Subject Zero: Mirrors (Book 2)

Chapter 28: I Told You to Smile (2)

[ 20 Years Ago ]
Thursday, November 25, 1964
9:15p.m.
Norwood's Police Department

Third Person's POV
Zero was standing by a table young Liam was sitting at. Two policemen were on the other side of the table, and Liam seemed aggravated and tired. A "mirror" was in the room.

"And you two were, what? In any relationship?" asked a policeman.

Liam shook his head as he sat in the seat. "No- No. Nothing like- like that. We were just f... friends. She- She was only in one of- one of my- my classes, at s... school."

"And how come she wrote about you so much in the diary we found in her room?" The other officer slammed a book on the table. He opened it, reading off of one of the pages, "'Dear diary, Liam's finally in one of my classes this year. Now is my chance to get close to him and his family, to discover the secrets.' Skip three pages, 'Today Liam yelled at me after I tried asking him about his mother. It scared me.'"

They could see the guilt growing on Liam's face.

    "Skip two pages, 'Liam gets violent and defensive whenever I bring up his mother. He won't tell me why. I have to know.' Next page, 'I asked Liam if he wanted to hang out this Thanksgiving since I don't celebrate it and his father never allows him into conversations with family members. He said no, but I still think he'll come to see me.' Now, we talked with someone who said they saw you at 3:30 with Deity Omega. Is that true?"

Liam took a deep breath, hesitating to answer. "...Well, y... yes. But- but-"

"And she went into your house at 4?" interrupted the other officer.

"Yes, she- she did, but I-"

    "Where did you lead her?"

"To the- to the kitchen, since she- she was h... hungry, but, sir, please-" Liam tried to say.

"Your aunt mentioned she saw you walk to the basement with her, but neither of you were there when your father went to check on you. Where did you take her?"

"She asked me if- if we could find a- find a boardgame! Deity-"

The other cop interrupts him again, "Where did-"

"Will you let me talk?!" Liam snapped.

The two policemen went silent.

Liam sat up in his chair. "...Yes, we- we were h... hanging out. Yes, I-I got mad whenever she- whenever she mentioned my mom- mother. Y... Yes, she came to my house. After a- a few minutes, she got bored, so... so we went to the- the basement, to see if there was a... a boardgame to play. But- But Deity got an idea. We... We left the basem- basement through the- the side door." He shakily sighed. "She brought us to a- the- the bridge, where she- she wanted a switchblade that I... that I brought with me."

     "Why did you have a switchblade with you?"

     "...It was my... it was my mom's. She left, and... and it's one of the only- the only things I have left of... her."

     "Do you still have the switchblade?" asked an officer.

     "...No- No, I- I lost it." He continued to speak after realizing the officers were still listening to his story, "A-Anyway, I- I got creeped out at the- the bridge, since it- it was dark, so... so I went home. About an hour later, I heard- I heard the doorbell ring, but my- my dad was the one who- the one who answered the door. I was... was eating dinner, so I- I didn't check see who it- who it was, but I heard Deity."