Lily Rose

Chapter 11

Here we stood, huddled together on the front porch of an unfamiliar house. The weather had taken a sudden turn for the worse as light rain began to fall from the sky. Seeking refuge, we hurried towards the front door of this grand detached house, finding shelter beneath its welcoming porch.

"I suppose I'll give it a knock" Lewis said breaking the silence that enveloped us. We stood there, somewhat awkward unsure what to do or say.

Lewis knocked on the door three times, but all we received in return was silence. A sigh escaped my lips extinguishing any remaining flicker of hope within me. It seemed that no one was home.

My attention was suddenly piqued by the sound of jingling keys, resonating through my ears like a distant melody.

Finally, the doorknob turned, and the door creaked open slowly, revealing an athletic middle-aged man standing before us. His expression conveyed a mix of concern and curiosity upon seeing the five strangers outside his home. He cast a glance at each of us, cautiously standing behind the partially closed door.

Feeling somewhat awkward and intrusive, I averted my gaze, lowering my head. I couldn't help but sense the discomfort of this situation and the burden we placed upon this poor man.

Gradually, I lifted my head to steal a better look at the man standing before us. As fate would have it, our eyes met instantaneously.

In that moment, my heart began to race as his piercing brown orbs locked onto mine.

I know those eyes...

Swiftly, I averted my gaze, attempting to calm the frantic pace of my thoughts. Even though I stared fixedly at the ground, I could still feel the weight of his stare upon me, prompting me to nervously dig my fingernails into the palm of my hands.

I cursed inside my mind hating the fact the only way I can deal with emotional pain is through inflicting physical pain on myself.

It couldn't be him. Over five years had passed, yet I remembered those eyes as clearly as if it were yesterday. Though my recollection of that period of my life was fragmented, those sinister, dark eyes remained forever etched in my memory.

"Can I help?" he inquired in his deep voice. Instantly, a shiver ran down the back of my neck. My heart skipped a beat, and my breath grew shallow. The air around me suddenly felt thin, as if I were struggling to catch my breath. My hands trembled, and I anxiously bit the inside of my cheeks.

I would recognize that voice anywhere. I know who—

"To cut a long story short, our car broke down, and we can't get any signal. You're the first house we've come across. Could we possibly use your phone, please?" Will interjected politely, interrupting my train of thought.

"Of course, come inside. The signal is dreadful in this area" he replied, opening the door wider, inviting us in.

The boys smiled gratefully at him, their appreciation evident as everyone began to enter through the door. Every fiber of my being screamed at me, warning me not to step foot inside that house. However, as much as I desired to resist, I felt powerless to do anything about it. I simply followed the others, my gaze fixated on the ground.

I kept my eyes lowered, watching the ground change beneath my steps. The once grey pavement transitioned into a mucky, red carpet by the door, bearing the word 'Welcome' in bold, white letters. The sight only intensified the dizziness I was already experiencing.

Immediately upon entering the vast, cold, and eerily quiet house, I heard the door close shut behind me. Fear gripped me, causing my body to freeze. Even with Lewis, Will, Harry and Aden beside me, I couldn't shake the ueasy feeling.