Cracks in the Family

13 1 0
                                    

Jennifer is discharged from hospital, one day after she collapsed in the streets. The genius doctor informed Jennifer that her health scare was due to the intense stress she is feeling due to Connor's death. The doctor believes that Jennifer is one inch away from a mental break. She's lost too much. Victoria collects Jennifer, driving her new, bright pink, Jeep, which she purchased using her estranged father's credit card. Jennifer, laying flat across the back seats, still feeling rather nauseous, asks Victoria, "Is that song still looping through the house?". Victoria looks at Jennifer through the rear view mirror, which has a snowman dangling from it. "Yeah. Zoey and I have been trying to get it to stop. We'll call a technician if it continues", replies Victoria, keeping her concentration on the roads. "You need to go straight to bed. Docs orders", smiles Victoria, helping her best friend, as she pulls into the DMZ driveway. The faint sound of the eerie song continues to play, being heard outside of the home. "It's not even a good song", jokes Victoria, as Jennifer grunts, getting out of the vehicle. Victoria rushes to aid Jennifer, who seems to be struggling to find her footing. Victoria wraps her arm around Jennifer, who pushes Victoria away, quiet violently. Victoria falls onto the freshly mowed lawn. Jennifer limps her way over Victoria, as the sun makes Jennifer silhouetted. "I'm not broken. I can help myself", snaps Jennifer, with her eyes almost red with anger. Jennifer enters the house, as Victoria ponders the extremely off encounter she just had.

Holden, crying and his eyes blood shot from tears, throws the final pile of dirt atop of a hole in the lair's backyard, where he has buried Aria. Carolyn, wearing a floral print dress and summer wedged sandals, assures, "It's all going to work out, Holden". Holden turns his attention to Carolyn, as he asserts his grip of the shovel, ensuring that Carolyn is aware that he is holding a weapon. "You'll pay for this. She was my wife. When this project is over and my sister is dead, you'll follow swiftly behind her", threatens Holden, as he thrusts his shovel onto the dirt, enraged. "Weakling", states Carolyn, smugly under her breath. She pursues Holden as he enters the house. "You can hate me that's fine - I don't really care, if I am to be honest. But you will not disrespect me. I broke you out of prison. We need to begin phase two. Today", reveals Carolyn, who isn't happy that Holden threatened her. The date arches Holden's attention. "I thought we were waiting two weeks", says Holden, confused. "It's best we start today - it will speed up the process. Now, we have a sister to frame. You've been spying on Julianna, correct?". Holden nods. "Perfect, dear. Today's her time", smiles Carolyn, devilishly.

Julianna arrives at the funeral of Dean McCarthy, which is a private event. None of the students at New Quay have been invited to say goodbye to their Dean. Julianna, decked out in a lace black dress and charcoal gloves, lays her eyes upon a devastated Dallas, as he rubs his father's grave. Dallas notices Julianna and he begins to walk over to her, seeming less enraged then the last time they spoke. "I'm sorry, Dallas", sympathises Julianna, as Dallas asks Julianna if he will meet her at his apartment to toast his father - since there is no wake planned. Julianna accepts.

Victoria, with Alec and Jax, has agreed to sell girl's guide cookies for the local group. The trio have to go door to door and try to sell cookies. "I really need to get back and care for Jen. She's in a bad place right now", worries Victoria, who has almost been selling cookies for four hours. Alec smiles, "She'll be okay. She seemed pretty damn strong when we encountered her". Jax pipes up, "That's one way to put it". The trio arrive at their final house for the day - Carolyn's lair. Not knowing this information, Victoria knocks on the wooden, thick door, three times. Nobody answers but the door creeks open. "There's crazy people on the loose in this town. People should learn to lock their doors", sighs Alec, almost angry at society. Curious, Victoria pushes the door completely open. Next to the door of the house, a picture of Connor, with a red tint next to it, appears. Victoria steps inside, as Jax and Alec tell her to "stop". Victoria makes the startling discovery that she has just entered Carolyn's lair. Victoria searches the house but finds nothing suspicious. Alec and Jax enter also, not wanting to be spotted outside. As she searches through cabinets, Victoria discovers a huge pile of dirt next to a shovel in the backyard. Her heart stops. "What's that?", asks Victoria, already knowing the answer. Victoria walks out into the backyard and, without thinking, digs the hole up. The shovel, almost immediately, hits a hard item. Victoria digs and discovers she hit Aria's head. Victoria screams and decides to flee the scene, without covering her tracks. Jax and Alec follows suit.

Julianna arrives in Dallas' apartment, which is being renovated. Dallas enters, seconds after her. "Your changing some stuff up?", asks Julianna, feeling slightly awkward. "Yeah. Since the police are finished here, I want to change the outlook of this place", says Dallas, popping open a bottle of champagne, as the cork explodes off and flies through the open window frame, which is also being redone. "Good thing you don't have windows!", laughs Julianna, as Dallas hands her a glass of bubbles. The two drink to Dean McCarthy, as Dallas apologises, "I'm sorry for accusing you. I don't know why I did that. It's just been really hard". Julianna kisses Dallas, as a way of forgiving him. "I know", sighs Julianna. Suddenly, after their reunited embrace, Carolyn and Holden enter the apartment, with the latter holding a handgun. Dallas shoots up out of his chair and warns the intruders to "get out or die", as he protects his girlfriend. Carolyn steps forward, "Funny you say that, my boy. Because you are about to do both of those things". Carolyn thrusts her wo hands on Dallas' shoulders and pushes him through he open window frame, to his demise. Julianna screams, as she stares out of the frame, gazing upon Dallas' mangled corpse. "How could you kill your own grieving boyfriend, Julianna?", asks Holden, as he reveals the police are on their way and that they are going to frame Julianna. Carolyn and Holden leave, as a policeman enters. Julianna cries, "It's not what it looks like! I swear!". The officer arrests Julianna for the murders of Dallas McCarthy and Dean McCarthy and he declares the apartment a crime scene.

2011:
  A young Holden, staring into the darkness of his hallway, screams as a hand grabs him from the area of no light. Oliver and Audrey run up the stairs to help their son. Holden escapes and the family race to the car that would kill them - expect Holden. "Where's Jennifer?", asks Oliver, as Holden reveals that she snuck out of the house earlier that night. As the car drives away, Jennifer is seen standing at the doorframe of her home, looking incredibly upset. She was the attacker.

PRESENT:
   Victoria bursts into the front doors of DMZ, shouting, "Jen! I found their l-". Victoria is interrupted as she feels a warm liquid take over her left foot, soaking into her strapped shoes. Victoria, hesitantly, stares down and finds that she has stood in a puddle of blood. Victoria makes the frightening discovery of Cherry, laying dead at the bottom of the staircase, oozing blood. Victoria checks got a pulse but finds nothing. She looks up and to her absolute horror, Jennifer stands at the top of the stairs, with blood on her hands. Literally.

Killer on Sorority Row 2 : Project RedWhere stories live. Discover now