I Know What You're Thinking

Chapter 18

It's cold here. 

That is my first thought as I walk in through the wrought iron gates of the cemetery. It's starting to get dark, and I really should be at home, but I didn't want to wait any longer to investigate this grave.

It seems like Luke didn't want to either.

"Where do you think it is?" Luke breaks the silence, his voice echoing eerily around us as we survey the many tombstones.

"Well, that depends, don't it? Whose grave are ya lookin for kids?" A gruff voice makes me jump and I whirl around to face a laughing man. "Jumpy little thing aren't you?" He grins, eyes looking me up and down. I stiffen.

"Umm.... well, her name is..." I trail off, suddenly unable to put a sentence together. The man laughs again. I presume he is the gardenkeeper or something.

"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" He takes a step towards me. As he continues to laugh, I can smell the alcohol in his breath and finally pick his thoughts out. They are the jumbled mess that always accompanies drinking.

He's drunk. I glance briefly in Luke's direction before he responds. 

I know. 

"Well. Answer my question kids. Whose grave?" The man stares at me.

Luke straightens. "Diana Vikander."

Upon hearing her name, the man visibly recoils. "What are you looking for her grave for?" He spits, disgust in his tone, and maybe even a bit of fear. I open my mouth to attempt to reply, but Luke beats me to it.

"She's my aunt. We're from out of town. Thought we should visit her grave while were here. The only problem is, no one told us where her grave is." He speaks with confidence, standing casually, though I know from his thoughts he is anything but.

"I see." The man nods, before turning to give me another toothy grin. "Shame you aren't from here little lady. Coulda had some fun." I swallow and Luke suddenly goes tense, before reaching to grab my hand.

"If you have any common sense, you'll leave her alone." He snaps. Can you just tell us where to find my aunt's grave, we'll be on our way."

"Fine. She's in the second-last row." The man mutters, before turning to walk away.

I don't like that guy. Luke's familiar voice fills my head.

"Me neither," I mumble, and we start walking in the direction we were told. After a bit of searching, we find it.

"Diana Vikander. Here she is." I walk over to where he stands. 

"Yeah. Just like in the photo." I shake my head. "Something feels wrong." I lower my voice.

"What? That it isn't actually her buried here?"

"Well yeah that - but, I don't know, something just feels off."

Luke looks around and then squeezes my hand I didn't realise he had taken. Don't look now, but someone is standing in between those two trees.

I gulp and take a deep breath, before turning to subtly look at the trees. Something inside of me twinges. I know that silhouette. My thoughts are shaky, just like me.

What?

I can't pinpoint who it is, but I know that person.

We turn to face the other way before Luke whispers "Cordelia, stand behind me." and spins on his heels. I peer around him. A man stands there. A man I know all too well.

"Dad?" I whisper at the same time he says "Cordelia?" Luke looks from me to my dad, clearly flustered.

It's ok. I assure him. He looks into my eyes, searching them. He must see an answer, because he steps back, but only slightly.

"What are you doing here Cordelia?" Dad says, his voice rough.

"I should be asking you the same question." I spit, suddenly angry.

"You shouldn't be here."

"Here as in a graveyard? Oh yes because I'm oh so very scared of ghosts." I say, sarcasm dripping from each word.

"Now isn't the time for this." He shakes his head.

"You left me. You left mum. For what? So you can go live with the lady you cheated with? Or both of them?" That last sentence is a test, and I gauge his reaction to it.

"What are you talking about? What has your mother been telling you?"

"Enough," I reply, raising my chin, letting him wonder what it is I know.

"Whatever you think you know Cordelia, I assure you, you don't." His tone is harsh.

"So tell me. Or don't. I'll figure it out on my own." At this, he flinches.

"Well now, that just won't do." He barks and Luke steps forward. I close my eyes and focus on Dad's thoughts. 

She can't know. She can't. She can't. She can't. She can't. 

I can't know what Dad?

She can't know who is actually buried here. 

He knows?

Luke squeezes my hand again, and I open my eyes. My dad is staring at me, his expression unreadable. "I've missed you." He says, softly, but I don't reply. "Cordelia?"

"You can't have missed me that much. You took everything. You haven't called."

"I'M TRYING TO PROTECT YOU CORDELIA." He yells and Luke moves again, to stand between me and my dad.

"I suggest you take a step back," Luke says darkly.

"Protect me from what?" I cut in.

"There's so much you don't know." He shakes his head. "So much you don't understand."

"So tell me." I snap, narrowing my eyes.

"I can't." He looks down.

"Why not? What could possibly be so bad that you can't tell your own daug-" 

He cuts me off. "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND CORDELIA. THIS ISN'T JUST SOME STUPID STORY. PEOPLE COULD DIE. People have died." He glances at the tombstone and runs a hand through his hair.

"I could die," I whisper, my voice shakey. His eyes snap to mine, before he nods, ever so slightly.

"I have to go. I can't come back. You need to understand that."

"I can't understand," I reply, exasperated. "I can't. Unless you tell me?" I pose that as a question, one final chance to tell me.

"Sure you know by now that I can't. Good bye Cordelia." He turns to walk away, leaving me there with more questions than answers.

But, I guess mindreading can come in handy sometimes.

She can't know. She can never know.

Know what, Dad?

She can't know it's her mother lying under that stone.

A/N

Hello!

What do you think of my ending?

Mwahahahahahaha.

And I am happy to announce that I have FINALLY planned out how this story is going to continue, and what the heck is going on, which will hopefully mean I am going to be able to update it more.

But no promises.......

Anyways. As always, thank you so so so much for reading!

I hope you have a great week!

- blue_budgie52