eccedentesiast (.n) someone who hides pain behind a smile
Isabella D'Angelo had a perfect life, loving parents, the perfect grades and five best friends. Despite having had a rather unusual childhood she wouldn't trade it for anything else.
But the...
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The car ride to Aunt Carol's farm took about an hour. Jason was driving and she sat in the passenger seat and since he knew better than to argue with her, Isabella got a free reign over the music choices much to the displeasure of the girls in the backseat who didn't appreciate her constantly switching channels.
When they stepped out of the car, Hanna took one look at the place and said, ""Doesn't look like anybody lives here."
"Maybe that's what Charles wants people to think," Jason said, taking Isabella's hand as he climbed up the steps to the porch.
"If he's still alive — why would he do this?" Alison asked. "To me, to us?"
"I wish I knew," Spencer sighed while Hanna walked over to Ali and led her towards the house.
Jason unlocked the door and stepped inside first. He tried to turn on the lights. "Electricity's been turned off," he noted.
"Maybe he's just eco-friendly," Isabella suggested, earning a deadpan look from him. "I'm trying to find positive qualities in your psycho relative here."
Jason chuckled, "Thank you, it's really appreciated."
•*•*•*•
By the time they had searched through the entire house – without finding any sign that somebody was living there – it had gotten dark. "I don't understand why your mom would keep this smelly old house when no one's living here," Hanna said as they stepped out of the house.
"It doesn't make any sense," Alison agreed.
"We should check around the property before we go," Jason told them.
"Okay. I'll check out that barn," Spencer offered.
"I'll go with you," Hanna told her.
"Me too," Isabella said, letting go of Jason's hand.
"You sure?" he asked, not really happy about letting her out of his sight.
"Yeah," Isabella nodded. She kissed him on the cheek quickly before walking after Spencer and Hanna while Jason and Alison checked the other side of the property. That's when she noticed how Spencer seemed frozen, something Hanna had noticed as well.
"'Spencer?" Hanna asked gently. "What's wrong?"
"Do you remember everything that Charles made you do?" Spencer asked in a shaky voice, tears in her eyes.
"Yeah. Don't you?" Hanna asked.
"No," Spencer mumbled weakly. "No, not really. I, um, I-I could barely sleep in there cause every time I'd fall asleep this really loud buzzer would go off and — one night, finally, the buzzer didn't go off and so I fell asleep. Then when I woke up, my – hands were completely covered in blood," Spencer's voice shook. "I have no idea what happened or whose blood it was. And then the next morning it was gone."
