𝐍𝐄𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐄 - a medicine for sorrow. It is a place, person, or thing, which can aid in forgetting your pain and suffering.
With two brothers, she has always lived in the same house. And always, they had the same neighbors. The same boy with wh...
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"Aris," I say shakily. "Let me out of this room."
"Can we play the piano some more?"
Acting like nothing just happened. Is that good or bad?
"Unlock the door first, please," I say. "I won't run off. Just unlock it. I don't feel safe, even though I know you won't hurt me."
Maybe if I talk a lot, I can convince him. Keep playing along with being his best friend. Just do anything to satisfy him, but stay in this room.
He stares at me for a long time. It feels like his eyes are piercing through me, reading every single thought to make sure he's ten steps ahead of me.
He never replies, so I give up. "Never mind," I murmur as I sit down next to him again. Still shaking, I reach out for my phone.
All he does is stare at me. This time, I won't let it stop me. I just slowly unlock my phone. First, I hit a button to record every word that will be said in this room, then I send Thomas another text; that he should call the police after all.
"What do you prefer to be called?" I ask. If I keep his attention on me, maybe he won't notice anyone else walking up the stairs. "Aris or... Jonah?"
"Aris is now my name," he says, and that's all.
"Okay, Aris." I nod. "Can I know some more about your past?"
"Why?"
"Because I'm... interested," I tell him. "You're my friend. I want to know everything about my friend."
He stops moving for a few seconds, then pushes the keyboard off his lap and sits straight up. "I don't know what to say. Ask what you need to know."
"Where are your parents?"
"I have no idea. They abandoned me when I was a kid."
"Who raised you?"
"My dad's friend. That's who they brought me to."
"What was he like?"
"Part of a criminal organization, like my dad. But my parents fled when they had chances of getting arrested. They left me with the friend to get trained, too."
"Trained to take part in the organization?"
"Yes."
I don't think I want to know how that worked.
"Why did you use Indie's book? Why were the kills based on that?"
"Because otherwise, things will get boring soon."
When I slide off the bed, I feel him tense, but he doesn't move. I take The First Stars off Finn's shelf, and sit back down.
"You missed Athena," I say slowly. "Right? She's before Apollo."
