The Beginning Of The End

Chapter 27

I was watching them, watching the two brothers so happy to have found each other, when I heard Thalia gasp. I looked up to see her staring with wide eyes at the same gravestone I'd seen Lucas kneeling in front of earlier.

"What is it?" I whispered, walking over to her. I stopped in front of the gravestone and read the words inscribed there.

In Memory of Our Loving Parents
Thomas Henwood
8 May 1969 to 15 June 2006, died age 37
Grace Henwood
2 August 1971 to 1 June 2006, died age 35
You Will Be Missed

"Is that...?" I turned to Thalia, who was nodding slowly. "Oh, god," I whispered. "I-I don't think Jaylon knows."

"It's been twelve years," she murmured. "If he finds out..."

"You mean when," I corrected. "We're not keeping this from him."

"Of course n-"

"Hey."

We both spun around to face Lucas and Jaylon, both of which looked incredibly happy.

"Hey," I replied.

"We should go get something to eat," Thalia said brightly, moving to Jaylon's side.

"I can't be seen with you guys by anyone," Lucas said, shaking his head. "She has people everywhere, watching."

"Well, that's kind of creepy," Thalia said with a nervous laugh. "What should we do then?"

"Whose gravestone were you looking at?" Jaylon asked curiously. I looked up at Thalia, who looked slightly panicked, and Lucas who did not look happy anywhere.

"There's something we need to talk about," he said softly to his brother, but Jaylon had pushed past me and was staring at the names carved into the smooth grey stone surface.

"My parents are dead," Jaylon said softly, hearing it for the first time. He spun around to face Lucas and all I could see on his face was raw fury and anguish. "My parents are dead!" He said to his brother, his voice low and dangerous, speaking through gritted teeth. "And you didn't think to tell me?"

"Jaylon, it wasn't safe for me to be around you. I didn't want her to get a hold of you too."

"So you could've passed a message along, or written me a letter. You didn't think I deserved to know about this?"

Lucas was shaking his head, and he reached for his brother but Jaylon stepped away from him.

"Jaylon, I'm sorry," he said. "But would you really have wanted that? Some stranger telling you your parents are dead, or it being written on a scrap of paper?"

"It would have been better than not know for-" he turned to look at the gravestone again. "For twelve years!"

"Jaylon-"

"Stay away from me," he said angrily, then flicked a hand and sent his brother toppling over backwards.

"Jaylon, what are you-?" I started, but I didn't even get to finish because he was sprinting away, much faster than he should have been able to. "Jaylon!" I found myself running after him, dodging around gravestones as I went. I came to the top of the hill, which I had seen him disappear over, and stopped to look around. There was a figure on the far side of the graveyard, and I didn't stop to take in details I just ran towards him. He didn't seem to hear me coming, or see me as his back was to me, his head bowed. I slowed and walked quietly towards him.

"Jaylon?" I said softly when I was a couple of meters away. The figure whirled around and I screamed and jumped backwards. That was not Jaylon.

"What the hell?" I yelled. "Where's Jaylon?" But the figure was not very interested in answering my questions.

"Louisa?" He said in a disbelieving tone. I watched him rub a hand across his stubbled chin and my eyes widened.

"Adam?!?"

"Oh, I was so worried, where have you been?" He asked, crossing the short distance between us and trying to wrap his arms around me.

"Don't," I mumbled, pushing his arms away. He didn't smell of alcohol the way he had done a lot of the time before, but I could smell the smoke on his clothes.

"Where have you been?" He repeated, using one calloused hand to tuck a few strands of my hair behind my ear. I flinched away from his touch and his hand stilled, dropping back to his side. "Where have you been?" His voice was hard this time, anger lacing his every word.

"Somewhere better," I said, raising my chin. I had never had the courage to stand up to him in the past. Not that he abused me or anything, but he was rude, and his words could do a lot of damage, especially when he was drunk.

"Come on, better than with me?" The anger was gone from his voice, and I could see the true pain in his eyes.

"You didn't even look for me."

"Because you told me not to!" He exclaimed.

"When? When did I tell you that, Adam?"

"You left your phone on the table, along with some money and a note. Wait..." He reached into his pocket and dug around a bit, then pulled out a rather crumpled piece of paper. I took it in shaking hands and read the words. Words that weren't even in my handwriting.

Adam,

I'm leaving, and please don't look for me. I'm better off away from you. I don't want to hurt you, but I know it won't make any difference to you with me gone. There's so much more I can do with my life, so many more people to meet and places to see.

Don't expect to see me again.

Louisa.

"Adam, this isn't even my writing."

That seemed to stump him. He stood there for a moment, searching for words to say.

"Well, when would I have seen your writing before?" He said, at last, grabbing the note back and inspecting it.

"We lived together for three years," I said, rolling my eyes. "Whatever, it doesn't matter. I have to go." I turned and started to walk away but his heavy footsteps followed and he grabbed my arm.

"What happened then?" He demanded. "If that wasn't your writing, who's was it?"

"You wanna know what really happened?" I asked, turning back to him and advancing angrily, causing him to take a couple of steps back. "Someone else wrote this, before kidnapping me and taking me off to this impossibly huge mansion and keeping me there against my will. Just me and him, Adam. And my boyfriend never called me or tried to find me. How do you think that made me feel?"

"I called you tons of times but you never picked up!" He yelled. "I called your parents house as well, and they had no idea where you were!"

"Yes, but you didn't call them for like a month. And of course I didn't pick up, you just said I left my phone on the table!"

"True..." he seemed stumped again, then he frowned. "Wait, were you really kidnapped?"

"Yes, Adam." I rolled my eyes and turned away again. I needed to find Jaylon.

"Do you want me to go to the police?" He asked, following me. "Do you know the guys' name? His address?"

"Yes, I do, do you know why?" I stopped again, crossing my arms over my chest. "Because I fell in love with him, and my kidnapper is now my boyfriend and he is a far better boyfriend than you ever were."

"But he kidnapped you!"

This time when I walked away he stayed where he was.