"Do you think she would try to commit suicide?" Eric asked his father-in-law point blank.
"I don't know what was happening in her life. She never spoke to me about her life." Joe said defensively.
"And you never asked." Eric retorted.
"Do you think she would try to commit suicide?" Joe retorted back.
Eric sighed, "Why did you resent her so much? She was the perfect kid."
Joe looked deep into his glass of whisky. Silent for a moment.
"Did she tell you she almost died as a baby?" He asked.
Eric shook his head, "No."
Joe took a long sip of his drink.
"Carrie was silent when she was born. Not a whimper. The doctors took her. Kept her in an incubator. There was a defect in her heart. The doctors were not too positive. We were not too positive. Except for Celine."
Eric raised his eyebrows. "Who's Celine?"
"Her great grandmother. My wife's grandmother." Joe said. "Celine called my wife and told her the baby will be OK. Except that we werent in touch with Celine. We don't know how Celine got to know we had a baby. That night Celine suddenly died in her bed. Suspected heart attack. And Carrie started crying."
Eric looked at him, confused. "So Carrie was likely to die but then Celine died and Carrie suddenly got ok. So what? What are you even trying to say?"
Joe ignored the question and refilled his glass silently.
"When Carrie was about four she had this imaginary friend she called Myra. We thought it was normal she had an imaginary friend. She was the only child after all and it can get lonely. Besides, Carrie always had a vivid imagination."
Eric felt himself getting impatient.
"Joe, what are you trying to say?""Myra was Celine's second name."
Eric felt his scalp prickling. "May be your wife mentioned it to her and she just liked the name."
Joe shook his head. "We never talked about Celine. Carrie didn't even know that her great grandmother died a few hours after she was born. Forget Myra, Carrie doesn't even know about Celine."
"I don't know why are you telling me all this." Eric said irritably. "What does this have to do with Carrie wanting to commit suicide."
Joe leaned forward. "There is something wrong with that kid."
Eric got up angrily. "How can you say that? She's your only daughter! She's taken such good care of you and her mom all these years."
Joe looked up at him grimly. "She always puts on this mask. Happy, sweet, innocent Carrie. But there is a darkness in her. I have seen it when she gazes out of the window. I've sensed it when she thought she was alone and didn't notice me there. I've seen it grow in her as she grew up."
Eric was furious. "You are talking shit. You are a crazy old man! No wonder Carrie is so damaged."
He stalked off.
"Eric!"
He paused, looking back at the old man, his head pounding.
Joe smiled at him, sadly. "I've never resented her. I've feared her."
Eric's flesh broke out in goosebumps.
He stormed out and slammed the door behind him.
"You should let her go." Joe whispered.
A/N: Did you like this supernatural twist in the tale? Or were you expecting the reason to be Carrie's damaged relationships?
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What Hides Within
Mystery / Thriller[COMPLETED - Highest rank #34 in Mystery/Thriller] It took a long time for Eric to realise that Carrie was the love of his life. But just a year into their marriage, Carrie has an accident and slips into coma. A devastated Eric stumbles on to her jo...