Catch Me If You Dare

Chapter 11: Haunted

Smile, Zoe. Dammit, just smile. It's just another fake smile, you can handle that, can't you? Isn't that what you've been doing all your life? Can't you handle one single smile?

I forced my eyes shut, pained with the echoing voices that haunted me day and night. I need a moment, a second-just to catch up with reality. A fraction of time to wrap my head around the craziness that filled my world. Then I'll be okay again and I can go back to living the deceitful lie fate had purposefully created for me.

"Miss Reed, are you alright?"

I released the breath I didn't realise I was holding in and rolled my shoulders back, ready for whatever was to come next.

"I'm alright," I smiled politely, "thank you."

There you go, wasn't so hard was it? You can do this.

"I know this is a tragic time for you, before we continue I just want to say that I'm sorry for your loss," the journalist said sympathetically, offering me a small tender smile.

I nodded having nothing to respond with. A smile could not form on my lips no matter how hard I tried.

"Shall we begin?"

I nodded.

"I'd like to hear your story. Your side to the truth. The police have given no further comments regarding the attack but the people want to know."

Of course they would. They want to but they wouldn't like it. Though I don't believe anyone could ever wrap their minds around it. A girl, a school and a clan of vampires. An interesting tale waiting to be told.

"I understand Rose Fellows and you are the sole survivors of this tragedy?"

I nodded. A tragedy? I held myself back from laughing. It was a bloody massacre. Don't the media get anything right these days?

"How did you make it out alive, Miss Reed?" He asked leaning forward, his eyes full of suspense and his tone full of curiosity.

I bit my lip hard. I could almost taste the metallic taste of my blood. Shutting my eyes I shot back into the moment.

Walls came crashing down, blood splattered across the floor, the existence of time no longer mattered. Screaming, shattering and screeching. Then a loud bang. Darkness. Silence. Lifeless.

I drew a sharp intake of air, my eyes snapping open. "Hearing the first explosion, I ran. We ran, as fast as we could."

"Who else was in the building at this point?"

Nick's face flashed through my mind. Josh, Jeremy, Dmitri, the civilians...

"I don't know. I was too busy trying not to die," I whispered, their faces, bloody, bruised and battered appeared in my thoughts. The thought of even seeing any single on of them lifeless turned my stomach. I physically felt sick.

I smiled, "I'm sorry. I know what I sound like. It's hard, that's all."

He shook his head, "that's alright, Zoe. Take your time, okay?"

I nodded, yet again, urging him to continue. The faster this interview is over, the quicker I can escape to the safe comfort of my home. Safe. Imagine that. Does it even exist?

"Can you describe the conditions of staying trapped in the school?"

That was a good one. His boss will be pleased and I'll surely give him an answer to savour on.

"Well it was difficult as you can imagine. No real food, a little water if I was lucky," I began.

I was sure. I was positive the media had conjured up this idea of evil terrorists reeking havoc upon the innocent teens of Stone High. I inwardly scoffed at how idiotic they were.

"Our captors were harsh, very harsh. Although in the many hours we were trapped inside there they had shown cruelty and such terror it's unspeakable, they were those that showed kindness" I murmured, my friends faces flash through my eyes.

"They took away our freedom, yes, but for me, it was only another way of escape. They offered friendship, he-" a sob wracked through me. Burying my face in my hands, I cried. Each tear accounting for the thousands that had already fallen for everyone we lost.

"You think they were evil men set out to massacre a bunch of innocent people, right? Maybe they were and maybe they weren't but you and I, we are so irrelevant that we will never know the truth of what happened."

"And what did happen, Miss Reed? Why does it seems as though you are supporting those terrorists?"

"What happened? No matter what I say or how I say it, my version of truth and their version of the truth will never be the truth. You're all brainwashed, Mr Coliano," I whispered.

"You're right if you think they were monsters, because they were. But not all monsters and monstrous and I think you're forgetting that."

He stared back at me, unblinking. "Miss Reed, this is now off record. Have you considered seeing someone?"

I stood up abruptly, "I don't need help but you clearly do if you're going to believe all of this. They're spoon-feeding you bullshit!"

"Miss Reed, please-"

I spun on my heels and stormed towards the door. The voices were louder now, raised, intense. I could feel the pain pulsing through my veins. I could feel it all over. It's seeping into my heart, like a parasite, eating away at the very last of me.

HI SORRY FOR LE LATE UPDATE. I could never end the story like that ;) anyway, this is a short chapter just to kinda get back into the story bc its been a while. I feel so bad for zoeee! Leave your comments below with your thoughts & feelings! Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks for reading <3 AND please check out 'The Art of Deception' it's my new story and I would really appreciate any feedback on it!!!