Fear Never Dies

*Chapter Five*

I walked up to the porch of our new home. The two story brick house did not seem that big, but it was a house.

"Well, go on in. It's not like the door is gonna bite you," Jack commented.

I turned to glare at him. "It is a door, I do not see how it is going to bite me, it has no teeth."

Jack rolled his tongue over the inside of his cheek. "I don't understand why you have to be so defensive in small jokes."

"Jason, leave your sister alone," Charlie-Mason told Jack.

We were in a new environment, our names were going to change, and not just to our first names.

"She's doing it to herself, she can't take a joke for nothing. Though, I do regret ever giving her the key to the house. We're going to be standing here forever."

"Stop giving me a hard time, Jason. Look, I am opening the door," I snickered, pushing the key into the keyhole and unlocking the door. I hesitated before actually opening the door.

It had been a while since any of us had been in a real house. I did not remember the beloved childhood home like my brothers did, but from stories they had told me, it seemed like a wonderful place. And I was angry that my parents had been stolen from us before I could remember.

"Come on, Emma," Charlie-Mason whispered sweetly to me, taking my hand.

We walked inside the house together with Jack at our heels. I heard myself gasp as I looked around. There was no furniture, it was all new.

"You got the kid enrolled in school for tomorrow?" Jack asked our brother.

Charlie-Mason nodded. "Yeah, under Emma Cresswell. I also landed us a job at a club not too far from here. Jason and Cal Cresswell."

Jack smiled. "Great. So, while we're pretending to be the perfect little family, how are we going to get this jackass out of our way?"

I shook my head. "It is impossible to figure that out. We do not even know what this guy looks like. We have nothing to go on, except that he has been following us."

"What does that tell us, Lizzie?" Jack asked.

I thought back to all the classes that I attended in the college, all the things that I learned. They were like pictures before my eyes, everything set out for me to see.

We were going to keep going over this until we found the guy. My brothers were going to need all the information they could get. Same questions, alternate answers to better understand us.

"He is not afraid of us. It is not just about wanting something from us, by calling the police and giving them information. He knows what we did, but he shows no fear."

"What else can you tell us?" Charlie-Mason crossed his arms, leaning against a wall.

"I cannot tell you anymore. I do not know enough."

Jack let out a huff. "We don't have money. We don't own anything you can pawn. What does he want from us?"

I closed my eyes. "It could mean that he wants to lead the police to us, but not actually let them catch us, because either he is trying to play hero or he wants to kill us himself. It is a guess, I do not know for sure."

Jack punched the wall, leaving a dent. Charlie-Mason slid to the ground, putting his face in his hands, and I could do nothing to help them. They were worried about the life of our family. Who would die? Who would live? It was a constant worry, and worse when the stakes were at risk.

I knew my brothers. I knew they were going to do whatever they could so that I would not get hurt. Because I was the weakness of my brothers. They would risk everything for me. And I could not be defenseless and allow them to do that.