Forlot: True and False - Book Four {Completed}

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Sarah was sitting in one of the chairs by the table that was facing our direction. She was tied to the chair by pieces of rope, her hands tied to the back of the chair, and a white cloth covered her mouth, gagging her. When she looked up at us, her eyes widened.

"Mmm!"

"S-Sarah?" Margie stuttered, stepping up to the table. "What are you doing here? Who...who did this to you?"

The red door swung open, and Ava entered the room. She grinned at us and closed the door behind her.

"Nice to see you all again," she said. "I suppose that you are here because you have information that you would like me to review."

I was going to tell her that was not the real reason why we came there as fast as our legs could carry us and to explain herself, but Margie spoke instead.

"Explain this."

Ava raised an eyebrow. "Explain what?"

She pointed at Sarah. "Why is my friend tied up and gagged?"

She looked at Sarah. "You mean Sarah?"

"Yes. Why is she like this? Did...did you do this to her?"

She swept her hair back and walked to the table. "How dare you. Do you really think that I would kidnap her and hold her against her will?" She stood next to Sarah and giggled. "But you are correct. I am the culprit."

A gasp escaped from me. "You did?" I said. "Why would you kidnap her?"

"Hold on. Who said that I kidnapped her?"

"That was you." I pointed at the paragraph where it starts with 'She swept her hair...'

She looked to where I was pointing, and then back at us. "That was a suggestion. I was only making a suggestion."

"Then you tell us how it all went down," Gretel piped in. "How you kidnapped her and why."

Ava's face saddened as she ran her fingers through Sarah's hair. Sarah did not like that and muffled some more, but Ava just ignored her.

"Let me just say that I did not kidnap her," she began. "I had to take her for the greater good."

"That is the definition of kidnapping," Nigel interrupted.

"Not the way that I see it. If I was doing it for the greater good, would it be kidnapping?" None of us answered her question, and she giggled again. "I love my riddles. But I am making a point. I had to take Sarah and bring her to my house. I had to tie her up and gag her. I had no choice."

"Did somebody threaten you?" Margie wondered.

"Goodness, no. Nobody threatens me. I threaten them if needed. I am one of the most powerful beings in existence. I am a fictional character who is both clever and strong."

A chill crawled down my spine. What she said...

"Speaking of fictional characters, I am glad that you are here. I want to go over some things that I would like to cover with you as soon as possible."

"What about Sarah?" Nigel asked. "Are you not going to let her go?"

"Let her go? Ha! How can I let her go free when she works for the enemy?"

"Works for the enemy?" Margie narrowed her eyebrows. "She works for no one."

"That is what she has led you to believe. But I will tell you the truth." Her grin grew wide. "I was out of the house and doing some of my own errands when I spotted...her. Your friend. Sarah. She was with Mrs. M. and Dr. O'Connor."

"Wait. How do you know that their names are Mrs. M. and Dr. O'Connor?" I pointed out.

"Internet. Plus, this town is so small that it is so easy to get to know everyone who lives here in a matter of days, and I have lived in Forlot for many years. Anyway, she was chatting with them...and can you guess what she was doing and what she said to the two of them?"

The Monster Protector pondered. "Well...I know that Dr. O'Connor and Mrs. M. were in cells...but they somehow escaped."

"You want to know how? I will tell you how!" She gripped some of Sarah's hair. "This little one decided to betray you. She freed both of them! I saw it with my own eyes!"

The four of us stared at Sarah. I heard Margie say, "No..."

Margie played with one of the bows on her braid. "...this cannot be. Sarah would never do that. She saved me and my sister from them. She and my sister are best friends!"

Ava yanked Sarah's hair, and Sarah screamed in muffles. "I overheard their little conversation. Sarah said it herself. She pretended to save you and your sister to save her own skin and possibly help her grandfather and his wife."

"Is this true, Sarah?" Nigel asked.

Sarah muffled as loud as she could.

"That is why I took her," Ava continued. "She is bad news. A traitor." She let go of her hair. "And I would like to add one more thing. I was saving the best for last."

"And what would that be?" Gretel asked.

"Sarah...is really Avery. Dangerous Avery."