Silenced Voices (Crescent Hill Sequel)

Four - Of Martyrs and Men

"Are you okay? What the hell were you thinking?" Mother checks Vicky, Eric, and I over in the glow of the Main Room. Grandfather, Aunt Heather, Aunt Juliette, and Father are all down at Town Hall figuring out a cover story and mourning Grace. Marie and Noah are still upstairs asleep, and Uncle Leif is up with Benny, trying to get him to sleep.

"You don't understand, whoever they are, they're coming for us! They hate all the Hamiltons!" Vicky hasn't stopped crying since Grace died. 

"You all are overreacting!" Mother tsks. "Do you know the damage you could have caused to the family name?"

"Your daughter is dead, and all you care about is your reputation! Not like you did five years ago." Vicky spits. If the comment hurt Mother, she hides it impressively.

"My daughter was stupid. All three were stupid tonight." She glares at me, but I refuse to respond. They'll say Grace stole Aunt Heather's keys, and ventured out on her own. That the Killer got her. She'll either be turned into a martyr, or entirely forgotten. I don't know which is worse.

"I'll walk Eric home." I get up, my left arm wrapped in gauze up to my elbow, covering a cut from a shard of glass on Violet's desk.

"No way. As far as Crescent Hill is concerned, you are all asleep. Eric can sleep on the couch." She points to the patterned floral couch. "There you go, Vicky. Go to bed."

"Follow me, I'll get you some blankets." I wave Eric up, and all three of us trudge upstairs, not bothering to be quiet. "Will your parents worry?"

"Not if I leave early enough." He shakes his head. I open the linen closet door and hand him some wool blankets and a feather pillow. "Goodnight."

"Good morning at this point." I roll my eyes, and plant a quick kiss on his cheek. He smiles, and walks back down the stairs.

The next morning I awake groggy, having hardly gotten any sleep at all. The moments before Grace's death replay in my mind over and over. It's not until after Eric has left and I sit down for breakfast do I realize I might be in danger. But I don't care.

"Are you okay?" Marie asks. I haven't touched my egg. Everyone chats as if nothing has happened, as if everything is okay. Marie and Noah still don't know Grace is dead. To go with my alibi, I don't know either. 

"Yeah, Marie. I'm fine." My voice cracks, and I can tell she doesn't believe me. 

"We don't have school today. I wonder who died." She eyes me suspiciously.

"Marie!" Mother snaps from across the table. "Do not talk of such things!" 

Marie shrugs. "Such a common thing, you'd think people would be more worried." She whispers under her breath. I hold my tongue. The announcement will be made in a few hours, and I'll have to act surprised. Have to act as if I care. Maybe I'll skip it.  

Just then, Aunt Heather strolls in. "Everyone to the Square."

"Who died?" Marie presses. 

"Marie!" Mother sounds really agitated now. She stands, and walks over to Aunt Heather, whispering something in her ear. 

"Let's go!" Mother snaps her fingers, and we all scramble out of the house and towards the main square. By the look on Marie's face, I think she's figured it out. She grabs my hand, holding on tight. 

"Laine!" Eric jogs up beside us, and I'm surprised to see him. "We have to go. I have to show you something."

"Why so it'll kill another one of my sisters?" I snap back under my breath. 

"I'm sorry, Laine. But Crescent Hill is dangerous. We have to leave. I know some people."

"I won't leave Marie. Or Noah. Or even Vicky or Benny or-" Eric cuts me off.

"Ok, ok. Can you just meet these people?"

"Who are they?"

"Tucker Rooke, James Carter, and then Rebecca and Benjamin Howe." I eye him suspiciously, as those people aren't necessarily people I want to be associated with. 

"So what? You're going to leave your parents?" Eric glances at me, and I sigh. It was a stupid question. His parents aren't people who would leave Crescent Hill even if the world was ending. "What about your aunt and uncle? Your cousins?"

"I'll ask Aunt Dahlia if they'll come. But not right now. It took a lot of convincing to get them to agree to let you join us."

"And why is that?" I fold my arms. We've stopped under the shade of a tree by Cutting Down, the barber shop. Tucker Rooke owns it. Mother doesn't even notice I'm gone. 

"Because... you're a Hamilton, Laine. The killer is after you and your family. You attract unwanted attention."

"They don't know the killer got Grace."

As I speak, I hear Aunt Heather start to speak to the crowd of people. The whole town, gathered to hear the news of my sister's death. 

"They do now."

We stand there, and I listen to Aunt Heather talk about how the Killer has struck again, this time taking the life of her innocent but reckless niece. Tears well in my eyes, hot and burning. People shout things like "She was just a child!" and "We won't forget Grace Hamilton!"

She's become a martyr. I hear shouts. My vision blurs. Someone starts singing.

Oh, thy innocent lamb,

Sent to the slaughter,

We shant forget you,

For you were our daughter.

People pick up the chant, and I swear I hear Vicky's voice singing along. She's become a martyr. Isn't that good? I whisper to myself, reassuring that Grace being remembered is good. Good. Good. I'm not very convincing.

"Fine. Let's go." I sob shakily, and we start to make our way through the throngs of singing people, into Laurel Floral. "James is going to leave Laurel?" Eric shrugs, and leads me towards the stairs leading to Laurel and James's house. There, waiting, I see one person I never thought I'd see again. 

"You have some explaining to do."