Death Is Easy, Life Is Hard

18~ Crystal

I look down the hallway only to be met with nothing. I then go to look at the knife.

I pull it out of the wall and look at the details carved into it. More specifically, the initials carved into it. DRDL.

Holding the knife in my hand, I make my way to the end of the hall, only to get yet another knife thrown at me. Except this time I catch it.

Yet again, DRDL is carved into it. I walk farther until I'm able to see the contraption that Dalton built.

When we were in highschool, Dalton managed to find a way for knives to catapult themselves in the direction of people through a motion senser activated catapult. Genius, yes. How he did it, I don't know. Dalton was always better at circuits and computers than me and Juli combined.

Using the first knife that was thrown at me, I open the circuit box inside of the machine and cut the dark red wire.

I grab another of the knives and put them in the waist band of my jeans before walking back to the door I first encountered.

I pause at the door for a few seconds, hoping that what I find inside isn't bad. Hoping that their first year of life was good, despite the fact that they were with people other than me and Ethan.

I open the door, only for my hope to come crashing down. I'm met with a fairly bare room, only a queen sized mattress on the floor with a black blanket with holes in it ontop of the mattress.

The windows are barricaded with boards, the paint on the walls is peeling, the floor is giving out, and the chandelier is broken.

I carefully step into the room, my eyes scanning the room until they land on one of the walls. Numerous marks that pass as tally marks cover over half of the wall.

After counting them, I find out that there's exactly 365. Dalton did always have a thing for meaningful reasons.

But that also means, they left Monday. I could've been here. I could've got them back.

Being sidetracked in my own thoughts, I didn't even realize Juli and Sage had come in. Or the fact that they're standing right next to me.

"I could've been here. I could've got them back" I tell them, my voice cracking slightly

"We will get them back B" Juli says reassuringly

"I intend to do just that" I say

"And we'll help no matter what" Sage cuts in

"I also need you to help me with one other thing" I tell them as we walk out of the room

"And that would be?" Sage asks

"More like who" I say as we get to the stairs

"Alright, who?" Juli asks

"Emiliano Cortez. Alex's wife's brother" i answer

"Why the hell is he here?" Sage asks

"I could ask you all the same question. Cause last time I checked, the Ivanov's only had one girl that wasn't a slut, yet she had blonde hair. So who the hell are you?" Emiliano asks, pointing a gun at me might I add

"You've done your research, good boy. And you were right, except I'm guessing you haven't checked in the last week or so?" I ask

"You're right, but you still didn't answer my question" he says

"Sorry, that is very rude of me. But if you've done your research, that then therefore means that you also know Isabella has a twin. Besides their hair, its almost as if their features were mirrored. Correct?" I ask walking towards him slowly