The Lost ( A Sequel To The Forgotten )

Rolly's Secret

The Collections House has never looked this way before. I mean, physically, it's the same, but the feeling it gives has changed. Before, there was a sense of mystery and discovery, and even magic. Now it's threatening. The roars have stopped, making an eerie silence. I don't know if the temporary absence of roars is a good thing or a bad thing.

"Guys, if we're going in there to find our secretive friend, then we'd all better be on the same page," I say nervously. "Everyone already knew that he had a secret, right?" Everyone nods.

"He'd get touchy sometimes," Cass agrees. "But I didn't think his secret would be so... so..." She gestures at the Collections House. We all look at the building for a moment. The silence is evil.

"I really wish I had my sword back," I say quietly.

"There's no time," Tarna replies. "Every second we spend out here is another second Rolly is in possible danger. Now, let's go." The doors are far too close, and we arrive within seconds. Cass is in the lead, and we all look at her to open the door. She stares at it and doesn't open it. Tarna sighs and grabs the handle. I expect something to scream, or sharp claws to blast from the doorframe. But the eerie silence holds. We all peak inside, and no one is there. No one but Rolly. He's standing in the middle of the room, back to us.

"Rolly," Tarna whispers. Rolly turns and looks pained to see us, but he makes no movement.

"I thought I told you to stay away," he sighs. "But I didn't really expect you to." He turns to face us completely. "Guys, you have to leave right now."

"Rolly, what's going on here?" Person asks, taking a step inside. "Why are you being so weird?" Rolly pulls out his sword, and Person hurriedly steps back outside. Rolly sheaths his sword.

"I have to do this. I promise, you can work everything out later. But right now, I need you to leave."

"You know we won't," Tarna says. "You can tell us everything, Rolly." Rolly's eyes are sad and serious.

"Allen told you everything, eventually. That didn't end well." We all gasp. Is Rolly a traitor, too?

"But Allen was evil," Cass protests. Rolly turns away from us.

"Who's to say I'm not, too?"

"Rolly, we know you aren't," I reply, scared. "You're one of us. You're a good guy." Rolly turns his head, and his eyes are angry and sad at the same time.

"Am I, Wrive? Am I really a good guy?" He takes a threatening step toward us. We all take a step back. And then Rolly drops his sword. And horror strikes. Rolly begins to grow. His fingers turn to claws, and his hair disappears, replaced by short horns. His eyes turn into inhuman eyes, just horrible little slits. His mouth sprouts fangs. And then, in Rolly's place, stands a horrible beast. It must be 7 feet tall, with claws and fangs and every other horrible detail.

"Don't come for me, no matter what you hear," the thing says. Its voice is like many voices, all deep and rasping. "No matter what you hear! But you came. You came, and now look at what you've done!" I back away from the doorframe in horror.

"You want to know my secret? Well, here it is, humans. Here it is," the Rolly-monster screeches. I look behind me and see the others running. I glance at the Rolly-monster again, and by now it's almost outside.

"Look at me, Tacking," he says quietly. "Look at me and run. And don't come back this time, no matter what you hear." And then, a scream fills the air, and I turn and run. The Rolly-monster screams horribly, and I run away, and tears are in my eyes. I remember human Rolly, standing in nothingness, surrounded by roars. But he was never surrounded by them. He was making the roars. Rolly is a monster.