Knives and Nightmares

Chapter 20

I sighed for the millionth time. I had to build up my courage. I ebbed closer to the sobbing boy.

"Connor?" I whispered and gingerly touched his shoulder. I knew as much as he hurt me, I needed him.

Everything went silent, Connor stopped shaking but remained curled up.

"I need answers." I said to him.

He rose his head to look at me, his eyes looked defeated, but I knew he would do what I asked in a heartbeat.

"Why did Liz move away?" I asked, other questions swirled around in my mind.

I had to know why her. if I could have helped it, saved her. Anything. I lost my best friend that day, a renowned feeling I loneliness washed through me and pulses in my veins.

Finally; Connor spoke.

"She had too. She was in the way, I would have to hurt her if she didn't. She would make me hurt Liz." His broken voice stuttered "I was trying to protect her."

I wondered what Annie would make him do, kill her? Beat her? steal her and hide her away? I wasn't sure, but I didn't want to know. But I did need to know why.

"Why did Annie want Liz gone?" I verbalized my thaughts.

"Because Liz was keeping you strong, and she knew more then you think." he said calmly,

I remembered the day we talked about Connor on the phone, how happy I was, but how distant she was at the same time. I couldn't believe I didn't notice before! But what did she know...?

"Like what?" I challenged,

"Liz knew about the whole 'you two are related' thing, she knew about the knife, everything"

I was stunned, why wouldn't she have told me? How could she know before me?

"Why does Annie want me dead?" The words were shaky as they left my lips.

"Because she blames you, if you wouldn't have been born her and Charlie could have lived happily together." his eyes went wild with his last words. I wasn't supposed to know.

I wasn't supposed to know what? My mind raced to figure out the meaning by 'could have lived happily together' did Annie have a crush on her half brother? Or maybe I was missing the brother part. I made a mental image of Charlie beside Annie, noticing the similarities..

"Who is Charlie's mother!?" I demanded fiercely.

"Rohnda."

Annie's mothers name shocked me.

Tears sprang out of my eyes. Charlie was Annie's brother, not mine, not completely mine at least.

"So, when we had the dinner..." My words trailed off into silence.

"Yes, she threatened to tell you, and Charlie was forced to go along with everything to protect you." He looked more and more unhappy with every question.

I had one last thing to ask.

"And the gift? and you sneaking around everywhere?"

"Annie put the gift and had to know things. I couldn't hurt you, mel. I couldn't think of you getting hurt..." his voice quivered and he looked back down.

I pulled him up and gripped his hand I forgives him. Maybe it was foolish, but I needed him, with Charlie in a coma.. almost on cue my phone rang. It was from the hospital.

"Hello?" I was startled,

"Is this Melanie Foster?" doctor Newman asked.

"Yes, why?" I grew more and more panicked, I gripped Connors hand tightly, he returned the gesture with a worried glance. I was glad things were back to how they used too, like this fight never happened, I turned my mind to more important matters; charlie.

"You forgot Charlie's pills here when you took him, he needs to take them once a day, could you pick them up now?" he asked

"Uh.. sure.." I said and hung up.

Since when was Charlie awake?! Annie must have snagged him. We look so much alike, he could have said she got her hair dyed or something. Charlie was in danger, I felt it in my bones.

"Annie has Charlie." I explained. "We're going to the hospital."

-

We stood in the hospital, hand in hand like many times before. Soon after we walked in, the doctor handed me pills,

"You look different, ms. foster... have a safe night" he said before walking away.

I found it strange how quick he was. I glanced down at the bottle of pills. It was empty and prescribed for someone named 'Alexander Joys' something didn't feel right. I had to find Annie, and I knew all too well where to find her. This had to end. Tonight.

I tugged Connor through the doors again, outside into the swirling snow. The tips of my toes began to go numb while I walked to Annie's house. The area was as nice as it always was, proper, clean, and each house exactly like the last. I found hers, a sole car was in the driveway. I folded my arms across my chest to tried to block out the wind. We trudged up the stairs leading to her house and invited ourselves in. Leaving the door lot close with the wind. I went through the dark house to the living room where I saw her last. I shuddered at the harsh memory.

As I peered inside I couldn't understand what I had seen. It shocked me more then anything I had ever seen. My nightmares were becoming reality.

My mother had been hung from the ceiling fan. Dangling loosely. Blood dripping off of her toes.

My father, cut up the same way as when I found him all those years ago. He was slumped over and full of mud.

My uncle was lying close by, dead just the same.

As for Charlie, he was lying on the couch, Annie peering over him with a devilish grin across her face. She had the knife in her hand and held it high above her, ready to plunge it into his weak body. She looked up at me, her eyes were wide and bloodshot.

"What do you want" she sneered like a witch.

"Why didn't you just kill me?Why kill them" I pointed at the bodies. But this time I counted four.

I looked over and saw her sopping wet and perfectly still. Liz was dead.

I swung my head towards Annie, rage empowering me.

"Bitch" I murmured.

"You ruined my life, so I ruined yours!" she reasoned.

I clenched my fists until my knuckles were white as the snow outside and walked towards her.

"Freeze" she commanded and I did. "one more step and you die."

I looked defiantly into her eyes, put my foot forward and stepped dramatically. A surge of pain went through me, I looked at Annie, her knife was gone. I looked down to where the pain was and saw the red handle of the knife protruding from my stomach. I dropped to the ground like a rock and couldn't see, couldn't hear, it was all blank.