The truth behind Shelterwood park

{Chapter 12} Lies.

"Spill it Cory" Daniel blurts out. I nudge his arm 

"I saw him, well, at least I think it was him. In my vision. After the accident, the whole room around me went white, then I see this man appear above me saying his name was Darren and telling me to run." Cory responds 

"Are you sure this isn't some dream?" Violet responds

"Positive. I also uh, I - I know Darren, well used to know him" we all stood there in shock, in disbelief. 

"What? How?!" I raise my voice. 

"He used to be a family friend, my cousin was with him the weekend he passed away here" Cory continued

"Do you know anything else about him?" I ask 

"No, not really, he was closest with my cousin not so much me. But guys, I think we have to find some way to leave. In my vision, Darren was covered in seaweed and was soaking wet. He looked petrified." Cory responded 

"Well now that we're learning more about the history of this place, maybe that will help us find a way to get out of here. Something obviously wants to keep us here for a reason, I'm just worried what that reason is." Isabella concludes. 

The only thing we can do now is trying to find out as much as we can. We have to understand what...or who is behind all of this. And the one's who have grown up in this park might have just the advantage. 

--The Next Day--

"Good morning sunshine," Aidan said to me as he passed me a cup of instant coffee "I know you don't like instant but here" He continues 

I let out a soft laugh "How did you know?" 

"I remembered from that one time we grabbed coffee after our nighttime swim with the gang" He responded 

"wow! That was so long ago, how old were we? 13?" 

"Yeah, something like that" we stood in silence together, still shaken up with what Cory told us. Aidan smiled in my direction "since we're the only ones awake wanna go for a walk?" 

"Of course, that'll help us get our minds off of things" I respond 

"So, do we trust Cory?" He asks 

"I'm not really sure, he could be spreading lies to worry us. I don't know him too much I just had a massive crush on him" 

"So I've heard." He laughs 

"you know what? I had a crush on many people up here in my teen years" 

"Oh yeah? And who are these people?" He asks jokingly 

"Oh like I'd ever tell you" "Well, I used to have mad feelings for you" Aidan mentions and sips his coffee 

"Really? I say in disbelief. I always thought you were too cool for me. I really liked you when you first got a cottage up here, but then you started dating that girl you went to school with so I just forgot about it." I responded 

"Remember when the two of us went to the movie on the beach? All I wanted to do then was kiss you" 

I smiled at his comment because little did I know I wanted to do the same thing. I only tried to date Cory because he showed some interest in me, only to break my heart a week later. As we continue to walk, Aidan falls through a large hole in the sand 

"Aidan!!" I yell back 

After a few seconds of silence, he spoke out "I'm okay! Kayce you should really come down here and check this out" 

In my excitement, I grab onto the roots in the ground to lever myself into the hole. "What is it?!" I say in excitement, thinking he found another clue to get us out of here. But all he responds with are laughs. "I was just teasing you, this is just an empty hole" 

"You're telling me I dragged my ass all the way down here for this!" I push his arm jokingly 

"I'm sorry I just wanted to cheer you up a bit" He giggled and pulled me into a hug. "I do miss your interesting sense of humour" I smiled. I forgot how much this kid meant to me. We never connected much on an emotional level as kids but he was always so caring and has shown me so much this life has to offer at such a young age. He continued to stare into my eyes in our embrace, and slowly, he leaned in. Was he trying to kiss me? As his eyelids began to close, I leaned in closer but stubbed my toe on something. 

"OW!" I exclaimed, pulling Aidan back in surprise. He looks down at the ground and we both look at a brown box that is laid underneath us. I pick up the box and brush away the dirt, Andrew is engraved in the box. "Should we open it?" Aidan asked. Although I was scared to find what was inside, we need answers. 

Inside the box, there were stacks of letters that seemed to be written by Andrew. Many of them were to a woman he had some infatuation with before his passing, but there was also a handful written about his father. 

In my bed I lay, hearing the shouts coming from the floor below me. Mother and father are arguing again. Lately, we have been having money issues and there was word that we might lose the farm. Oh, Eleanor, I beg that one day my siblings and I could make it out of this place. Fathers drinking has been getting worse, he is spiralling out of control and lost his side job at the butchers. Since I am the eldest, he keeps on threatening me to give him the money I am rightfully making as a shoe shiner. I feel like a disgrace to my family, even with my salary, it never seems to be enough for my father. 

This must be written to Andrews girlfriend or something. We go on to read another that was dated a week later, it also had mentions of Wilson being physically abusive to Andrew and his mother. Wilson seemed to be a great father but all of a sudden, by the sounds of Andrews letters, this behaviour came out of the blue. I turn the last letter over and I see a message written in what looks like dry blood. 

"What the hell" Aidan whispers 

Those who love you will protect you

"I can't tell if that's supposed to mean that his father never loved him because he didn't protect him or if this is about his love for Eleanor," I say 

"Maybe after all the letters, Eleanor was coming for him," Aidan says 

"But these letters were never sent to her, Andrew kept them in his box" 

"You're right, but they do have stamps on them so maybe he was going to mail them out"

"Or...Wilson grabbed them before the mailman could pick it up" I say in disbelief 

It would make sense. If Wilson read his sons letters, I'm sure he would not want anyone knowing about their family business. As I was trying to wrap my head around this madness, the ground began to shake.