The Family Business

8

I stood there for a few minutes. Not crying, as no tears would come. I walked slowly over to the door and ran my hand down the wood. I had never been trapped behind this door in my life. I had never seen this room as a prison. But as I tuned the doorknob and confirmed what I had already known, suddenly it felt like a jail cell. I had to get out of here. I had to get back to my brother.
A few minutes later, I heard a click. Someone was coming in. The door opened, and Maddie's face appeared.
"You shouldn't have done that," she said.
"I know," I answered, "but I had to hear their side of it."
"And what are you going to do now that you have?"
"I don't know." I sat down on my bed. Maddie came over and sat next to me, wrapping her arms around me.
"Come on," she said, "let's get you ready for bed." She stood and walked over to my closet.
"I'm not tired," I protested.
"Well what else were you planning to do? The King has ordered you to stay in your room."
"It's not fair," I complained. "He's my brother."
"I know," she said. "Come on, there's no use staying awake." She helped me change into my nightgown. I could have done it myself, but she had insisted on many occasions that it was her job. When she was satisfied that I was safely in bed, she left the room, locking the door behind her.
I waited until her footsteps died down, then jumped out of bed. I couldn't just stay here. Not when I finally knew the truth. I didn't dare turn on the light, in case someone saw it. So, using the glow from my phone screen, I went around my room, picking out some clothes to wear for my great escape.

When I was done, I walked over to the window and opened it, looking out. It was a dark night, the only light given off from the half moon and a billion twinkling stars. I had never really liked the dark. I wasn't afraid of it really, I just didn't like the feeling of vulnerability you get from walking outside at night. At any rate, I decided it would be best to leave escaping until morning. Besides, I was starting to get tired.
After setting an alarm on my phone for a time I knew would be before my parents woke up, I crawled into bed.

The ship tossed violently on the water. I stepped out of my room into the dark hallway. Why was it so dark? The hallway stretched on endlessly, and I couldn't see more than a few feet in front of me. I shuffled slowly down the hallway, my footsteps echoing loudly. 'But I'm not even picking up my feet!' I thought as I dragged my right foot forward. Another footstep echoed. 'So whose footstep is that?'
"Hello?" I called. "Is anyone there?" I thought I heard someone breathing behind me. I whirled around. No one was there.
"You are to have nothing to do with that boy." The voice seemed to come from behind me and in front of me and above me and below me all at the same time. I began to run, desperate to escape that haunting voice. One thought pounded repeatedly in my head: Jefferson. I had to get to him. I ran and ran, my heart pounding in my ears. The echoing footsteps continued, growing louder and closer. I ran.
After what seemed like an eternity, I reached a door at the end of the dark hallway. Turning the knob furiously, I began to panic. It was locked.
"You are to have nothing to do with that boy!" The voice said, louder, but still surrounding me. I needed help. I didn't know what to do.
"Necklace," came a soft, gentle whisper so quiet I thought for a second I had imagined it. Then I felt something cool press against my neck. Reaching inside my shirt, I pulled out a thin, silver chain, attached to which was a tiny, silver key. Hurriedly, I bent down and inserted the key into the lock on the door. It fit. I turned the knob and opened the door.
Instantly, I was hit with a deathly chill. I sank to my knees on the cold, concrete floor of an all too familiar room. The footsteps behind me stopped abruptly. I had the feeling I was being watched. Turning slowly, I looked up into the sinister, sneering face of Nicholas. I scurried backward and fell onto my back. Nicholas came closer, crouching beside me. I could hear my own heartbeat pounding furiously. Nicholas grinned a wicked grin.
"Miss me, sweetheart?" I didn't answer. My shuddering breath was visible in the cold. "Look over there," he said, pointing somewhere to my right. I looked and there, lying ten feet away from me, was a body. I screamed.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" I shouted at Nicholas. I looked back at him. He laughed maliciously.
"Oh I didn't do this, sweetheart," he murmured, "you did."
"What are you talking about?" I demanded.
"You didn't come back," he hissed. Then, with a cloud of smoke and a gust of cold air, Nicholas vanished.
I crawled slowly over to the body lying on the floor. I grabbed his head and pulled it into my lap. My brother was dead. My brother was dead and it was my fault.
"NO!" I screamed, my tears dripping onto his face. "I WAS COMING BACK! I WAS COMING BACK! I WAS-" Jefferson opened his eyes suddenly.
"Beep beep beep beep..."