Is That Mom

Part 4 of Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Unraveling the Lies

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Part 4:

A Dangerous Encounter

The air in the mansion felt heavier as Ethan moved deeper into its decaying hallways, the shadows seeming to stretch and bend around him. He hadn’t planned on staying this long; he had hoped to find some answers and leave, but the more he discovered, the harder it was to walk away. There was something here, something his mother had been involved in, and he couldn’t leave without uncovering the truth. Still, the eerie silence of the place unnerved him, and he felt a chill that had nothing to do with the cool, damp air.

He turned a corner, his flashlight flickering as he scanned the walls for any signs of a hidden room or a clue that might lead to more answers. The mansion seemed to go on forever, each room more neglected than the last, but Ethan pressed on. Then, he heard it—a faint creak, almost like a whisper, the sound of footsteps coming from behind him. He froze, his heart pounding in his chest, and strained to listen. For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then, the sound came again, louder this time, deliberate and steady.

Ethan’s breath caught, and he spun around, his flashlight beam cutting through the darkness. He expected to see empty space, but instead, there was a figure standing in the doorway, partially obscured by shadows. The man was tall, with a gaunt face and dark eyes that seemed to gleam in the dim light. He wore a long, dark coat, and his presence was unsettling, like a ghost materializing out of thin air. Ethan’s grip tightened on the flashlight, his mind racing. Who was this man? How long had he been following him?

“Who are you?” Ethan demanded, trying to keep his voice steady, though he could feel the fear creeping in. “What do you want?”

The man didn’t move at first. He simply watched Ethan, his expression unreadable, as if he were studying him. Then, he stepped forward, just enough for the light to catch his features, and a faint smile curled at the corner of his lips. “I was wondering when you would show up,” he said, his voice low and calm. “I thought you might have given up by now.”

Ethan’s mind was spinning. The man’s words didn’t make sense, and yet there was something about them that sent a shiver down his spine. “What are you talking about?” he asked, trying to keep the edge out of his voice. “How do you know me?”

The man’s smile widened, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I know more about you than you think, Ethan. I knew your mother. We worked together, in a manner of speaking.” His tone was casual, almost conversational, but there was an underlying tension that made Ethan’s skin crawl. “I’m here to warn you. You’re meddling in things you don’t understand, and if you’re smart, you’ll walk away before it’s too late.”

Ethan’s heart pounded, and he felt a mix of fear and anger boiling inside him. This stranger, whoever he was, knew something about his mother—something that Ethan needed to find out. But the way the man spoke, the way he seemed so calm and confident, only made Ethan more suspicious. “If you know something, then tell me,” he said, taking a step forward, his flashlight still trained on the man. “What was my mother involved in? What happened here?”

The man’s smile faded, and for a moment, there was a flicker of something in his eyes—pity, maybe, or regret. “You really don’t know, do you?” he said softly. “She kept you in the dark, just like she kept everyone else. But you’ve seen enough by now to understand that this isn’t a game. Whatever you think you’re going to find here, it’s not worth your life.”

Ethan’s hands shook, but he didn’t back down. “I’m not leaving until I get answers,” he said, his voice firm despite the fear gnawing at him. “I need to know what she was doing, why she kept all of this from me. If you really knew her, then you can help me. Tell me the truth.”

The man sighed, as if disappointed, and for a moment, Ethan thought he might actually answer. But instead, he shook his head slowly. “The truth?” he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. “The truth is dangerous, Ethan. It’s not just about your mother. It’s about something much bigger, something you can’t begin to comprehend. She was in over her head, and if you keep pushing, you’ll end up just like her.”

Ethan’s heart clenched at the implication, but he refused to let himself be intimidated. “Then tell me what it is!” he snapped, his frustration boiling over. “What was she involved in? What is this ‘Project Novus’? Why were they experimenting on people?”

The man’s eyes darkened, and for the first time, Ethan saw a hint of anger in his expression. “You’re asking the wrong questions,” he said sharply. “It’s not about what they were doing. It’s about who they were doing it for, and why. Your mother thought she could control it, but she was wrong. And now, you’re digging up things that should have stayed buried.”

Ethan’s pulse raced, and he took another step forward, closing the distance between them. “If you’re trying to scare me, it’s not going to work,” he said, his voice low and defiant. “I’ve come too far to turn back now.”

The man’s gaze softened, and for a moment, he looked almost sad. “I’m not trying to scare you, Ethan,” he said quietly. “I’m trying to save you. But I can see that you’re just like her—too stubborn to listen. So I’ll give you one last piece of advice, and then I’m done. Leave this place, and forget everything you’ve seen. Burn the documents, and walk away. It’s the only way you’re going to survive.”

Ethan’s mind was reeling. Burn the documents? Forget everything? How could he do that after everything he had discovered? The idea of walking away, of abandoning the truth, was unthinkable. “I can’t do that,” he said, his voice barely more than a whisper. “I need to know.”

The man’s expression hardened, and he stepped back, retreating into the shadows. “Then you’re a fool,” he said, his tone cold and final. “And you’ll pay the price for it. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Ethan lunged forward, desperate to stop him, but the man was already gone, melting into the darkness as if he had never been there at all. Ethan’s flashlight flickered, the beam cutting through the empty doorway, but there was no sign of the stranger. It was as if he had disappeared, leaving nothing but the echo of his words lingering in the air.

Ethan stood there for a moment, his heart racing, his mind a storm of confusion and fear. Who was that man? How did he know so much about his mother? And what did he mean by “something much bigger”? The encounter had left Ethan shaken, but it had also reignited his determination. He was more convinced than ever that there was a dark, twisted truth hidden in this mansion, and he had to find it, no matter what the cost.

He turned and made his way back down the hallway, his footsteps echoing in the silence. The fear was still there, gnawing at the edges of his resolve, but he pushed it down. He had come this far, and he wasn’t going to stop now. Whatever secrets his mother had been hiding, he was going to uncover them, even if it meant facing more danger, more lies. The stranger’s warning rang in his ears, but Ethan refused to let it deter him. He needed answers, and he was willing to risk everything to get them.

As he moved deeper into the mansion, his flashlight flickering in the dark, Ethan realized that he was truly alone in this. The stranger’s words had made that clear. There was no one he could trust, no one he could rely on. Whatever he found here, he would have to face it on his own. And as much as that thought terrified him, it also steeled his resolve. Because if his mother had been part of something terrible, then he had to know. He owed it to her, to himself, to find out the truth, even if it destroyed everything he thought he knew.