The return of Darkness

Chapter 1

Learning how to live again is not something I ever imagined doing as an almost 18 year old.

It's been almost a week since Jaclyn's and Adam's arrest we have been coping and adjusting to living life again.

Our parents have wanted us kids to go back to school. Try to live a somewhat normal life.

I couldn't even make it out the door before the panic attacks would hit. Mom wants me to start therapy along with my mandated physical therapy for my foot. I disagree with her, and refuse to go to either.

My days are spent alone in my room. Mom, Tate, and even William and Ryan have tried to get me to come out but I shut them out. I shut everyone and everything out.

The boys have begun to bounce back to a somewhat normal routine, doing school over careful and limited supervision of their time online. Witness Protection and the FBI along with the people monitoring us in the safe house strictly follow everything when the two boys are online doing school. They do their jobs with keeping them safe while also allowing them to finish school. I refuse though. Telling everyone I will finish my senior year when I can attend in person. Even if that means I won't finish for years.

I spend my days listening to a new station on a small radio in the room I claimed as mine. I have it on 24/7 listening when I can. Paying attention to names of any recent escaped inmates. Just to make sure we are safe. I listen for Jaclyn's or even Adam's name but so far they haven't been mentioned as an escapee.

"Annalise?" I look over in the direction the voice comes from. William is standing in the doorway, with a plate in his hands.

I look back down at the radio listening again, ignoring my best friend who has lived as my brother over our time in captivity together.

"Come on you need to eat. Your mother told me you haven't been eating. I brought some of my mother's homemade chicken enchiladas. She uses an amazing homemade white sauce. Here try some please." William holds the plate out to me.

"I'm not hungry William." I don't look up at him, my attention glued to the radio.

"Breaking new! We are on the look out for three recently escaped felons. One woman, two men. We are urging citizens to be vigilant. If you see anyone who seems suspicious. Please call 911 or your local police authorities. Thank you for listening to this 911 broadcast." The news broadcast ends and goes to static.

Fear fills my face, color drains from it. "You don't think Jaclyn and Adam managed to escape do you?" I look over at my friend.

"Annalise they are in a high security prison. It's nearly impossible. It was probably just a group of people. He did say it was two men and one woman." William explains to me gently as he sets the plate of food down on the dresser.

"What if it was all three of them? Adam, Jaclyn, and Trevor." My eyes look out the window staring as if the three of them would be outside the window already waiting.

"Trevor is dead Annalise remember?" William places a hand on my shoulder to calm me down.

"How many times has Jaclyn lied to us William? What's to say she lied about Trevor being dead to get us to stop asking about him, and to get us to like Adam more?" My brain begins trying to wrap my head around these new thoughts.

"Annalise Trevor is dead. Jaclyn and Adam are locked up for life. You are safe here." William's voice is a little louder than he intended. It causes all the adults; my mom, William's parents, and Ryan's parents to come investigate.

"What's going on kids?" William's dad asks as he is the first to open the bedroom door.

"We are fine dad. Annalise is just got herself a little freaked out listening to a new station." William snaps his fingers in front of my face trying to get me to snap out of my trance.

"Annalise?" My mom looks at me with concern on her face.

"Mom is she okay?" Tate looks up at my mother.

"She's fine. Go eat dinner. She doesn't need all of us in here." My mother states as Tate, Ryan and Ryan's parents leave the room. William's parents, my mother and William however stay.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" William's dad looks at me concern filling his face.

"They're coming back for us." I state emotionlessly, blankly staring at the wall.

"What! Did the radio say they escaped?" William's dad grips my shirt tightly, staring into my eyes.

"Atlas! Unhand the girl now!" William's mother chastises her husband.

"Sorry Kai. I just freaked out a little." Atlas rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.

"It's not me you should be apologizing to right now is it?" Kai looks over at me, a mindless zombie.

Atlas looks at me, concern filling his face. Fear for his son fills his eyes.

"Annalise I'm so sorry about my reaction but what exactly did the radio say?" His eyes look puffy and red.

"Dad it just said for people to be vigilant because a prison had some inmates that escaped. Annalise is worried that Adam and Jaclyn got out." William speaks for me.

"Did they list any names?" My mother looks worried.

"No just said it was two men and one woman." William looks at me, still unmoving from my frozen trance.

"It's them." I state to everyone.

"Two men?" Atlas looks at his son. So William explains.

"When Annalise and I were first taken it was by Jaclyn and her husband at the time Trevor. Trevor was later arrested out in public with us. We thought we were safe but somehow Jaclyn managed to take us again. Then Adam came into the picture, Jaclyn couldn't be alone when her first partner was taken. She told us Trevor was killed in prison but Annalise thinks she lied to us to get us to like Adam. Also Tate doesn't know about Trevor they took her after he was out of the picture." William explains to the adults.

"And you think the two men and the woman who escaped where Trevor, Adam and Jaclyn?" Kia speaks gently looking down at me.

"I know it's them. I can feel it." I stare at the floor refusing to look at anyone.

"Okay honey even if they were the ones to escape, they can't touch you here. Okay you are all safe." My mother explains not only to me but to everyone in the room.

I sigh but nod my head. "Yeah you are right. We are safe. I would like to go to sleep now if everyone is alright with leaving my room, I'd really appreciate it." I sit down on the bed, pulling the covers over me.

"Of course, we will see you in the morning. Okay, you are safe. I love you." My mother gives me a kiss goodnight, just as everyone leaves my room.

William takes the plate, with my untouched food out with him.

I roll over staring at the wall, but my mind refuses to rest.

Chapter 1 is done!