressed into the girl's head. The boy swallowed, fear seeping into his eyes for the first time in years.

"You'll never learn, will you, Katrina," Isaac scolded, a gunshot deafening them.

Katrina went limp in Ben's arms, her eyes widening and her hand coming up to her mouth. She collapsed to the floor, bring the man with her. Her vision started becoming blurry, her best friend distorting before her. She didn't bother to try and keep her sobs in. She let them rack her body uncontrollably, not caring if her father was watching.

Ben pulled at her arm until he brought her into a standing position. He said something to her, but she couldn't hear. All she could hear was the ringing in her ears and the lifeless body of Diana lay in front of her, her life rushing out of her head. Ben dragged Katrina out of the room against her will and ran.

Slowly, Conlaed walked over to her, the girl he had kidnapped. None of this would have happened if he had just left her, if he had never brought her here. He sank to his knees before her, not caring if her blood coated him. His jaw trembled, his eyes burning, and he didn't bother to stop the tears. He didn't care if he looked weak in his father's eyes. He cried for the first time since his mother's death. He cried over the dead corpse of the girl he had fallen in love with. He hated her silence; she was never silent. It wasn't like her. She should be talking. She was always talking, asking him useless questions, and speaking to him like no one else would dare. Why was she so silent?