I Dare You

CHAPTER-EIGHT

We thought of different excuses that, we would tell the others why Cody disappeared. But none of them seemed genuine except one and that was, I was to tell them that I don't know anything as I was knocked out by Cody and since there was a bump at the back of my head which I hoped was enough to justify my statement and we also decided that we will go back separately. So we left the room but guys went back to the dorm and whereas I was wandering around until it was time to go to the dorm.

I took a stop for a while, my mind was still struggling with what I found about grand-pa Lucas. I was worried whether he was involved in that heinous murder or if he was not then will he help me. That explained why my parents stopped meeting him.

A few years ago when I turned twelve that day. My parents organized a surprise birthday party for me. Since I was the youngest of both my siblings I was the most adored one. I was standing in front of my birthday cake and the candles were all lit up. I was not blowing the candles, I was waiting for grand-pa. I asked my dad, "Dad ! When will grand-pa Lucas come ? " Everybody went silent, well that was awkward, I thought but I was looking at dad waiting eagerly for his answer. "Grand-pa Lucas was busy so he couldn't make it." Dad replied. And grand-pa never showed up after that.

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I was in my room. When I got back, some of Cody's friends, Kylie and my friends were waiting for me at the front of the college building. I was scared, what if they didn't buy it ? Or what if they accuse me for murdering Cody ? But I told them, what we had planed earlier to tell them and fortunately they believed it. I thanked God silently for making things go my way.

As I was lying on my bed, trying to take a nap but those horrific images didn't let me close my eyes for more than a couple of seconds and the bump itself was throbbing every now and then. Then I sat straight up in my bed.

Knock ! Knock !

I got up and opened the door and found Kylie standing out.

"Hi ! I hope I am not disturbing you ? " She asked smiling.

"Not at all ! Come in. " I replied letting her in the room.

"So how is your head now ? " She asked.

"Well ! It throbs every once in a while and I couldn't take a nap because of it, other than that I am fine. " I said sarcastically.

"I get it ! You know once, when I was a kid, me and my friends were playing in my backyard and one of them pushed me from the front and I fell. My head hit the ground. It was very painful even after so many days. " She said.

"I know right ! " I replied.

"I like your new haircut, it really suits you. " She said.

"Thanks ! But now it's ruined because of this stupid bump. I'll have to wear a cap or a beanie to hide it now. I hate beanies, they are like protruding poop bags. " I said pointing at the back. She giggled.

"You are funny ! " She said.

"No really ! " I said smiling.

"What is the time ? " She asked.

"It's 7:45 P.M. " I replied.

"OMG ! I am gonna be late for dinner. " She said, as if thinking loudly.

"Late for dinner ? " I asked in confusion. Was she going on a date ?

"Huh ? Oh ! Yeah dinner, every Thursday my grand-parents come for dinner at our house and everyone has to be there on time. I should get going. " She replied.

"Oh ! I can understand. Family dinners. " I said. She came closer and gave me a quick embrace. I was in the state of shock.

"Bye ! I'll see you soon. " She said with a huge smile.

"Yeah ! I'll look forward to it. " I found my cheeks heating up. Then she left. I closed the door behind her and sighed. My eyes landed on my laptop. I walked to the couch and opened the screen and found the picture of the house and different articles related to it.

The gears in my mind turned and I got a new idea. Without wasting time any further, I typed "Murder of Bethany Jones in 1990" the browser was taking it's time. A few seconds later, the search engine displayed many search results. Only a few very accurate. I clicked on the second result, it opened into a new tab.

It was an article. My eyes went to the picture of a poster along with the article. It was Bethany, her eyes were sparkling with liveliness, her mahogany locks were dangling over her shoulders, her smile was so mesmerizing.

My heart clenched, she seemed such a lively person but now she was dead and trapped in that house. I sighed and read the article. It said that, Bethany was a college student, who was hired as a babysitter by the couple. It was her first day, everything went normally during the day but at night the couple brutally murdered her for some ritual. But somehow the family mysteriously went missing.

I saved her picture in my laptop. I don't know why I did it but it felt like doing it. And then I closed my laptop, I stared at the floor for maybe for minutes or for hours. The door opened and I was brought back in the reality of this cruel world. It was Austin.

"How are you doing ? " Austin asked.

"I am fine ! " I replied.

"Look ! The thing you said earlier about setting that girl's spirit free. Are you really planing to do it ? " He asked.

"Yeah ! I'll help her. " I replied.

"Listen man ! It's really risky okay ! We don't want to lose you. What happened to Cody, I am afraid it might happen to you. " He said.

"I know ! It's risky and you guys care about me but I trust her enough that, I know she won't kill me. " I said.

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I was looking at the old things in my bag. There were tiny metal cars, a few marbles, crayons and a diary. I opened the diary there were some of my drawings, I drew when I was a kid and was turning the pages mindlessly, when something on one of the pages caught my attention... it was grand-pa Lucas's land line number. I stared at the number in mere disbelieve for a couple of seconds.

I found myself dialing the number written in my diary, I kept chanting "Please God ! Let this be grand-pa's number " The phone was ringing, but nobody answered. I was about to hang up when suddenly someone answered the call.

"Hello ! " The voice greeted. I instantly recognized the voice. It was grand-pa Lucas.

"H-Hello ! Grand-pa it's me, Jake. " I replied.

"Jake ! " Grand-pa said.

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*Author's note : Thank-you all of you for liking my story, I really appreciate it. :-)

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