The Secret

Chapter 32: Denial

Denial can be the failure to acknowledge an unacceptable truth or emotion or to admit it into consciousness, used as a defense mechanism. Denial can also be the refusal of something requested or desired. In my case, I'm dealing with both types of denial.

I can't believe Nelly is dead. It can't be true. It can't be happening. It can't be real. I am not in denial - I can't be.

I am in chains as I look up at Jeremy, who is in full power and control of this world that is only headed for more disaster and destruction.

He has kidnapped my father and I and is demanding me of something but I'm denying his demand.

"Tell me!" Jeremy shouts. "Tell me now!"

Jeremy slaps my father and he turns around and slaps me as well.

"Tell me, Zane!" Jeremy continues to yell. "I need to know how I can continue to rule this world with the secret without the world coming to an end!"

"It's too late." I whisper under my breath. "There is NO WAY you can continue to rule without the world coming to an end!"

"Are you sure about that?" Jeremy snaps. "If you don't help me out, your father dies."

"Son, what is this all about?" My father whispers with a shocked tone as tears reach the surface of his eyes. "You weren't kidding, were you? You really are responsible for this world coming to an end? And you killed your mother?"

"It was all an accident." I say, crying. "An accident, you have to believe me."

"ENOUGH!" Jeremy raises his voice again, stopping me and my father's conversation. "You tell me what I want to know or your father dies!"

"Don't kill me like you did your mother." My father insists.

"Alright!!!" I shout in frustration.

Jeremy and my father kind of look shocked.

"Don't be an idiot, Jeremy. Who am I kidding, you've been idiot ever since I've known you." I say.

Suddenly, a flashback comes to me, back when Jeremy and I were friends. I was at a bar, drinking, and he was the bartender.

"Hey, what's up?" I say to him.

"Not much. Want another shot?" Jeremy asks.

"Yeah, sure. I need one." I say.

"You look wore out, man. What's the deal now?" Jeremy asks. "Someone else after the secret?"

As you can tell from this flashback, we were pretty close, enough for him to know about the secret...but he didn't know what it was.

"No. It's about Nelly." I sigh as he hands me the shot. "Last night, I overdid it and I kissed this girl that I was dared to kiss and Nelly saw it. I was about to make my move with Nelly too. So now she's so mad at me that she won't even speak to me. Honestly, I don't know what to do. I screwed up, Jeremy. I screwed up."

"Oh. Maybe you should just beg for forgiveness. Maybe she'll understand." Jeremy says.

"Thanks." I respond.

This had happened shortly before Jeremy betrayed me and nearly killed me for the secret. I honestly don't know what happened.

In the present, I look at Jeremy and regret what I said.

"Alright, you weren't always an idiot." I say, beginning to forget what he was asking of me, "Honestly, what happened? Why did you betray me? We were friends. How could you?!"

I feel like an idiot myself as a tear escapes my eye over this fool that now rules the world.

Jeremy rolls his eyes. "I'm sorry, bud, but you were stupid enough to believe I was ever friends with you."

I shake my head in disgust.

This secret only takes away from me, as I have known for so long. The question is...how far is this secret willing to go? This secret is evidently willing enough to take my life. And I've failed miserably to keep it under wraps, I know. But, I can't be in denial anymore - this secret has taken Nelly and everyone that I trusted...

Who will it take next?

Out of the blue, Jeremy lunges forward and wraps his hands around my father's neck.

"You're choking him!" I yell. "STOP!"

Jeremy ignores us as my father cries out for help.

"NOOOO!!!!" I scream.

One of the stages of grief is denial. But, I'm done with denial. It's time to move on to acceptance. I must accept what's happened in order to move on. And I finally have.

"Jeremy." I finally say with a calm expression, "I'll tell you."

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Who will the secret take next? Don't miss the next chapter of The Secret!