The Life Changing Vacation

~Chapter 187~

Joanna's POV
Alex and I was trying our best to make Dory and Kristina trust us again. Dory explained that it was a bad idea to manipulate Kristina, because then she would have a much harder time learning to trust us. We cut the drugs out of the list, but continued to be nice to her. We tried not to make anything feel suspicious to her.

Kristina's POV
I knew the whole time what Alex and Joanna was trying to do. What kind of normal kidnapping would include care and love. I tried to talk to Dory about it, but she just got mad. ''They would never, I told them that manipulation only made it worse'', she explained.

''And you think they listen to you? A random girl they abducted and treated like their own child? You really believe that Joanna was telling the truth when she said she were your biological mother? That woman is insane! She doesn't care about you, what kind of mother would treat her kid like that?'', I asked.

''Just shut up! They're my family, we lived there for so long! Since the summer of 2020. And it felt so much longer'', Dory told me.

''It doesn't matter'', I said.

Dory giggled. ''You're just saying that because they slaughtered your parents. No wait, I'm sorry. I meant foster parents'', she said.

''Excuse me? I was a part of their family from the age of 3 to 15. That's why longer than you've been involved in these murderers' family!'', I yelled and hit her right in the face.

''Fine, you asked for it'', she said and grabbed a knife. I panicked a little, but I was too angry to just stay away. ''Show me what you got'', I said. We ended up fighting, but then we heard Alex and Joanna come downstairs.

''What the hell is going on?'', Joanna asked. Alex just stood there and laughed. ''Everything is fine'', I said while cleaning the blood off my shoulder where Dory just stabbed me.

''It doesn't look like everything is fine'', Alex explained.

''What I meant to say is that it's no big deal'', I looked pissed at Dory.

It was a very nasty wound. I should have gone to see a doctor, but Alex explained that it was not a good idea. The doctor would have asked what happened and then Dory and I would go to prison for violence. So we had to deal with the would ourselves. When Dory and I were alone, I suggested that we should just play a part in the game, and make it look like we were both on their side. But she denied. ''Um.. no? I'm not gonna do that! They will kill us when they find out. And by the way, I don't even have to make it look like I'm other their side, cause I already am'', she sighed.

''Please, I don't wanna do this alone'', I told her.

''Then don't. Mark my words, Kristina: If I find out you're trying something stupid, I won't hesitate to tell on you'', Dory said and walked away.

I got a little nervous, but I didn't listen to her anyways. I made it look like I was believing in the things Alex and Joanna said. I made it look like I really believed they wanted something good for me. The next day, Joanna had made pancakes for breakfast when I woke up. ''To be honest, I actually really missed your pancakes while we were apart. And technically you kept me alive. I'm sorry for being such an asshole, I should have been more appreciating for you'', I lied.

''Naww, it's okay, honey. I'm just glad you told me'', she smiled.

I looked at Dory who clearly knew what was going on. I felt it was no big deal for me to manipulate Joanna when she was the one manipulating me first. Later that day, Alex brought me downtown. It was nice to finally be in public after a few days in isolation. Sometimes it looked like Alex and Joanna really meant everything they said, but I knew how good they were at manipulating and brainwashing. Alex were a former cop, and Joanna studied psychology her whole life. When Alex and I came home later that day, the time was about 7:00 pm. Joanna had made supper. After we ate, Dory took something out of her pocket. It was some kind of voice recorder. ''What's that?'', I asked.

''It's evidence'', she said with a grin.

''Evidence? Evidence for what?'', Alex asked.

Just then, Dory started to play the voice recorder. She had been recording our conversation earlier, when I talked to Dory about playing with in the game. Joanna looked at me with the deadliest eyes I had ever seen. It looked like she was about to kill me. ''I would have ran if I were you'', Dory whispered. But I didn't. I knew that it would only make it ten times worse. I knew Joanna's methods. Joanna just got up from the chair, and walked out of the house.

''Shit'', I thought.

''Now look what you have done'', I told Dory.

''What? Me? What I have done? No no no, you're the one fooling her. Just look at her, she got upset. I told you they weren't manipulating you'', she said.

''It's a trap, she want me to follow her out of the house and then she's gonna throw me in some kind of wolf cave or something'', I joked and went upstairs. Alex didn't say a thing, he just looked confused. After a while, he came upstairs to mine and Dory's room.

''Hey'', he said.

''What do you want?'', I asked.

''I want to ask you for forgiveness. Both Joanna and I know it was wrong, but.. we're doing this for you.. it wasn't exactly manipulation, Kristina.. It was an attempt of making you feel home'', he told me. He looked way too serious at that time. As if he weren't lying. ''Please tell me this isn't a part of your game'', I said.

''You have my word'', he smiled softly.

He were about to walk out of the room, until I stopped him.

''Alex? Do I mean anything to you?'', I asked.

It took almost a minute until he answered. ''I don't know'', he said and walked away.

They both were two very confusing people. One day they're shooting me in the leg, other days they're comforting me. It must have been something in them that made them care a little. Otherwise they would have killed me way too long ago.

Author's note
Thank you for reading this chapter, I really hope you enjoyed! A guy named Lucas was planning the chapter with me again.
-Kristina Leonora